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Northeast Iowa farmer sprays freshly cut alfalfa for armyworms
Northeast Iowa is not immune to crop damage caused by extensive fall armyworm pressure.
Mark Mueller of Waverly says he recently found some in alfalfa right before it was chopped.
“There were still armyworms on the freshly cut ground, so I ended up calling the local coop and had them spray that (field) to kill any remaining worms because the worms would’ve hurt regrowth.”
He suspects the onslaught of armyworms across the Midwest is the result of moths being blown north during an unusually active hurricane season.
“That’s the best answer I have. I’ve not had to spray for armyworms ever (in 26 years of farming).”
Mueller got four good cuttings of alfalfa this year, but he tells Brownfield armyworms took a bite out of the fifth cut.
