Mole Crickets and Sod Webworms in San Antonio Bermuda Lawns: A June Pest Watch
Macario Brothers Lawn Care • June 2026 • San Antonio, TX
Mole crickets and sod webworms are two San Antonio Bermuda lawn pests that often go undiagnosed because their damage looks like drought stress. Both peak in June and July. Early identification catches damage before it becomes severe.
Why Homeowners Miss These Pests
If you have a Bermuda lawn in San Antonio and you are seeing damage that looks like drought stress but does not respond to watering, two pests are worth investigating before you spend more on irrigation: mole crickets and sod webworms. Both are common in our area, both peak in June and July, and both cause damage that homeowners often misdiagnose for weeks before identifying the real cause.
Mole Crickets
Mole crickets are large insects (about 1.5 to 2 inches long at maturity) that live in soil and tunnel just below the surface. They are not common but they do show up in San Antonio lawns, especially properties with sandy soil or near water features.
Damage Signs
Slight raised tracks across the soil surface, especially visible in the early morning. Turf that lifts easily because roots are disrupted. Irregular brown areas that look like drought but do not respond to watering. Sometimes visible holes about the diameter of a pencil at the soil surface.
Diagnostic
Dig in suspected areas. Mole crickets are large enough to find with a shovel. They emerge at night and can sometimes be seen on the soil surface after dark with a flashlight.
Treatment
A targeted insecticide labeled for mole crickets, applied to the soil surface and watered in. Most effective in June when nymphs are smaller and more vulnerable. By August they are mature and harder to control.
Sod Webworms
Sod webworms are the larvae of small brown moths (Crambus species). They feed on grass blades at night and hide in silk-lined tunnels in the thatch during the day.
Damage Signs
Small irregular brown patches, often softball-sized at first. Patches expand and connect as the population grows. Damaged grass has chewed or notched leaf edges visible under close inspection.
Diagnostic
Watch for small light brown moths flying erratically out of the lawn at dusk. Use the soap flush test: pour soapy water on a one-foot square at the damage edge and watch for caterpillars surfacing within 5 minutes.
Treatment
Apply targeted insecticide in the evening when larvae feed. Water the lawn lightly before application. One application typically stops damage; a follow-up 7 to 14 days later catches any hatching eggs.
How to Tell These From Drought Stress
The simple test: water the suspected area deeply and watch for 24 to 48 hours. If the area recovers, it was drought stress. If it does not, you are dealing with insect or disease damage.
Drought Stress
Browns evenly across exposed areas. Recovers within 24–48 hours of deep watering. Produces blade margins folded inward.
Mole Cricket Damage
Patchy with raised tracks. Does not respond to watering. Turf lifts easily from disrupted roots.
Sod Webworm Damage
Patchy with chewed blade edges. Does not respond to watering. Larvae confirmed with the soap flush test.
Recovery After Treatment
Mole Cricket Recovery
Light damage recovers in 2 to 4 weeks. Severe tunneling that damaged root systems may require overseeding or plugging to refill bare areas. Support with deep infrequent watering and light slow-release fertilizer.
Sod Webworm Recovery
Typically recovers within 4 to 6 weeks because root systems are usually intact. Surrounding healthy grass fills in damaged patches. Support with deep infrequent watering and light slow-release fertilizer.
The Cost of Early Action
Five minutes of weekly observation throughout June and July can save you significant time and money.
Early Detection
Single treatment: $80–$130. Recovery within a month. Preventive treatment as part of a regular program: $90–$130 once per season.
Moderate Damage
Two treatments: $160–$260 plus 6 to 8 weeks of recovery. Full season pest monitoring and treatment program: $300–$600 depending on lot size.
Severe Damage
Renovation required: $500–$5,000+ depending on severity, plus months of recovery. Early treatment is dramatically cheaper than rescue work.
What You Can Do This Month
Walk the Lawn Regularly
Walk the lawn 2 to 3 times per week during May and June. Look for early signs and watch for moths flying out of the lawn at dusk.
Mow at Proper Height
Mow at 2.5 to 3 inches for Bermuda to reduce stress on the lawn that attracts pests.
Manage Thatch
Thick thatch provides habitat for both pests. Annual aeration plus occasional dethatching keeps thatch under control.
Act Within 48 Hours
If you find suspicious activity, do the appropriate diagnostic test (digging for mole crickets, soap flush for webworms) within 48 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sod webworm vs. chinch bug damage?
Webworm damage shows chewed grass blades. Chinch bug damage shows blades killed at the base but not chewed. Both can be confirmed with the soap flush test.
What about armyworms?
Fall armyworms show up in late summer and fall, producing damage similar to sod webworms but typically more dramatic, with large areas stripped overnight. Treatment is similar.
Will birds in my yard help?
Birds eat both pests and help indicate where activity is happening. They reduce populations modestly but cannot keep up with a heavy infestation.
Suspicious Patches in Your San Antonio Bermuda?
If you have patches that have not responded to watering, schedule a diagnostic walk. We can identify mole crickets, sod webworms, chinch bugs, or whatever else is happening on your specific lawn and recommend the right treatment. We serve San Antonio and surrounding communities.
