MEEKS: Watch your lawn for the signs of sod webworms and millipedes
We have been getting many calls to our office about sod webworms and millipedes. Sod webworms cause damage to your lawn, while millipedes are just a nuisance.
Most homeowners notice the moth or the sod webworm before noticing the actual larvae. The moths are small and gray and tend to hide in the bushes during the day. They can be seen flying over the lawn in the evening. The sod webworm can range in color from pink to white to green to yellow in color. They have a dark brown, black head and body covered in hairs.
Sod webworms can be found in all varieties of warm season turf grasses. Irregular brown spots can be a sign of sod webworms. Large areas to entire lawns may be damaged with heavy infestations and ideal conditions.
One way to determine if you have sod webworms is to pour a mixture of 1 ounce of dish detergent to 1 gallon of water over a square yard of an area suspected to be infested. The dish detergent irritates the insects in the grass and soil and they will surface to the top. Damage thresholds are roughly 15 larvae per square yard. Insecticide application should be made in the evening hours when larvae are feeding.
Millipedes are known as 1,000-legged worms or rain worms. They are wormlike, with rounded bodies and two pairs of legs per segment. They are light brown to black in color, and can vary in length from less than 1 inch to 2 or more inches.
Millipedes are scavengers, feeding primarily on decaying matter. They spend most of their time in the soil, which is also where they over winter. Millipedes have a tendency to migrate in large numbers, and wet weather increases their urgency to migrate
Millipedes are not insects, but closely related to lobsters, crayfish and shrimp. Although they are a nuisance, they do not carry any diseases that affect humans, animals or plants. They are also not poisonous, but they do have the ability to produce irritating fluids that may cause allergic reactions in some people. The defensive spray of some millipedes contains hydrochloric acid, which can chemically burn the skin and cause discoloration. It is not recommended you handle millipedes with your bare hands.
The best step for controlling millipedes is to eliminate their habitat. Remove trash piles, rocks, boards, leaf piles, compost piles and similar materials from around the outside of the home. Ensure that all cracks and crevices are sealed in and around your home, especially around doors and windows.
If millipedes occur in large numbers, an insecticide can be used around the building's foundation for temporary control. Insecticides may be applied to mulched flower beds and heavily thatched turf areas where millipedes may be living. Repeated applications may be necessary to maintain control during periods of heavy millipede migration. Contact insecticides may be used when millipedes are found in the home. Please ensure that the insecticide is labeled for indoor use, and as always, read the label first. Remember with any pesticide to follow all labeling instructions.
DATES TO REMEMBER
Tuesday: Decorating for the Holidays/Taste of Christmas, Perry Art Center 5:30-6:30 p.m. Please RSVP
Nov. 26-27: Extension office closed for Thanksgiving
For more information on any program area, contact Houston County Extension at 478-987-2028 or drop by the office at 801 Main St., Perry. Office hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Visit the website at www.caes.uga.edu/extension/houston/ for more news about your local Extension office.
This story was originally published November 10, 2015 at 10:57 PM with the headline "MEEKS: Watch your lawn for the signs of sod webworms and millipedes ."