TEN-HUT: Kentucky Has an Armyworm Problem

"Worms, Roxanne!" Google it. Anyway, I decided long ago that if I ever write about worms, I was going to incorporate that quote, even if it has nothing to do with the story.

And it doesn't.

Have you ever heard of an armyworm? Okay, I see a few hands.

Well, mine was not one of them. But when I learned that Indiana was having an issue with the little buggers, I looked into it and discovered that Kentucky is also having an issue with pesky insects. And, yes, they ARE insects, since they eventually become moths.

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But while they are armyworms, they're a pain in the rear end to farmers.

AgFax.com, which calls their summer emergence an "abrupt appearance" has nothing nice to say about these little defoliators. And that's why. They are no friend to plants, whatsoever.

It seems they began to migrate to the Commonwealth in June and July--a tad early, in my humble opinion, for a creature with FALL in its name--and have been targeting forages, sorghum, and soybeans.

If you clicked that link I provided, you've realized that fall armyworms, though not an unexpected problem, for the most part, DID originate in Africa and could therefore be considered an invasive species. I say COULD only because I don't know what the statute of limitations is on that designation.

Of perhaps greater concern is the fact that there are a few reported cases of the pests resisting control tactics, according to Progressive Farmer DTN.

And, of course, the fact that they have arrived so early is an obvious concern. They have more time to do their worst. And since they love warm weather--in the winter, they migrate to southernmost parts of the U.S.--they have to be enjoying THIS summer.

I love learning about stuff like this. There's a whole other world out there of deep and reasonable worries that never would have occurred to me.

And since I like sorghum and corn (not a big issue yet, but it could be), I'll throw my hat into the ring as someone who wouldn't mind seeing these unwelcome little monsters subdued.

Hopefully, the worm will turn.