Armyworm is the bane of all gardeners! A horde of these insects would destroy your garden in no time. They are voracious eaters that will leave no leaves untouched. If you’ve just started getting into gardening, you have to be prepared to face this dreaded foe.
Of course, some people have no qualms about dousing their garden with insecticides. But that’s not healthy. Such chemicals are known to be carcinogenic. So, you will have to find a way to defeat the army of ferocious caterpillars organically. Let’s find out how to get rid of armyworms effectively without using chemicals!
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Yes, despite its name, the armyworm is a type of caterpillar. They’ll turn into winged moths after some time. Yet, true to its moniker, if you find one in your garden, the whole army of this caterpillar is likely already there. Wherever a horde of armyworms marches, destructions ensue!
Caterpillars need to feed as much as they can in an effort to build up energy reserve before they go into the cocoon stage. It’s also true for armyworms. Their appetite is insatiable, so the only way to defeat the army worms is by waging war against them! And by golly, we will be your ally to defeat this pest once and for all!
How to Get Rid of Armyworms Naturally
There are ways to defeat arm worm without using dangerous pesticides. Find out how to get rid of armyworms naturally here!
#1 Introduce Parasitic Trichogramma Wasps
If you want to know how to get rid of army worms naturally, this method is perhaps the most exciting to learn! You can introduce an army worm’s natural enemy into your garden. One of the best insects that will help you fight against the horde is the parasitic wasp from the Trichogramma genus.
This parasitic wasp will parasitize army worms’ eggs, preventing them from hatching. The wasp itself is very small and harmless to humans. Back in the day, the Chinese even widely used this parasitic wasp to deal with moth caterpillars on a massive scale. Nowadays, you can find Trichogramma commercially.
Alternatively, you can naturally attract these wasps by using the companion planting method. You can add dill, coriander, yarrows, zinnia, and other similar plants in your garden, next to your corps.
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#2 Physical Removal
Army worms’ large-scale attack will surely decimate the corps in your garden. So, it is imperative that you keep your watch vigilantly. Whenever you spot one of these hideous caterpillars, you need to remove it and eliminate it immediately.
While it is not fancy, physical removal is quite effective in suppressing the army worms’ population if your garden is small. They are not hard to spot. Destroyed leaves are one of the first signs of caterpillar infestation. So, if you spot such irregularities in your plant, be sure to thoroughly check for armyworms. You should actively remove their pupae and, if possible, net the adult moths!
This method works if you are okay with having contact with armyworms. You may use your hand directly, as this worm is harmless to humans. Alternatively, just to be on the safer side, you may wear gloves and use a tweezer.
#3 Garlic and Pepper Spray Mix
Not all insecticides are dangerous chemicals. Some can be created in your home using kitchen ingredients. This type of natural insecticide is completely safe for humans!
To create an organic insecticide, you can create a garlic and pepper spray mix. This natural compound will kill armyworms and repel them! Just spray the mixture directly on them and on the leaves. Make sure that you do it when it is not rainy.
To create this homemade spray, you need to mix six cloves of garlic and three peppers. Grind them up well and mix them in 2 cups of water. You can make the mixture more effective if you leave it overnight.
#4 Rely on Wild Birds!
Here is another effective way to deal with armyworms! You can borrow the power of the wild birds to get rid of army worms from your garden, just like how Gandalf relies on the Eagles to destroy the horde of orcs. Caterpillars are birds’ favorite snacks. They will pick off the army worms in no time.
However, birds are carefree creatures. They won’t come at the whim of your command unless you are a Disney princess. So, you need to attract them to come to your garden.
You can entice wild birds to make your garden their playing ground by providing a bird bath. Get a fountain or a simple shallow wide container for the water. Alternatively, you can plant sunflowers to attract more birds. You can also set up a feeder too.
#5 Neem Oil Spray
If you are looking for a potent organic insecticide, neem oil spray is what you are looking for! It is an extract of the Neem tree, making it completely natural. This compound can defeat armyworms actively and passively.
You can spray the neem oil directly on the spotted caterpillar worm that is feasting on your plant. The caterpillars will fall off and die as they suffocate. You can improve the oil potency by mixing it with soap. Use two tablespoons of neem oil, two teaspoons of soap, and about 3.5 liters of water to create the mixture.
The oil can also passively repel all kinds of insects and fungi. Because of its widespread effect, some beneficial insects can also get killed, so you should use neem oil spray as a last resort!
These methods are especially perfect if you are looking for how to get rid of armyworms on tomatoes and other crops. So, you should try them out, and find out which one is the best for your garden!
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How long does it take to defeat armyworms effectively?
Getting rid of army worms completely can take time. Some methods work slower than others. While it is not difficult to kill armyworms, they are quite persistent due to their massive hatching rate.
If you want to kill armyworms using organic insecticide, the effect can be instantaneous. If you want to rely on parasitic wasps and wild birds, it will take several days until the armyworm population is decimated. To get rid of army worms faster, you may try the combined method we have mentioned above.
Now that you have learned how to get rid of army worms from your garden, it is time to discover more gardening tricks! How about learning how to deal with the spider mites next?