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Common Name: Sod webworm
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Crambidae
Photo Credit: John Obermeyer, Purdue University
Pest Status: Sod webworms can become serious pests of turfgrass
and other plants.
Appearance: Adults are buff-colored, about ½-inch long with
snout-like projections extending forward from the head. At rest,
a webworm folds its wings around the body, giving it a cigarshaped
appearance. A larva is gray to tan with small, dark spots on
the body.
Life Cycle: Sod webworm larvae overwinter several inches deep
in the soil. In the spring, the larvae move upward and feed on new
grass growth. In the summer, the larvae bury deeper into the soil to
pupate. After two weeks, the new adult moths emerge at night to
mate and lay eggs.
Where to Collect: Sod webworms are commonly found in wellmaintained
turfgrass, often in residential lawns.
Common Name: Soldier beetle
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Cantharidae
Pest Status: Soldier beetles are not considered pests.
Appearance: Soldier beetles are elongated, soft-bodied, and
about ½-inch long. Colors vary from yellow to red with brown or
black wing trims. They somewhat resemble lighting bugs, but their
heads are visible from above and they do not have lightproducing
organs.
Life Cycle: Adult females lay their eggs in clusters in the soil.
The larvae overwinter in plant debris or in buildings, feeding on
caterpillars and eggs. They pupate in the spring and a few weeks
later, the adults emerge.
Where to Collect: Soldier beetles can be found in damp soil and
debris or under loose bark, but are easiest to collect from
flowers.
Photo Credit: John Obermeyer, Purdue University
Common Name: Spittlebug
Order: Homoptera
Family: Cercopidae
Pest Status: Spittlebugs occasionally damage agronomic crops
such as alfalfa, but generally are considered minor pests.
Appearance: Spittlebugs derive their name from the white, frothy
spittle the nymphs produce. Adults resemble leafhoppers, but are
quite large, about 1 ⁄3-inch long. The eyes are bright red and the
body color varies from brown to orange. They have dark wings
with two red stripes that cross the back.
Life Cycle: Adults lay their eggs in late summer. Eggs overwinter.
The eggs hatch in early spring, and the nymphs go through five
instars before emerging as adults. It takes approximately 40 to 52
days to complete the life cycle.
Where to Collect: Spittlebugs are found in or near masses of froth
at leaf nodes on various plants. Sweep nets often are the best
collecting tools.
Photo Credit: John Obermeyer, Purdue University