Armyworms on move in suburban parks
The uber-destructive armyworms have hit Upper Arlington. And Westerville. And Grove City. And probably many other suburbs, as they creep across the land and munch up turfgrass until there isn't any left.
And then – wait for it – if there is no grass left to eat, these spodoptera frugiperda actually turn on themselves, with the larger caterpillars dining on the smaller ones.
But by then, it's probably too late for the grass. The damage is done.
Ohio State University Extension offices have been fielding calls for weeks about the emergence of the armyworms which, once they become adult moths, are little gray insects with white underwings and a wingspan of maybe 1.5 inches.
In its Buckeye Yard & Garden Online (BYGL) publication, OSU Extension agents wrote that large outbreaks of armyworm activity have been reported from Oklahoma to North Carolina for the past couple of months. It seems that a storm that blew up from the south and across Ohio maybe a month ago carried adult moths here, where they laid eggs that have now hatched.
Earlier this week, a lacrosse team playing on a field at Upper Arlington's Burbank Park complained about the poor condition of the turf. One of the city's experts went to investigate and sure enough, the armyworms had
attacked.
“The damage was significant,” said Samantha Simmons, the city’s parks and forestry superintendent. A survey of other city parks revealed some with minor issues, but Northam and Miller parks also had significant damage.
Crews treated Northam Park this week with an insecticide so set-up could begin as planned Friday for the city’s popular arts festival, a tradition held each Labor Day since 1966. Several other parks were being treated Friday and more treatments are planned in the coming week.
Arts festival: Thousands always flock to Upper Arlington’s traditional event
Simmons said the armyworm problem is widespread throughout the suburbs.
Westerville, for example, issued a notice Thursday that it had closed its Sports Complex fields for the day to treat them.
The pesticide Upper Arlington is using – Acelepryin – isn’t harmful to pollinators, the city pointed out. And after application, people and pets only need to stay off the grass until the treatment completely dries, said Emma Speight, the city’s community affairs director.
“They basically do the application on warm days with no rain on the horizon and then once it is applied, it just needs a couple of hours to dry completely and then use can resume,” Speight said.
Armyworms in Columbus parks, though? Not so far, thankfully, said Amanda Wampler, interim community relations chief with Columbus Recreation and Parks.
“We are searching and on the hunt for them and being proactive,” Wampler said, “but, so far we are good.”
She said crews are being especially vigilant in places such as Berliner Park, where it is imperative that fields be kept in great shape.
As a general rule, the city of Columbus doesn’t apply pesticides but, Wampler said, crews are staying in close contact with OSU Extension and making plans to move swiftly and however necessary if armyworms hit the local parks.
Bulk supply, though, could become a problem. Simmons said she already is hearing that demand could soon outpace sourcing when it comes the necessary pesticides.
Experts say that if your grass suddenly looks brown or dead, to mix water with Dawn dish soap and toss it onto the grass. That will force the armyworms to emerge. Common insecticides that can be purchased at hardware or home-improvement stores can help. Local lawncare companies are also prepared.
But, OSU Extension warns, also watch for the next round of egg masses to appear because a second wave of armyworms could already be brewing. These gooey piles of little white eggs are often found on outdoor plants, the sides of buildings lawn furniture and the like. hzachariah@dispatch.com @hollyzachariah