We have heard a lot of horror stories lately about army worms. We've also stepped into a few horror stories and helped Baldwyn property owners turn things around. While we didn't quite turn them into love stories, we've been able to at least downgrade them from horror stories to maybe a comedy—or one of those movies that have a satisfying ending. Are you with us? Great. So, how do you get rid of army worms on your Baldwyn lawn?
The short answer is that you don't. If you go after these worms on your own, you can get some very undesirable results. We recommend that Baldwyn residents stay on top of cultural practices to prevent army worms and to reach out to a professional pest control provider, like McCary Pest Control, when army worms become a problem. Let's take a closer look at cultural practices, army worm identification, the damage these pests can do, and what is required to get rid of them.
What Are Cultural Practices?
This is fancy terminology. What does it mean? Cultural practices are pest control measures that make crops unacceptable to pests. When it comes to lawn pests, the cultural practices that deter these pests are:
- Give your lawn the water it needs.
- Keep your grass cut short.
- Mow your lawn frequently.
- Apply fertilizer to keep your grass healthy and strong.
When you stay on top of lawn care, your lawn will be naturally resistant to army worms. These cultural practices will cause army worms to choose another place to graze.
What Is An Army Worm?
Army worms aren't worms at all. They're a variety of moths. Entomologists refer to these moths as army worm moths in order to create a clear definition of what these pests actually are. Common names, like army worm, are often created by untrained individuals who have encounters with pests and describe them as they appear. When these caterpillars are seen, they're seen in large numbers all grouped together in one area.
This creates a wiggly mass that looks like a bed of brown worms—hence the name army worms. It is likely that you know that moths begin as caterpillars. If you understand that army worm moths begin as caterpillars, you'll have two valuable pieces of information. You'll recognize the appearance of brown moths in your yard as a warning sign of an army moth infestation, and you'll know to take a closer look when you see wiggly, brown worms on your lawn.
Army Worm Damage
The larvae of army worms (the caterpillars) eat the nectar of grass blades and cause them to turn brown and die. If you're noticing that your lawn is starting to have areas of brown grass, it could be army worm damage. It may also be lawn stress. If it is an army worm infestation, you will need to get your lawn treated. If it is lawn stress, this can be corrected with proper watering and fertilization. It is also likely that it is both. Army worms are attracted to a lawn that is stressed. You can tell the difference between an army worm infestation and lawn stress by looking to see if the grass blades have been chewed.
How To Get Rid Of Army Worms In Baldwyn
At McCary Pest Control, we provide industry-leading pest control solutions for property owners in the Baldwyn area. If army worm moths are creating a problem on your property, reach out to us for immediate assistance. We'll send a technician to evaluate your caterpillar problem and guide you in making the right choice to solve the issue. This will help you get your lawn back to looking beautiful and green in no time.