We’ve been getting a lot of calls and questions about moths lately. Because there are so many different species of moths, it can be hard to determine the best treatment and prevention methods without knowing exactly what kind of moth you’re seeing.
Tubeworm moths are common this time of year. Their larvae tends to be at or just below the ground surface and primarily feeds on the thatch and roots of grasses and other plants. This is also the time of year the second generation of sod webworm moths are flying around. With the weather changing and some recent rainfall, it’s likely that these generations have emerged at about the same time causing an appearance of a “moth invasion.” Once emerged, all of these moths are very attracted to light, so turning off all unnecessary lighting in the evenings and switching exterior lighting to “Yellow light” can help to control moths.
Depending on the moth, lawn care and/or pest control treatments can also be effective. Some of these moth species don’t even require treatment as they will go almost completely unnoticed except for when they emerge, while others can damage turf. Like most pests, once they become adults their purpose is to reproduce and die, so the influx should dissipate over the next few weeks. But if you notice damage to your grass, call a lawn care specialist so they can give you recommendations to prevent further damage.
Because there are thousands of species of moths and the ones you are seeing may not be these mentioned, it’s important that they’re properly identified by an exterminator so that an effective treatment plan can be established.