June 2025 Edition

Agriculture & Natural Resources
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We had a truly historic outbreak of fall armyworms in 2021. The last few years, we have not seen these levels, however, damage seems to be more common year in and year out than in the past. Last year, reports of major damage in Simpson County seemed to be most common on home lawns. Fall armyworms are a migratory species that arrive in Kentucky in June, so we need to start keeping our eyes peeled for signs of the fall armyworm.

Fall armyworms typically cause issues in corn, alfalfa, hayfields and home lawns. Often times, home lawns turn brown seemingly overnight.

The caterpillar stage is considered the damaging stage of development for this pest. If you find a caterpillar and suspect it may be a fall armyworm, look for a prominent white inverted “Y” on the head and four dots in a square on the rear. Colors can vary from light tan to nearly black.

You have several ways to manage fall armyworm. Pyrethroids are an effective type of pesticide against foliage-feeding pests. Some examples of these pesticides include Bifenthrin (Talstar), Lambda-cyhalothrin (Scimitar), Permethrin (Astro) and Cyfluthrin (Tempo).

It is best to use the spray formulation and make sure you don’t mow or irrigate the sprayed area for 24 hours.

Non-pyrethroid products can also be effective against turf caterpillars. These are low hazards to humans and the environment. Some common examples of these are Acelepryn, Provaunt and Conserve SC.

Contact the Simpson County Extension Service for help with identification and additional control information.