Armyworm moth. |
Generally, I would expect to be looking for fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera fugiperda,at this time of year, but our moth captures for this insect in both central and western KY have been quite low, perhaps because the cold winter and spring pushed their overwintering locations farther south, and/or they were later beginning their annual northward migration. Even so we have seen some localized but significant populations in south-central KY.
The data we see on the armyworm moth flight of course, describes the movement of adults, which are not the damaging stages. It is the juvenile, caterpillar stage that will appear in September that might pose the threat. Moth flights in the earlier portion of the season followed a relatively normal pattern. Our most common problem with AW comes in May on small grains and that is what we saw this year. Also, there is often a small bump in flight in June and July that usually doesn’t amount to much. Those events were relatively normal this year. What is different this year is that following that relatively normal flight in June and July we have another and much larger flight in July and August that will produce caterpillars in September.
Armyworm Caterpillar |
Producers are advised to keep an eye on very late planted / late developing soybeans, along with forage crops, particularly grasses and most especially newly planted grasses, and grass-alfalfa mixes. There is no established threshold for this pest in these circumstances, but populations around 4-6 worms per sq.ft. probably require treatment.
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