Beet armyworms are usually pale green in color with yellow stripes down the center of their backs and along their sides. Their heads have a distinct honeycomb pattern. Fall armyworms come in many colors, usually gray to yellow-green with stripes down their sides, and have a distinct inverted "Y" marking on their head. Both types of armyworms grow to a length of about 1 1/2 to 2 inches. Armyworms

Nature of Damage Armyworms are voracious eaters. As eggs hatch, caterpillars start feeding on grasses and stalks and then march on to other plants as they run out of food. Armyworms feed primarily at night or during overcast skies and can easily defoliate entire plants overnight. Damage of Armyworms

Management Cultural or Mechanical Cover seedlings with floating row C overs until harvest. Control weeds. Keep grass mowed. Use light traps for capturing night-flying moths. Hand pick caterpillars. Biological Unleash lacewings or use nematodes as mulch. Dust plants with Btk (Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki). Chemical Spray plants with neem oil.