Fall armyworms appearing in county Northwest Georgia realtors salute military, Sen. Isakson speaks
Norman Edwards is coordinator of Walker Local agricultural producers need to be on the lookout for fall armyworms. These small caterpillars can invade a field and very quickly consume the forage crop that is growing there. They are able to cause this large amount of feeding damage in a short period of time due to the mass numbers of them. Well-fertilized Bermuda hay fields, millet and other forage crops seem to be their preference, but they can feed on our pastures and even home lawn grass. Extension entomologists recommend checking fields that the armyworms prefer on a regular basis, so you can make the best management decision quickly. The first signs you might see could be brown patches in the field from their feeding or an unusually large number of crows in the field, they are feeding on the armyworms. In hay fields, sometimes the best option is to go ahead and mow the hay as soon as you find the worms. Once the hay has been mowed, the armyworms will quit feeding on it. There are also insecticides that can be used to control them, but we need to be sure to follow all labeled instructions, such as grazing or haying withdrawal periods. As mentioned earlier, they can also be a problem in home lawns, but the damage is usually just cosmetic. When they invade a lawn, it will give it a similar appearance to a lawn that has been scalped with a lawn mower. Established lawns should naturally recover in a couple of weeks. For more information on identifying or deciding how to treat an armyworm invasion, call the Walker County Extension Office at 706-638-2548. County Extension Service. as On Aug. 14, the Northwest Georgia Council of Realtors hosted a luncheon saluting our military at the Colonnade in Ringgold. The keynote speaker was U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, a retired veteran who served in the Georgia Air National Guard from 1966-72. Real estate agents from various northwest Georgia and Tennessee offices were in attendance. The focus of the meeting was to honor our military, both active and retired. Many retired veterans were recognized and honored for their service. The housing market, FICO credit scoring system, Medicare and veterans’ health care options were among the other topics discussed. The 2012 Northwest Georgia Council of Realtors consists of the following: Melissa Harrison, president; Teresa Hogg, president-elect; Steve Toker, director; Chris Davis, past president; Georgette Dover, ambassador; Lynne Hall, ambassador; Kathleen Hill, ambassador; Paulette Kellerher, ambassador. Article prepared and submitted by Joanna Jackson, sales manager/associate broker with Jackson Realty.