OPINION — Editorial

Arkansas invaded!

Marauders swoop down from the North

They come by night, they come by day, foraging across the Natural State's once bountiful plantations, pastures, golf courses and humble homes' yards, leaving only devastation in their wake. It's a new war of the worlds, or at least a war of species, as hordes of well-named Army worms descend by the thousands on Arkansas, opening northern and central fronts in this fruitful state.

They tend to prey on those least prepared to turn back this invasion. "They'll eat a whole yard in a night," observes Tyler Little, who owns Lakeside Landscaping in Hot Springs, "I've seen it. You can see them. It looks like the whole yard is moving."

Happily, our scientists are on the lookout for the invaders and are busy preparing chemical weapons old and new to safeguard Arkansans and our property. Kelly Loftin is a general in this war of the species whose command post is at the state's Cooperative Extension Service. He warns that this year's invasion of the critters may be as bad, if not worse, than last year's summer offensive. A mild, cool winter before a wet spring has invited them to stay a while, and they don't even have to requisition for great coats. They've come early and may be planning on staying for operations deep into the fall, for theirs is no strict timetable but rather their own biological clock. Usually their scouting parties don't appear until the middle of June, but this year their forward elements launched surprise attacks across the front, mainly in eastern Perry County near the Arkansas River and in other hot spots like Clark, Garland, Howard, Sevier and Pike counties.

Some kinds of chemical weapons against the advancing horde will already be familiar to troops in the home guard--like Intrepid and similar insecticides. Now's the time to mobilize this state's forces wherever three or more Army worms are gathered together in any one-foot square patch of turf. And fire for effect. Like a general named Patton once said, we shouldn't have to pay for real estate more than once.

How can the enemy be identified? He varies in size and unit, an indication that their airborne troops, known as moths, are arriving in force at different times. There was a time when this annual invasion lasted but a month, but this year fresh troops are reproducing at a prodigious rate. "This means there will be re-infestations of much more than 30 days," says General Loftin, so be forewarned and forearmed.

Evidently these invaders will eat anything that doesn't eat them first--like our fighting allies, the birds, who sweep down like dive bombers to get them before they can get us. In the meantime, their advance continues as they forage the landscape, like the Union Army once did. But these new invaders can be picky eaters, preferring Bermuda and St. Augustine grasses.

Watchful guards have already spotted up to 20 of the enemy east of Perryville. Farmers have already reported seeing the invaders attacking their rice.

But how can you tell friend from foe, the plain ordinary earthworm going about his usual subterranean business and this more dangerous invader? By their insignia ye shall know them: Army worms have an upside-down Y on their heads, not unlike a sergeant's stripes on a British Tommy's sleeve. They also have four telltale black dots on their backs. And the Bermuda grass looks like a frost hit it where the enemy has been foraging. Not to mention the aroma--like a just-mown lawn.

"Everybody has an issue with Army worms," says Kevin West, who owns Riverbottom Sod Farm in besieged Bigelow--but rest assured, his outfit will begin spraying yards for them.

He adds that the worms seem to love folks' swimming pools. Millions of 'em can be seen floating in the pools. "Come on in," they seem to be saying to each other, "the water's fine." To quote Concerned Citizen West: "I've done sod at thousands of homes. If they have in-ground pools, there's going to be worms in them. There must be something about water." No wonder they're attracted to water-rich Arkansas, just as so many investors are.

Meanwhile, back at HQ, commanding officer Kelly Loftin is still doing more than his bit to protect Arkansans' homes and fields. He says folks in this wonder(ful) state can expect to see the worms all summer long till the heat breaks in October because, though they set up winter quarters last year in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma, they'll probably forge and forage ahead right through Arkansas en route to southern Missouri. "They'll eat all they can eat and then march on," he predicts. "They may have to walk a ways for better forage, but they will."

Editorial on 06/17/2017

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