Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Board declines to rehire coach

The ants may not be marching into Nevada County, but the armyworms have taken up residence.

Nevada County Extension Agent Rex Dollar said armyworms are an annual event for the area, but said the numbers seem to be up somewhat this year. The infestation is spread across the county, though there seems to be more reports coming from the northern part of the county, Dollar said.

Armyworms arrive as moths on the southerly winds, then drop their eggs that hatch and grow into the annoying caterpillars that can wreak havoc on a yard or hayfield in a relatively short period of time, Dollar said.

The good news is that those same winds may very well take the moths to their next hatching grounds. The better news is that cooler temperatures or significant rainfall will put an end to the infestation, as will a number of chemicals readily available on the market.

Dollar said the worms have a life cycle of about a month. He said that doesnt mean the worms will be prevalent again in a month because they will - in all likelihood - be gone before then.

The armyworms are out for the green and theyre not a danger to dried or stored hay. Dollar said the real problem for local farmers is that the armyworms have arrived on top of the dry summer. He said many farmers who depend on their hay crop are already facing shortages and cant afford to give up another crop to this enemy.

They can eat a pasture pretty quickly, Dollar said.

As the worms infest, there will literally be thousands in a small area. The green and black caterpillars eventually become moths, but can eat plenty of greenery before that change occurs.

Dollar said anyone who notices the worms has the option of chemical spray. He said the most important thing is to read labels to be sure that chemical is appropriate for the particular use. Another word of caution is to check drying time. Dollar said some chemicals require that a period of time pass before cattle are returned to the field to graze or the hay is cut for animal consumption.