The rains came and farmers across Kingfisher County planted their small grain crops.

That’s typically a good thing.

But there’s a downside. Army-worms have made their appearance countywide.

County Extension Director-Agricultural Agent Bryan Kennedy said fall army-worms have appeared throughout the county and producers need to be aware that they are present.

Kennedy said that he had already had to spray for them on a field he has sown at his residence southwest of Hennessey.

“I think I got them in time,” he said. “The field is greening back up.”

He said he noticed the new crop had a whitish tinge and checked for the worms and found them in damaging numbers.

Kennedy pointed out the worms are a threat not to just to small grain fields but to lawns, golf courses, bermudagrass hay fields and pastures.

Kennedy said the threat would continue until Mother Nature came through with a hard freeze.

“That is the thing that normally brings them under control, Kennedy said.

The worms have been reported statewide with the emergence of small grain crops.

A major key to controlling potential fall armyworm problems is early detection because infestations of fully mature larvae feed voraciously and can completely consume a lawn overnight and significantly damage a field in a few days,” Kennedy said.

Elevator operators throughout the county confirm the presence of the pests, which have become almost an annual problem.

One area farmer (somewhat) jokingly said he was half done sowing his crop this year, meaning he probably would be replanting his fields after the current plants had been consumed by predators – armyworms and grasshoppers principally.

Armyworms normally appear after the arrival of substantial moisture.

Fall armyworms were very active last summer and into fall, showing up in large numbers throughout the growing season,” said Tom Royer, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension entomologist and integrated pest management coordinator. “The best way to protect one’s investment in his or her crop is to just plan on checking fields early and often.”

Female fall armyworm moths lay up to 1,000 eggs over several nights on grasses or other plants. Within a few days, the eggs hatch and the caterpillars begin feeding in groups. Caterpillars molt six times before maturing, increasing in size after each molt. They can complete a generation in 18 to 28 days depending on temperature.

“Newly hatched fall armyworms are white, yellow or light green and darken as they mature,” Royer said. “Mature fall armyworms measure about 1.5 inches in length with a body color that ranges from green to brown or black. They can be distinguished by the presence of a prominent inverted white “y” on their head.”

Small larvae do not eat through the leaf tissue but instead scrape off all of the green tissue and leave a clear membrane that gives the leaf a “window pane” appearance. Large larvae can quickly denude a turf or forage canopy.

To scout for fall army-worms, examine turf or seedling wheat plants from eight locations measuring one square foot each. Examine turf along the field margin as well as in the interior since armyworms often move in from road ditches and nearby weedy areas. Look for “window paned” leaves and count all sizes of larvae.

“Total the number of larvae in each size class and divide each number by eight to calculate the average number per square foot,” extension entomologists said. “Thresholds are not well developed for fall armyworm in turf grass but treatment is suggested when average counts reach two or three half-inch larvae per square foot.” Royer said it is crucial to target smaller caterpillars of a half-inch or less for two reasons.

First, the caterpillars do not cause severe damage until they reach a size of one inch in length.

Second, smaller caterpillars are much more susceptible to insecticide control than larger caterpillars.

“Any product labeled for caterpillar control in turf should be effective for fall armyworm control in sod fields, lawns and golf courses,” Royer said. “The treatment threshold for wheat is one to two fall armyworms per linear foot.”

Grass hay producers need to check their fields as well. An easy way for hay growers to determine if they need to treat their fields is to get a wire coat hanger, bend it into a hoop, place it on the ground and count all sizes of caterpillars in the hoop.

“A hoop will typically cover about two-thirds of a square foot, so a threshold in pasture would be an average of two or three half-inch-long larvae per hoop sample, essentially three or four per square foot,” Royer said. “If the treatment threshold is exceeded, it is much easier to control them with an insecticide when they are less than a half-inch long.”

Always follow label recommendations when applying any insecticide, paying extra attention to the current rates and restrictions listed on the label. “Never assume the rates have remained unchanged from year to year,” Royer said. “Always check and double-check.”

Control guidelines and information on registered insecticides approved for fall armyworms in wheat and a number of other crops are available online at http://osufacts.okstate.edu by consulting OSU Extension Current Report CR-7194, “Management of Insect and Mite Pests in Small Grains.”

Control guidelines and information on registered insecticides approved for fall armyworms in rangeland and pasture are available online at http://osufacts.okstate.edu by consulting OSU Extension Current Report, CR-7193, “Management of Insect Pests in Rangeland and Pasture.”

Reports from elevator operators across the county included:

Cashion Grain and Feed – Manager John Schaefer said the armyworms had destroyed one seven-acre patch of one grower and were reported throughout the area.

Crescent Coop Elevator – Manager Ryan Thomas said growers were seeing the worms and spraying had occurred.

He said grasshoppers also had taken a toll on some newly-emerged fields but their effect was normally 30 to 40 feet from the fence lines whereas armyworms affect an entire field.

Loyal CHS Elevator – Eugene Roach, said there had been a few reports and the situation bears watching. He predicted the infestation would equal last year’s.

Wheeler Brothers, Kingfisher – Manager Randall Varnell commented that the worms are present and that a number of producers have sprayed for them.

Wheeler Brothers Elevator, Omega – Manager B.J. Waeger said the worms are showing up and some have already sprayed. He estimated another two or three sessions may be necessary before a hard freeze controls them. He estimated sowing was about 80 to 85 percent complete in the Omega area and 70 percent complete in the Loyal area. Waeger said some growers were waiting for another rain before planting.

CHS Elevator at Okarche – Manager Rick Brueggen said armyworms are showing up and producers are scouting for them with some spraying. He said the majority of small grain acreage had already been planted in that area.

Okarche Grain and Feed Elevator – Armyworms are present and producers are scouting for them. Most fields are planted in the area.