How to Kill Armyworms on Apple Trees
Armyworms are the larvae of Noctuidae or cutworm moths. They are most common in warmer climates, such as the southern United States and Central America. Armyworm larvae feed on fruit, vegetable and grain crops and can do excessive damage in a short amount of time. The best way to get rid of armyworms on apple trees is to control overgrowth and rely on the armyworms' natural predators. Pesticides are a last resort, as they can be expensive as well as unintentionally kill insects which eat armyworms. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Limit overgrowth in apple orchards. Armyworms prefer the dark and are usually only active at night; excessive overgrowth provides shade and darkness even during the day, allowing for greater activity and damage by armyworms.
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Check apple trees regularly for armyworm damage, including ragged holes in leaves, pellet-like droppings and the surface of apples eaten away. Also check for armyworms themselves, which are 1/2 to 2 inches long and green to black in color with a Y-shaped marking on their heads.
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Clear the debris under the apple trees. During the day, the armyworms drop off of the trees and burrow in the soil; the more debris under the trees, the easier it is for the armyworms to hide.
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Rely on armyworms' natural predators, including beetles, ants and spiders, to limit their population. Insecticides can do more harm than good by killing these and other beneficial insects, leaving your apple trees vulnerable to another pest outbreak with no natural predators to protect them.
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Apply pesticides, but no more than is necessary to kill the armyworms, if the damage to your apple trees exceeds 15 percent of the growth. This amount of damage is serious and is cause for more drastic action to avoid further damage that could result in a lost crop.
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Tips & Warnings
With a severe armyworm infestation, it might be helpful to harvest the crop early to prevent further destruction of the fruit by armyworms.
Destroying weeds or other grasses around crops can cause armyworms to move from the weeds to the crops themselves.
