Sod Webworms
(by Jeremy Maneol)




Have you ever woke up one morning and looked out the window to see areas in the lawn that appear to have been mowed? Well you just became the victim of the sod web worm.

During summer months it is not uncommon to see the little white moths darting about a foot or two above the turf – especially in the shady areas and at night. These lawn moths do No damage to your lawn – Yes they are a nuisance but they absolutely do no damage to the lawn in the adult stage.

But that is only half of the story.

The moths are laying eggs, Eggs that hatch out into little caterpillars. These small caterpillars, the larvae stage of the sod webworms, feed on the turf grass blades.Sod webworms can be serious pests of home lawns, sports fields, golf courses and other turf grass areas. They seem to prefer new, vigorous lawns and they increase in importance when many new lawns are being established.

The sod web worm larvae are a gray green color and have brown spots and can reach ¾” to 1” in length. To check for sod webworms part the grass in suspected areas and closely examine the soil surface. Look for chewed leaves, webs, green excrement, and for the worm itself.

Sod webworm damage starts to become visible from June to August, but I have seen activity all the way through October. The larvae primarily feed at night and stay rested in a curled position at the soil surface during the day. The damage from the sod webworm is easy to see. They feed on the grass and leave notches along the sides.

Fear not however, they are easily controlled and do no permanent damage. Affected areas generally recover in a couple of weeks. Although several products are available for purchase at your local home and garden store, it is usually best to contact a professional when dealing with turf damaging insects.

Adults may be visible and active for several days after a pesticide application, but rest assured that the larvae are dining on treated turf. That’s bad for sod webworms, but safe for humans and pets.

As always, if we can help, give us a call!

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