Corky's Pest Control

Corky's Pest Control, Inc.
71 Satellite-Monitored Vehicles
Serving San Diego, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Los Angeles

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SOD WEBWORM

western lawn moth adult sod webworm

SOD WEBWORM
The Sod Webworm is actually the larvae of the Lawn Moth. The worm is commonly found at the base and roots of grasses. They especially frequent meadows, and will create a silken web of tunnels or tubes near the ground. During the day the caterpillar itself stays in the tunnels, coming out in the evening to feed. Webworms will eat the blades of grass, but rarely are there enough webworms to cause large areas of damage.
Webworms are 1-1 ½ inch in length, and have a dark head with light brown or gray spotted body. The moth itself is whitish, and about an inch in size. It is a poor flyer, and only goes short distances.

Larva Only
1.Antenna-very small usually 2 segmented
2.Eyes- ocelli (numerous)
3.Head- head capsule
4.Legs- 3 thoracic legs w/4 prolegs
5.Wings- none
6.Thorax- tubular long body
7.Petiole- none
8.Abdomen- 8 segments
9.Color- gray to light brown & tan
10.Other- larva leaves silk

 

Life Cycle
Adult Grass Moths only live for a short period, but females can lay 60 eggs per night. Eggs hatch into the larval stage as caterpillars, which feed for 1-2 months before entering the silken tunnel to pupate. They emerge as moths, living for about two weeks while scattering eggs each night.

sod webworm parts