You can’t count on much these days, but you can count on Mother Nature. Proof can be found in the armyworms that are currently invading Mississippi. The creepy crawlers wreak havoc on residents’ yards every summer and fall, and this summer is no different. Well, it is a little different. For some reason, the armyworms are worse this year than they’ve been in recent years.

Sweltering temperatures are just one sign of summer in Mississippi. The presence of armyworms is another.
USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab/Wikimedia Commons
Don’t be fooled by the name. Armyworms are actually caterpillars. And just like any other caterpillar, they transform into moths.
xpda/Wikimedia Commons
Every spring, they make their way to Mississippi from South America. Then, in the summer and fall, they wreak havoc on people’s yards.
Larah McElroy/Flickr
According to Mississippi State University Extension Service, they’re worse now than they’ve been in years past, yet the reason for the increase is unknown.

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So, what kind of havoc do they wreak, exactly? Well, armyworms are notorious for their love of grasses.
Paulius Malinovskis/Flickr
They particularly like Bermuda grass – in all forms, whether it’s on a golf course or being grown for hay.
And though armyworms only feed on grass the last few days of the caterpillar stage (10-14 days), they can do a lot of damage in a short time, causing serious problems for those in hay production.
stanze/Flickr
The first sign of an infestation is small patches of dead grass.
Scot Nelson/Flickr
There isn’t much you can do to keep armyworms out of your yard; however, there are chemicals you can use to get rid of them.
Jeanne Menjoulet/Flickr

 

For more information on armyworms, visit the Mississippi State University Extension’s website.

So, did you know about armyworms? Have you noticed any yet in 2021? Do you agree that they’re worse this year? Tell us!

These aren’t the only creepy crawlers in Mississippi. Click here to read about 10 bugs found in Mississippi that’ll send shivers down your spine.

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