Sod webworms: an end-of-summer problem

Sod webworms tend to cause more problems on cool-season greens as the summer progresses. These small caterpillars (1/2 - 1 inch in length) hardly seem capable of causing significant damage, but when their numbers are high enough, as frequently occurs in August and September, they can wreak havoc.

The damaging stage of sod webworms are the caterpillars, or larvae. The adult moth does not cause damage to turf. There are over twenty different types of sodwebworms that occur on turf,…