A couple days ago I noticed that the clover in my ONLY food plot looked like it had been grazed down. It didn't concern me since I'd seen a lot of sign that deer had been there. Yesterday I walked down (it's only a short walk from my house) and took a look and it's all GONE. Not just here and there, but everywhere. Everything else that I'd planted was on it's way to being gone as well. Practically the only thing left were weeds. I took the time to look closer and it looked like the ground was moving here and there. On closer inspection, the whole area was crawling with thousands or maybe tens of thousands of caterpillars about 1 1/4 inches long. I've never seen anything like it in my life. When I started checking other areas, they were even eating the bermuda in our horse pasture. I also noticed that quite a few trees had some damage also. I mixed up five 30 gallon tanks of Triazicide and hammered the little buggers, but the damage is done. I don't know if anything will come back or not. This really burns me. I've been babying this plot for two years now. I would assume that this is just a local phenomenon, but it might be a good idea to take a look at your food plots.
sorry to hear about that. It stinks when you put so much time and effort into plots to have insects destroy them. I hope everything works out for you.
Sorry to hear about that. Did you determine what kind of caterpillar it was? That may help in preventing a future occurrence. Besides, I am curious as to what they were LOL.
Nope. It was three hours of vengeful, indescriminate killing. I did my best to commit genocide, but I'm sure there are a few survivors around. I'll try to identify this specific variety of vermin when I get home if you'd like to know.
They're armyworms!! It didn't take much research to find out that these buggers were armyworms. Also, this outbreak isn't local. They are especially bad in many of the areas affected by the heat and drought. They are actually worse in a drought. On another forum someone responded from central Arkansas and said that they're bad there too. I would suspect that they could be bad anywhere this heat and drought is occurring. Again, you might want to check your food plots. If you have this infestation, Triazicide by Spectracide does kill them.
LC, quick fix. Head to the local farm supply and buy some oats. Wait another week or two and then put them in. They will take fast and will be 6-8 inches and green after 6 to 8 weeks. I plant mine at the end of Aug. They are inexpensive and easy to grow. Some triple 15 fert with it and a little rain and you are back in business.
Holy crap! You sure about that? At 2-3 bushels per acre all they'd have to do is sprout and the plot would be green. Are you sure you don't mean pounds? I'm really not trying to be insulting. I did grow up on a farm, but all I know about oats I learned from Quaker.
2 to 3 bushel per acre Your local farm store will be selling them for 5 bucks a bushel or so. I have broadcast them heavier than that before. You'll be surprised at how the deer will be on them all season.
