CHRISTOPHER LeMASTER, JR.
Area Livestock & Forage Agent
Cherokee, Spartanburg, & Union Counties
Yesterday evening while feeding, I noticed a strong, warm breeze blowing from the south. A few minutes later, I spotted a couple of moths and caught one to take a closer look. It turned out not to be a fall armyworm moth, but it did remind me that these warm, humid weather patterns are often favorable for the northward migration of fall armyworm moths from their overwintering areas along the Gulf Coast and farther south. As we move further into summer, now is a good time to begin scouting pastures and hayfields. Early detection remains our best defense against significant damage.
That doesn’t necessarily mean armyworms are here today, but it does mean it’s time to start paying attention. Early scouting is still our best defense against significant damage in pastures and hayfields.
PRIME CONDITIONS
As these weather patterns continue, producers should be on the lookout for signs of armyworm activity and regularly inspect fields for feeding damage and larvae. Clemson Extension recommends scouting during the cooler parts of the day, such as early mornings and evenings. A sweep net is one of the most effective scouting tools, but simply getting down in the forage and looking for larvae can also be effective.
In addition to finding larvae, watch for signs of feeding damage such as chewed leaf material, ragged leaves, or forage that appears to have a frosted appearance. Producers should also be suspicious of increased bird activity, especially geese or cattle egrets concentrated in a pasture, as they are often feeding on armyworm larvae.
HANDY WEATHER RESOURCES
Since I was already thinking about weather, I should mention a resource I have been using quite a bit lately while trying to plan spray applications: agweather.com. The website was developed by Eric Snodgrass, a meteorologist with an agricultural background who has made a significant impact in the agricultural community through his weather analysis and outreach. We had the privilege of hearing him speak at Clemson a few years ago while he was with the University of Illinois, and I have found many of the tools on the website to be useful ever since.
The site contains more information than I know what to do with, but I have found the local forecasts to be very accurate and especially appreciate the national radar maps. One feature I check frequently before spraying is the hourly forecast, particularly the wind speed and temperature inversion predictions. Those tools can help producers make safer application decisions and reduce the potential for pesticide drift.
We are not endorsing or representing this website in any way, but it may be a useful resource for some of you as well.
FOR MORE INFO
For more detailed scouting and management recommendations, check out Clemson Extension’s blog on fall armyworm management. You can also join us next Friday at 12:00 p.m. for our Fall Armyworm and Bermudagrass Stem Maggot Webinar, where we’ll discuss identification, scouting strategies, treatment thresholds, and management options for the season ahead.
