Sod Webworm
Category Lawn Pests
Actual Size: ½ to ¾ inch
Characteristics: Slim, cylindrical bodies that are light brown, gray, or greenish with dark spots along their bodies. They have slightly hairy bodies and brown heads marked with small black dots.
Legs: 6
Antennae: Yes
Wings: No
Habitat: They live in lawns and grassy areas, thriving in the thatch layer between the grass blades and the soil.
Habits:
- Sod webworms are the caterpillar stage of lawn moths.
- Emerge as adults in early summer.
- Adult moths are tan and fly in a zigzag pattern at dusk when disturbed.
Sod Webworms in Florida
Sod webworms are a widespread lawn pest in Florida and throughout the state, especially in humid, coastal regions. Their caterpillars are easy to spot with greenish, translucent bodies, yellow-brown heads, and small spots. The adult stage is a moth that stays close to turfgrass. If you notice moths flying low over your lawn, it’s likely sod webworms are present and laying eggs.
Sod Webworm Habitat
Sod webworms are commonly found in climates with mild winters, which help them persist through the cold. They inhabit the soil and grass layers of lawns with turfgrasses like Bahiagrass, zoysiagrass, St. Augustinegrass, Bermudagrass, and centipedegrass. Larvae hide underground during the day and feed after dark, spending winter in silk-lined burrows beneath the grass.
Sod Webworm Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers
The main concern with sod webworms is their ability to ruin a healthy lawn. Young caterpillars only graze the grass blades, but mature ones sever them completely. Damage begins in small, irregular patches that worsen as feeding continues. While turf may suffer temporary die-off, it often recovers. Luckily, these pests aren’t dangerous to humans and don’t transmit any diseases.
Contact a local pest control professional if you spot signs of sod webworms in your lawn.