June Organics Update: Managing Armyworms in Organic Crops
Posted by Sierra Dice, Organic Agronomy Consultant on June 15, 2023
Over the last few weeks, I have had an increase in calls about armyworms, specifically in no-till fields that had established cover crops in them. Armyworms can be destructive quickly, so active scouting is a must May through June.
Above is a photo of the armyworm larvae, which are very active and destructive from May through June (Source).
Through scouting, if you are finding damage or larvae, you can implement a sampling method to determine if action needs to be taken. I recommend using Purdue’s sampling method, found on their website.
Purdue’s management guidelines advise control may be necessary if more than 50% of plants show armyworm feeding and numerous live larvae are less than 1-¼ inches long. If you find that you need control, I recommend DiPel DF Biological Insecticide. It is OMRI-Listed® for organic crops, won’t harm beneficial insects, and is easy to use. The armyworms do need to consume the DiPel for it to be effective, so it does need to be sprayed on the crops/waterways they are actively feeding on to eradicate them.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me or your trusted advisor from The Andersons. As always, please follow label instructions and use products only as intended.
Sierra Dice is an agronomy consultant and organic account representative for The Andersons Retail Farm Centers. A graduate of Purdue University, Sierra studied agribusiness and agronomy. She has worked in ag retail for 10 years and has responsibility for organic product sales with The Andersons in Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. If you have questions related to organics, Sierra can be reached at sierra_dice@andersonsinc.com.
