Lawn Moths Fluttering Around Your Yard?

Are lawn moths harmful or harmless? Find out more about these little insects you commonly see flitting around in your grass.

Summer in Virginia is hot, muggy, full of Cicadas and chances are, you're noticing lawn moths fluttering around when you walk through your grass. Is it just a Richmond sign of summer or is it also a concern?

What Does A Lawn Moth Look Like?

What Harm Does A Lawn Moth Cause?

How Can I Protect Against Lawn Moth?

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What Does A Lawn Moth Look Like?

Lawn moths are small moths, typically measuring between 1/2 and 1 inch long. They are dull-colored, ranging from tan to gray. As seen in the picture above, they have a distinctive snout-like protrusion on the front of their heads, which splits into two mouth parts. When their wings are folded in, they become tube shaped, rather than laying their wings flat as most moths do. When disturbed, they only flutter a short distance, usually in a zig-zag pattern.

Their larvae, which are called Sod Webworms, are small caterpillars with bodies that vary in color from green to pink to brown. They have dark heads and dark spots on their short-haired bodies. They are about the same size as the adult moths, generally ranging from 3/4 to 1 inch in length.

What Harm Does A Lawn Moth Cause?

The good news is that lawn moths do not harm your grass. The bad news is that the sod webworms do. Because of this, seeing lawn moths is a cause for concern. They lay their eggs as they flutter around your yard, leaving caterpillars to hatch and cause infestations in your lawn. The larvae will come out at night to eat on the grass blades. As they munch along your sod, they leave destroyed grass in their wake. The blades can be ragged at best, and at worst, completely cut off at the ground. An infestation of sod webworms can leave your lawn with brown spots, patches of dying grass, or even bare spots where grass has been completely eaten away. This is especially prevalent in the summer months when grass becomes hot and dry.

How Can I Protect Against Lawn Moths?

First, if you notice that you've got little white-ish moths fluttering around your yard, don't be lax on acting. The sod webworms that the moths are laying are aggressive and can cause rapidly expanding damage. Keeping your sod healthy, with the correct amount of water and fertilizer will allow it to withstand and recover from moderate damage while you deal with the underlying issue. Keeping grass taller and raked to reduce thatching will also help it both withstand damage and remove hiding spots for caterpillars to stay during the daylight hours. Turn off outside lights at night to avoid drawing insects into your yard.

Once you have noticed an infestation, the best way to treat it is with professional pest control applied at regular intervals throughout the spring, summer, and fall months.

This time of year, many Virginians find themselves dealing with all kinds of pests in their home and yard. Don't be one of them. Call us today!

To learn about more local Virginia pests, check out our pest library and our other blog posts