Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Destruction of a Pasture

You might remember this picture from late August.

Dry pasture

We were going through a drought and the pasture was sooo dry. But then, by late September, we got some rain and the pasture was lookin' like this! Yea us!

pasture

Look at that lovely coastal. It's just beautiful and the cattle were so excited!

good grass


Then the most evil lil critter came along. I noticed them one morning on my walk with the kids. All these little caterpillar lookin' things. I'd never seen anything like it before. The next day, the husband mentioned that the farmer across the road said we all had army worms. Okay, what are army worms?

Army Worm


Well, they strip your grass!! Within maybe two days, all of our coastal in the pastures, yard, drive, EVERYWHERE, looked like this!

Stripped grass

Horrible! I couldn't believe it! They destroyed our beautiful coastal. We've been here for three years and never had em before. I did a little research and it says you have to spray your pastures to kill em. I talked to my dad and he said when he worked on a ranch in East Texas, they always sprayed for them. But I don't think we can spray while our cattle are out there.

Luckily, the freakin' worms didn't eat the native grass. So even though the coastal is useless, the native grass is doin' well. The cattle still have something to munch on plus round bales. I hope none of y'all have to deal with these varmits!


11 comments:

Sherry Sikstrom said...

we have had grasshoppers and there was a treatmentthat was safefor cattle ,mixed with bran I think, maybe talk to your District Ag guy

Reddunappy said...

I have never seen that before! We dont have those critter her in the NW. What a pain.

Reddunappy said...

OH and how is Harley!?

Unknown said...

oshit. I know we have a pesticide that kills bugs but was safe for our cows and they were dairy cows so you would think you could spray it wile your herd was there. If I remember we had to confine them for 1 hour wile we sprayed etc. Ask the local feed store I bet they would know.

Mikey said...

I've never heard of such an animal! Wow! I learn something new every day *shaking head*

City girl turned Country Girl said...

Well that is sucky and insane!!! I can't believe how much damage they did in a short amount of time!! I've never heard of them so I don't think we have them around here..

Anonymous said...

Army worms have been bad in many counties in Texas this year.

A good article on armyworms with some insecticides to control them:
http://www.elliscountypress.com/news/126/ARTICLE/4803/2009-10-01.html

Angie said...

I wonder if chickens would eat them.? People who have chickens in a pin could let them lose for a day or two to clean up the worms.

Anonymous said...

I've never heard of them. Yikes!! If its not one thing its another. I'm doing a post on all the rain we are getting and we can't get in the fields to drill wheat. We complain if we don't get rain and complain if we do. Just no in between!

lisa said...

Holy crap, I have never heard of them. Wow, I am glad that the native grass is still doing good!

Tammy Vasa said...

Wow! I've never heard of those worms before. Must be one we don't have in Nebraska. Sorry about your hay. I had one hay pasture that I was holding back on letting the horses out in until today. They were so excited! Winter has already tipped its hat here. It's going to be long....