Sod Webworm and the Fall Armyworm
It’s the time of year that these critters leave their cosmetic blemish upon your well-manicured lawn. Although their presence leaves no permanent damage, an infestation in your yard can spell disaster for your plants and landscape.
These moths are a tan gray color and their .5 to .75 inch long bodies can be seen fluttering over your lawn and flower beds, usually enjoying shadier areas. Their presence does not necessarily mean that your lawn is infested with their larva. They do lay their eggs on the grass blades and plants. Larva grow .75 to 1 inch long with gray green bodies that have brown spots on each of their segments. An egg can reach adulthood in about 5 weeks. They may begin being seen around June and peak through July and August sometimes 3 to 4 generations in a single season.
(Tropical Sod Web Worm and Frass)
(Tropical Sod Webworm Moth)
What may appear initially as just dry patches upon a closer inspection reveals the chewing marks left behind by these critters. Feeding at night, they remain curled up at the soil surface during the day. They also leave behind a green silky residue that can be seen in the large circular patches. The younger larva don’t have the developed mouths to cause as much damage as the older larva, who are able to strip entire areas of foliage clean. Damage decreases as the temperatures cool.
The full grown adult moth is brown with a wing span of about 1.5 inches. Just like the sod they lay their eggs on the blades of grass and plants. The larva are green with a black stripe that runs the entire length of their bodies. Growing to a size of 1.5 inches the head is marked with an inverted (Y) and can hatch in as little as 2 days.
With a larger mouth than that of the sod and feeding during the day, the amount of damage that they can leave behind is considerable. The larva can take about 2 to 3 weeks and devour all the foliage that lies in its path before burrowing into the soil to transform into the adult moth. The moth causes no damage.
Other than cosmetic, the sod webworm and the fall armyworm leave no permanent damage. If the presence of larva is detected, it is the only stage that can be controlled. Using insecticide and keeping your lawn well irrigated may help. Identifying and treating any insect problem can be easy with the help of your local pest control professional.
