Intense Pseudaletia unipuncta infestations have continued to consume pastures and hay meadows in easterly and central Texas throughout the spill , an annual problem facing farmers in the region .
“ I do n’t cogitate they ’re bad [ than in late class ] , but it ’s probably more vivid ( sudden ) onset , ” enounce Allen Knutson , a Texas AgriLife Extension Service entomologist .
solid rains , like those much of Texas has go through throughout the season from hurricanes and tropical violent storm , often trigger armyworm outbreaks , he allege . The perception that Pseudaletia unipuncta are worse this class is probably because recent years ’ dry weather seemed to inhibit their replication .
“ There was a long period of sentence when it was wry and there was no armyworm activity . Then all of sudden , here they are in large numbers , ” he say .
Knutson say no one really knows why armyworm burst forth in large figure when it rains follow a dry period . But the theory is that armyworm eggs and little larvae survive when humidness is high and works growth is lush .
“ We know that the ( armyworm ) moths are moving up from South Texas all summertime long and no doubt laying egg , but the eggs and small larvae just do n’t survive when it ’s red-hot and juiceless , ” he read .
Now that conditions are mature for their survival , Pseudaletia unipuncta will be participating until the first dusty conditions add up in , Knutson says . They will take up residence along the Gulf Coast for wintertime , then fly to northerly states for spring .
“ It ’ll take a freezing to actually kill them because they ’re not cold - kind , but sure nerveless conditions will slow down their development , ” he say . “ We still are week and weeks away from that , so there ’s lots of time for armyworm to do equipment casualty . It ’s too betimes to go for that weather is kick the bucket to slow up down the plague . ”
armyworm are not only negative existing pastures , they ’re also delay implant wheat for shaving and small grains for winter pastures , according to Texas AgriLife Extension Service broker reports .
Armyworms can bare a field of newly emerged little grains overnight , Knutson says .
Some wheat producer delayed sowing because of account of armyworms infesting farms in the Frederick North , particularly in Oklahoma , says Heath Lusty , a Texas AgriLife Extension agent for Jack County , northwest of Fort Worth .
According to Knutson , there ’s really no way for husbandman to avoid the seasonal plague of the armyworm .
“ presently , the best management exercise is to closely monitor fields to detect infestations too soon , so control condition can be take before significant damage pass . ”
In addition to early found wheat , armyworms target area Bermuda weed , rye and other forage grasses . Haygrazer and other forage sorghum molasses could also be infest by armyworm if they are succulent and produce chop-chop , says Knutson .
