DAPHNE, Ala. — Summertime means more lawn mowings and sweat equity in southern states — often due to the fork-tongued devil: bahia grass.

The grass covers 6 million acres throughout the southeastern United States, according to the Forage Breeding Workgroup at Oklahoma State University.

The vegetation is prevalent in summer, spring and fall seasons with strong stems that make mowing difficult, according to  the University of Florida.

The species quickly reproduces as the black seeds on the forked, tall portion of the stem spread; it has an “open-growth habitat” and often resists chemical weed control, according to the university’s Web site, edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

The species does have its advantages.

Bahia grass requires low fertilization and is used for pastures, hay, seed and sod crops and frequents the cattle industry, according to the Forage Breeding Workgroup; protein supplements are required especially in rapidly growing Boer goat kids, according to the United States Department of Agriculture’s  Agricultural Research Service.

The grass — originally from Brazil — began cultivation in the United States in 1914; it spread well in the sandy soil of the Southeast, according to the University of Florida.

It forms an extensive root system that offsets erosion issues, according to university researchers.

It’s drought-tolerant and  disease resistant, and has one predator: the mole cricket, according to experts.

Roger Valentine, owner of Total Lawn Care, for 18 years, gave some advice for stopping bahiagrass.

“There’s a couple of herbicides you can use when bahia is mixed in with regular grass such as St. Augustine or Bermuda,” he said. “You have to be real, real careful with centipede and St. Augustine because of the heat — it’s better to do it in the spring and fall.”

“Manor — a type of herbicide used for bahia grass — can be used one-fourth of an ounce to the acre now and one-half an ounce to the acre in the  spring.

“With the first application,  bahia yellows out and turns black; then do a second application.

“Over time, centipede and St. Augustine will choke out the bahia; the Manor is a seed head suppressor on the bahia — (which stops reproduction because it) spreads by seed through wind and birds.”