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Please be sure to read the product label of any insecticide you choose to use to get information on the personal protective safety gear you will need. In most situations, it is recommended that you wear long pants, a long sleeved shirt, closed toe shoes with socks, chemical resistant gloves, and goggles. In areas where ventilation is poor, a manufacturer may recommend you wear a mask or a respirator. We have put together two different safety kits that will make selecting the correct safety gear easier for you.

Sod Webworms

Sod Webworm Prevention Guide

How to Prevent The Effects of Sod Webworms In Your Lawn

By DoMyOwn staff
Overview

Preventing Sod Webworms Can Be Difficult

But You Can Prevent Extensive Damage
It is tough to prevent the webworm moths from laying eggs in your lawn, especially if there were already worms present in late summer or early fall, since the second generation of worms overwinters in the soil, or goes deep underground to hibernate, and return to the turf to feed and develop into moths in the spring.

However, there are a couple things you can do to help prevent extensive damage to your yard.

Step 1

Properly Maintain Your Lawn

Image montage of healthy lawn practices
A properly maintained lawn has a better chance at withstanding and rebounding from sod webworm damage.

Also, an overfertilized and over watered lawn can be even more enticing to the moths when laying eggs, so maintaining proper fertilization rates and irrigation in your lawn care schedule will help to keep your lawn healthy but not too attractive to the moths.

Step 2

Reduce Excess Thatch

Image of dethatching a lawn
While sod webworms don't necessarily rely on thatch, a thick, heavy thatch will enable better shelter for the worms during the day when they're resting.

Proper thatch maintenance will reduce this shelter and will also make it easier for you to do your thorough inspection, since the worms will be easier to see when they're near the soil if there is reduced or normal thatch levels.

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