by If you’ve never heard of the tropical sod webworm before, prepare to meet your new least favorite insect. The tropical sod is an ugly shade of brown and, like all the most irritating bugs, has wings, but the real reason this insect is such a pest is the effect it has on lawns. It thrives in the summer months, using the time to feed its larvae in thick patches of grass, quite possibly in the middle of your lawn. This sounds harmless enough but it can actually cause a plethora of problems. The larvae nourish themselves on blades of grass, which of course will thin out your lawn. A larvae infestation also encourages weeds to encroach on your turf, and turns blades yellow and brown. This can lead to a lawn that looks dry, poorly maintained, and unattractive, which is deeply unfair when you’ve worked so hard on it.
The soap solution test is the best way to know for sure whether the damage to your lawn has been caused by the tropical sod. When the larvae are lying still, they can be difficult to pick out amongst the grass. Mix up a couple of gallons of water with some dishwashing liquid and drench the green grass that borders the yellow/brown area with it. The larvae will then start writhing, making them easier to distinguish. Once they’ve been identified, your only recourse is splatter them with insecticide and wait for the problem to go away.
If you live in Daphne, Fairhope, and Mobile, Alabama, you’re not safe from the tropical sod. But don’t worry- we at Xtreme Turf lawn care have got your back. Healthy grass and effective use of a lawn mower can help create a lawn which does not appeal to the tropical sod. Even if the tropical sod does choose to make itself at home on your lawn, if the grass itself is well maintained the damage caused by the larvae won’t be all that noticeable, as long as there are only a low or medium number of larvae feeding there.
The tropical sod web worm might appear harmless, but if you care about your lawn these sneaky little creatures could soon become your worst enemy. What’s more, they’re relentless; in the space of one season, three or four generations of larvae could go on the rampage. Happily, the tropical sod will not do irreparable damage to your lawn, which is where our premium slow release Polyon fertilizer is so useful; it will have your lawn back to its full health in no time at all. It may come to pass that you’ll have to wage war against the tropical sod over the summer, but you can rely on Xtreme Lawn Care to ensure that your lawn will return to its pristine, green state by the time the fall rolls around.
