Curative Armyworm Treatment

If you’re receiving a Curative Armyworm Treatment, active armyworms have been found on your property.

We want to be clear: this is a last-resort treatment. It is not our preferred way to manage lawn pests, but once armyworms are actively feeding, quick action is necessary. Armyworms can cause major lawn damage in as little as 48 hours, especially in healthy Bermuda and newly sodded Zoysia lawns.

At this point, the goal is simple: stop the feeding before more damage is done.

What We’re Applying

For this treatment, we are applying a combination of:

• Imidacloprid is partially systemic and can help protect the lawn for approximately 2 weeks after treatment.

• Avalon helps provide faster knockdown of active caterpillars feeding in the turf.

This combination is used because it provides both quick control and short-term residual protection.

This short residual window is helpful, but it is not the same as Turf Pest Prevention.

The Honest Reality

These products are effective, but they are not harmless.

This treatment may negatively impact:

• Earthworms

• Beneficial soil organisms

• Aquatic life if runoff reaches drains, ditches, creeks, or ponds

We do not take that lightly. Our goal is always to use the safest, most effective option. However, once armyworms are actively feeding, we must act quickly to prevent further turf loss.

After-Treatment Safety Instructions

Please follow these instructions carefully.

Keep people and pets off the lawn

Stay off the treated area until it is completely dry. Waiting at least 1 hour after the application has dried before re-entry into the lawn.
In fact, we recommend a full 24 hours if possible.

Cloudy, humid, shady, or cool conditions may slow drying time.

Do not mow right away

Avoid mowing for at least 24 hours after treatment when possible. This gives the products time to work and reduces unnecessary contact with treated turf.

Water carefully

Do not overwater after treatment. Too much water can move the product away from the target area and increase runoff risk.

Watch for continued activity

Some movement shortly after treatment can be normal, but active feeding should decline quickly.

Please contact us if you continue seeing live armyworms 24 to 48 hours after treatment.

What to Expect From the Lawn

This treatment stops the pest. It does not instantly repair the damage.

If armyworms have already eaten significant leaf tissue, the lawn may look thin, brown, or scalped for a while. Recovery depends on how much damage occurred, weather, irrigation, grass type, and how much growing season remains.

In many cases, Bermuda can recover if the crowns and roots are still healthy. However, the damage can be catastrophic for new zoysia sod.

The Better Option Moving Forward

The safest and most effective way to manage armyworms is to prevent them.

Our Turf Pest Prevention treatment is applied in April and provides season-long protection against armyworms, grubs, spittlebugs, and other covered turf-damaging pests.

Prevention is better because it:

• Protects the lawn before damage occurs

• Reduces the need for harsher rescue treatments

• Provides season-long protection

• Is better for the lawn ecosystem

• Includes covered follow-up treatments if needed

Once armyworms are visible, we are already reacting. Prevention allows us to protect the lawn before emergency treatment is necessary.