Sod Webworms in Florida

Sod Webworm Facts

Sod Webworms will love chomping on your lawn as much as love keeping it beautiful.

They feed on the upper root systems, stems and blades of grass, causing irregular patches of brown grass or bare areas. Infestations usually occur in dry areas that are sunny and hot and tend to happen between late June and early August. Lawns, golf courses, cemeteries, and any other turf grass environments are at risk. Get this – a sod webworm in its larval stage can eat around four square feet of grass! So if you notice a patch of dying grass in your lawn, get down on your hands and knees and part the grass blades with your two index fingers. If you find “frass”, the debris left behind by feeding insects, chances are you have a problem. If you happen to spot a worm that is greenish brown or gray with dark spots, that’s a sod webworm. Here’s a little trick if you’re up for it. Mix two gallons of water with two tablespoons of liquid dishwashing detergent and sprinkle it over the suspected area. If you have sod webworms, within a couple of minutes the larvae will wiggle to the surface. See more than 10 in a square yard or so and it’s time to call in the experts.