Toddler Miss

Munching Fall Armyworms Invade Yards, Pastures

CONWAY — Kami Marsh’s phone is ringing again and at this time of year, it’s because fall armyworms are grazing down lawns and pastures.

“I’m hearing from homeowners who are seeing large groups of these worms and they’re a little agitated,” said Marsh, a Faulkner County extension agent for University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “One day their grass is there. The next day it’s gone.”

As their name implies, these caterpillars appear in large groups. It often seems as if they appear overnight and in their wake, they leave bare ground where lawns and pastures used to be.

Newly hatched fall armyworms are light green or cream-colored with a dark head and measures about one- sixteenth of an inch long. As it grows, it becomes darker in color and the head has a light colored “Y”-shaped mark down the front. In addition, the nextto-last abdominal segment has four small dark dots. A fully grown fall armyworm is about 1.5 inches long.

Morning and evening are the best times to scout for fall armyworms, since those are the times they are most active. Fall armyworm damage often appears as a browned or burned-out patch resembling drought damage. The damaged patch will usually increase in size as the fall armyworm consumes more foliage. The brown color results from drying of the plant due to dehydration after armyworms chew tender growth.

Often, after a severe fall armyworm infestation, the only vegetation left in the field will be tough stems. Fall armyworms seldom kill healthy, established bermudagrass. However, newly established stands of bermudagrass, winter annuals (rye, ryegrass, wheat), fescue or orchardgrass are at risk of stunting or dying.

Go to www. uaex. edu/ counties/prairie/fall armyworm sheet 2015. pdf for more information on managing fall armyworms.

COURTESY PHOTO Bella Cate Keenen of Lincoln was crowned Toddler Miss Washington County Fair at the pageant held Aug. 27 at Prairie Grove High School. Congratulations to her and the other girls in the pageant.

LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADER Farmington Area Chamber of Commerce recently sponsored a ribbon cutting ceremony for Coldwater Catfish, located at 56 Yukon Way, Suite 4. The restaurant is owned by Jim and Sharion Broom. Jim Broom has 25 years’ experience in cooking catfish. The...