Eco-Friendly Control Of Sod Webworms

Sod Webworms generally attack lawns from June through to August although most attacks are fairly benign, controlled by natural predators. Attacks in recent years have been more pronounced, possibly due to the drop in natural predator numbers. Rather than using commercial chemicals that can be indiscriminate in what they kill, try an eco-friendly approach to your lawn care.

Lawn moths are the parents of Sod Webworms. You can see these if you take a walk through your lawn at night. They will make small flights across your lawn as they try to avoid you. They are fairly indiscriminate as to where they lay their eggs, often dropping them in mid flight. The appearance of these moths does not necessarily mean you will suffer a severe attack – the conditions need to be right for the Sod Webworm to have any really effect.

You can also determine the extent of a Sod Webworm attack by looking at your lawn early in the morning. Sod Webworms get their name for a reason, they leave behind small trails of silk, similar to webs. In the morning, you lawn may well shimmer from all the silk webs sitting on top of your lawn. To determine if you have a problem, use the soapy water method. Place a bottomless (and topless) tube into the ground and fill with warm soapy water. Wait ten-fifteen minutes then count how many Sod Webworms appear – they are cream in color with black dots on each segment. The normal rate is about 15 per square yard – any more and you may well have a problem. For stressed lawns, that can drop to 5 per square yard.

To control Sod Webworms, first water the affected area well – really saturate the area. Do this the day before you go to work on the area. Use a hard rake or a lawn care tool that can break open the thatch a little and expose the soil. This is often enough as it exposes the larvae and worms to the sun. If further treatment is required then dose the affected area with more warm soapy water, after breaking open the thatch.

Unless you are suffering a severe problem, you rarely need to use toxic chemicals to treat the problem. Eco-friendly approaches are easier, safer for you and your family, and safer for the friendly bugs that are working to keep your lawn healthy – a lawn that everyone can enjoy.