Which pest is characterized by ivory white caterpillars with small black spots?

• A. European chafer
• B. Bluegrass billbug
• C. Hairy chinch bug
• D. Sod webworm

Answer: (D)

Recognizing larval appearance helps you identify what’s feeding on the turf. Ivory white caterpillars with small black spots are the telltale sign of sod webworms. These larvae are slender and pale, often with tiny dark spots along each segment, and they feed on the leaf blades from the crown, usually near the soil surface. They’re commonly active at night and may spin slight silken webs in the thatch as they feed.

Other common turf pests have different larval looks: European chafer grubs are thicker, C-shaped white grubs with a brown head and lack the speckled pattern; bluegrass billbug larvae are pale white grubs with a darker head; hairy chinch bug nymphs are pale with different body markings and behavior. The described ivory-white caterpillars with small black spots best match sod webworms.