How To Get Rid Of White Lawn Moths
Moths in the Lawn and What to do About Them
Are your seeing white lawn moths flying up when you walk through your yard? More than likely, the moths are the adult stage of sod webworms that are common in Midwest lawns and southern. While the worms themselves can be mildly destructive to your lawn, it’s the adults that are just plain annoying as they stir up and fly close to the ground every time you use your lawn. If you’re enjoying a lawn game like horse-shoes, you don’t want them buzzing around and throwing off your line!
Most folks don’t care about the mild lawn damage from the larval worms, just the annoying moths, but…
…Damage caused by webworms may first appear in early spring as small dead patches of grass among healthy turf areas. As summer progresses, webworm infestation may cause general turf thinning or irregular dead patches in late June into early August. Sod webworms prefer sunny areas and the larvae are often found on south facing hills and slopes, where it is warm, sunny and dry. Heavily shaded turf is not often attacked by the larvae.
The most severe damage usually shows up in July and August when the temperature is hot and the grass is not growing vigorously. If you keep your lawn well-irrigated and fertilized, however, you probably will not sustain much damage, even with a heavy infestation. In lawns that are not well-cared for, sod webworm damage is often mistaken for heat and drought stress.
If you are reading this and you ALREADY HAVE DAMAGE from sod webworms, you should fertilize with a slow-release product such as Milorganite Organic with iron, and irrigate your lawn regularly to help it grow out. In the Fall, I’d recommend a granular fertilizer with a rating of 20-20-10 to help the root structure recover winter to winter.
How to Kill Sod Webworms and White Moths in the Lawn
In my lawn, I wipe out the worms that are feeding on the turf, AND I kill the moths that annoy my family when we are out using the yard for games and such.
The easiest way to get rid of lawn moths is to use a granular insecticide found at your local big box store. You will spend around $15 for a bag of granules that will cover 10,000 sq feet. You can also find granular insecticides that will kill grub worms as well, saving the need to treat your lawn for them in the future.
There are also organic products available for sod webworm, but they are not very effective and cost more. Most organic products also require reapplication during the summer as well. I am a regular advocate of organic and environmentally friendly pest control for lawns, but they have to work for me to use them, and in this case, they don’t. If you are not bothered by the lawn moths, then simply keeping your turf thick and healthy will save it from damage from sod webworms, and that’s very eco-friendly.