razorbladetherapy
10-30-2004, 02:21 AM
Sod webworms and fall armyworms, two caterpillars that are eating lawn grasses are easy to kill but difficult to control. A heavy infestation can be wiped out with a number of insecticides, but another infestation may cause damage in three weeks after the initial infestation is cleaned out. Eggs laid by brown moths or millers, hatch out and result in the new batch of caterpillars. These are not usually affected by insecticides previouslv applied to control the first infestation. By the time the eggs hatch out, the previous treatment has usually worn off.
These grass feeding caterpillars do not confine their injury to just one type of lawn grass. They are damaging to all of the lawn grasses commonly grown in Florida.
When young, the tiny caterpillars are not able to bite pieces of the grass but can only scrape away cells from one surface of the grass blade. This causes the grass blade to appear almost transparent. As the sod webworm or armyworm caterpillar grows, they chew out notches along the sides of the blades. The sod webworm feeds only at night while the armyworm does not hide during the day and may be found feeding at any time.
When large populations of either of these two caterpillars feed on lawns the entire stand of grass looks like it has been mowed extremely close. During hot, dry weather, the entire lawn may be severely damaged or killed.
Caterpillar damage to lawns generally shows up first along hedges and flower beds. Sod webworm damage may occur in spots or patches over the entire lawn. These patches range in size from two to three feet across and enlarge as the caterpillar grow and increase in number. Armyworm damage is not in as definite patches as that of sod webworm.
The peak of caterpillar infestation comes during late summer and early fall. Watch out for them and apply an insecticide to rid your lawn of these pests. Follow the manufacturer's directions for application of the insecticide you select. The best kill of sod webworms is received when insecticides are applied when the worms are small, so it is important to find them as soon as possible. Check any spot in the lawn that looks bare or brown to see if sod webworms or armyworms are eating the leaves.
Common grass eating caterpillars feed on the grass blades and not on roots and runners. Therefore, insecticides applied to control caterpillars are quickly lost and re-infestation may occur. When the grass is mowed, new growth has no insecticide on it and any that does remain in the upper portion of the grass is quickly weathered away or washed off by rain. Thus, you will have to make another application in about three to four weeks after the first application was made.
Be alert for rather rapid reoccurences of sod webworms and other grass-eating caterpillars. Start treatment as soon as presence of these pests is noted. Caterpillars grow very fast when they reach the size where they cause noticeable damage. If you wait a week to treat the infestation, most of the damage caused by that brood will have taken place already. Applying an insecticide at this stage is of limited value and is largely wasted as far as controlling that particular brood of caterpillars.
These grass feeding caterpillars do not confine their injury to just one type of lawn grass. They are damaging to all of the lawn grasses commonly grown in Florida.
When young, the tiny caterpillars are not able to bite pieces of the grass but can only scrape away cells from one surface of the grass blade. This causes the grass blade to appear almost transparent. As the sod webworm or armyworm caterpillar grows, they chew out notches along the sides of the blades. The sod webworm feeds only at night while the armyworm does not hide during the day and may be found feeding at any time.
When large populations of either of these two caterpillars feed on lawns the entire stand of grass looks like it has been mowed extremely close. During hot, dry weather, the entire lawn may be severely damaged or killed.
Caterpillar damage to lawns generally shows up first along hedges and flower beds. Sod webworm damage may occur in spots or patches over the entire lawn. These patches range in size from two to three feet across and enlarge as the caterpillar grow and increase in number. Armyworm damage is not in as definite patches as that of sod webworm.
The peak of caterpillar infestation comes during late summer and early fall. Watch out for them and apply an insecticide to rid your lawn of these pests. Follow the manufacturer's directions for application of the insecticide you select. The best kill of sod webworms is received when insecticides are applied when the worms are small, so it is important to find them as soon as possible. Check any spot in the lawn that looks bare or brown to see if sod webworms or armyworms are eating the leaves.
Common grass eating caterpillars feed on the grass blades and not on roots and runners. Therefore, insecticides applied to control caterpillars are quickly lost and re-infestation may occur. When the grass is mowed, new growth has no insecticide on it and any that does remain in the upper portion of the grass is quickly weathered away or washed off by rain. Thus, you will have to make another application in about three to four weeks after the first application was made.
Be alert for rather rapid reoccurences of sod webworms and other grass-eating caterpillars. Start treatment as soon as presence of these pests is noted. Caterpillars grow very fast when they reach the size where they cause noticeable damage. If you wait a week to treat the infestation, most of the damage caused by that brood will have taken place already. Applying an insecticide at this stage is of limited value and is largely wasted as far as controlling that particular brood of caterpillars.