How To Prevent Armyworms Around Houston Homes
Have you started seeing extensive damage to your lard and landscaping, especially to turf or bermudagrass on your property? Armyworms may be the culprit. Read on for more information you need to know about armyworms, the threat they pose, and how you can prevent them from around your Houston home.
What Are Armyworms?
Despite their names, armyworms are not actually worms at all, but the larval stage of the armyworm moth. The “army” in their name comes from their large-scale invasive behavior, causing large-scale damage to a variety of crops they come across.
Armyworm larvae are typically about 3/4 inch in length, with greenish or brown coloration. While their appearance can vary slightly depending on the species, many have stripes running down their sides and backs. These stripes can range in colors including green, yellow, brown, and red.
After going through a metamorphosis, armyworm larvae emerge as moths. These are about an inch and a half long when measured by wingspan, with dark gray coloration on their backs and back wings, lighter gray to white coloration on the underwings.
Why Is Armyworm Prevention Important?
While armyworms are not directly dangerous to humans or pets, they can be incredibly damaging to your property.
Like all caterpillars, armyworms are constantly on the hunt for vegetation to feed on, and the large numbers that they tend to swarm in leaves a great deal of destruction to yards, gardens, and foliage. Armyworms are particularly notorious for tearing up turf (especially bermudagrass), making them a huge problem for many homeowners in the upper coastal region of Texas.
The damage they leave behind can create an unsightly yard that will be costly to repair. Armyworm-damaged grass typically starts looking dry but gradually will leave brown patches across your yard when the grass dies.
Essential Armyworm Prevention Steps For Homeowners
When it comes to armyworms, the first step is to know the warning signs of an infestation so that you can call a professional pest control company for treatment if they come to your lawn. Here are some warning signs to look out for:
- Grass or turf that looks dried-out or browning
- The increasing presence of birds around your yard, which feed on the armyworms
- Physically seeing them active, especially in the early morning
In order to prevent an infestation, there are some helpful steps you can take to make your yard as unappealing to them as possible. These include:
- Mow the lawn frequently
- Check plants and landscaping frequently for armyworm presence
- Get ongoing pest management services from a certified pest control provider
There are a number of factors that can cause an armyworm infestation. Unfortunately, the average homeowner is not equipped to handle these invasive pests with the efficiency necessary to eliminate them before catastrophic damage has occurred.
If you’re worried about armyworms destroying your Houston lawn, don’t leave it to chance: call Modern Pest Control immediately for comprehensive lawn protection services. No matter the size of your infestation or what other pests might be threatening your property, we’ll keep your lawn looking and feeling green and healthy for years to come.