Curing New Turf Diseases in 2026

Fall armyworms are surface feeders. Fall armyworms are small and green with a black head when they hatch, however they grow quickly and become darker with age.

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See image 2. Evaluate the turfgrass health and vitality, the size of the caterpillars, the amount of feeding damage, and the time till anticipated frost when figuring out if insecticide treatment is called for. Carefully scout to figure out the number, size, and distribution of fall armyworms and the condition of the turfgrass. Little armyworms (greenish in color) are much simpler to control than caterpillars nearing their full-grown length of 1.5 to 2 inches.

Trim high turfgrass before treatment to improve insecticide protection. Irrigate gently numerous hours before treatment to increase larval activity on the soil surface area.

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If there is no quick control of fall armyworms after using a pyrethroid, think about using a different class of insecticide, or hire a yard care company to use a chlorantraniliprole or tetraniliprole substance. Azadirachtin insecticides (Neem oil) can provide control of small larvae and are certified organic.