CONTROLLING OUTSIDE PESTS INCLUDING
Flies & Bermudagrass Stem Maggots
Farmers need to ensure that their harvest is plentiful and ready each year, so their number one priority is maintaining a healthy crop. Farmers experience many obstacles while keeping their crops strong. Severe weather conditions, including floods or drought, prove to be challenging. One obstacle that has a massive impact is pest infestation. Insects can do a great deal of damage that will pose a plague for farmers in years to come. Bermudagrass Stem Maggot is one of the more recent pests that has wreaked havoc on crops this past season.
Hay Producers Are Feeling the Effect of Bermudagrass Stem Maggot
Hay producers and cattlemen are feeling the effects of the Bermudagrass Stem Maggot. These farmers know when they have been affected by this pest. The crops give off the appearance that there is a layer of frost. During the winter months, this would not be a problem. However, when frost is observed on crops during the summer months, farmers are alerted that Bermudagrass stem maggots have damaged the crops. The maggot, which is an immature stage of a fly, feeds on the crop, damaging it. The appearance of frost comes from only the top parts of the shoot being damaged while the lower shoot remains green.
Native to Japan, the first Bermudagrass Stem Maggot was first discovered in Georgia in 2010. Moreover, the Bermudagrass Stem Maggot has infested many states now and has actually made its way to Hawaii. This maggot has caused a significant amount of damage and proves to be extremely difficult to treat. You can recognize the fly its small yellow colored body with dark eyes. It lays eggs on the stem of the Bermuda grass near the nodes. Once the eggs are laid, the maggot eventually hatches and needs to feed by burrowing itself into the main shoot. This is what causes the damage.
Most farmers and homeowners are not quite sure how to treat this pest as it affects larger areas. Experts say that crops can still be harvested if caught within a week of discovering the damage. This is a newcomer pest, and Zip Zap Termite & Pest Control can aid in experiencing difficulty. Please give us a call today to set up an appointment. 816-407-PEST (7378)
Jeffery Preece BCE,PHE
Jeffery is a Board Certified Entomologist at ZipZap Termite & Pest Control
