From the internet
Identification & Confirmation
• Signs: Irregular brown patches, thinning grass, small green-brown caterpillars with dark spots, silken tunnels in the thatch, and small snout-nosed moths fluttering at dusk.
• Soap Flush Test: Mix 2 tablespoons of liquid dish soap in 2 gallons of water and pour it over a 1-square-yard section of turf. If 10 to 15 larvae surface within a few minutes, treatment is recommended.
Treatment Options
1. Chemical & Synthetic Insecticides
• Spinosad: An organic-classified, bacteria-derived option (such as Natural Guard Spinosad) that targets leaf-chewing caterpillars without harming beneficial spiders or predatory insects.
• Broad-Spectrum Sprays & Granules: Products containing pyrethroids or multi-action formulas (such as Sevin Insect Killer or Ortho BugClear) control active webworms on contact.
• Professional-Grade Controls: Long-lasting systemic and contact solutions like Acelepryn Xtra provide extended protection against caterpillars and grubs.
2. Biological & Natural Controls
• Beneficial Nematodes: Steinernema carpocapsae nematodes actively hunt and parasitize webworms in the thatch and soil.
• Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt): A microbial spray (Bt kurstaki) that kills young caterpillars when they ingest treated grass blades.
• Timing: Apply all liquid or spray treatments in the late afternoon or evening, right before the caterpillars emerge from the thatch to feed.
