Sod Webworm Health Concerns

Sod webworms cannot bite or sting, and they spread no known disease.

Harmless to People, Hard on Lawns

Neither the caterpillars nor the small moths they become pose any direct risk to people or pets. The caterpillars have no stinging spines or irritating hairs, and the moths don’t bite. A dog that eats a few larvae while nosing through the grass is not at risk from the webworms themselves.

That sets them apart from a few Florida caterpillars that do sting, such as the puss caterpillar, which looks like a tuft of tan or gray fur, and the saddleback caterpillar, which has a green “saddle” and spiny horns. If a caterpillar left a painful, burning welt, it was not a sod webworm. For those stings, pressing tape on the skin to lift out loose spines, washing the area and applying a cold pack are common first steps. Anyone with severe pain, spreading swelling or trouble breathing should get medical care.

The practical health concerns with sod webworms relate to how the lawn gets treated:

• Follow every label direction on any lawn product, including how long to keep children and pets off treated grass.
• Store lawn products in their original containers, out of reach of kids and pets.
• Wash hands after working in turf, thatch or soil.
• Confirm webworms are actually present before treating, so products aren’t used where they aren’t needed.

Learn to recognize the larvae and moths on our sod webworm page, and see how to get rid of sod webworms for confirming an infestation.