I can't view your photo, are you able to see it? Could be my firewall, but if you can't see it either could you try to post it again?

Anyway, it sounds more like a lawn fungus to me, and they range in seriousness from mostly benign to very nasty, so you want to figure this out right away. Did the webs start to disappear later in the day? If it is a fungus usually you will see the "webs" early in the morning.

How has the lawn been watered? Late in the afternoon/evening? Have you had high temps and humidity?

Looks like grass spider webs. They might have been there all along and you only noticed them this morning when they were covered in dew from the looks on the photo. They probably disappeared after the sun came up and evaporated the dew.

You'll notice a depression or funnel shape in them as can be seen in some on the photo. This is usually where the spider lives. From what I understand they stay in the yard and are not dangerous.

I wouldn't worry. Not a lawn fungus.

Thanks for the input.

Paulinct - I'm not sure how else I could post the photos - I'm using Photobucket and most seem to be able to view them (sorry!)

Assuming these are spiders, should I be concerned that these webs are covering more than 50% of the surface of my lawn? Yikes!

Hi grasswhisperer, since the other folks can see the photos I'm sure the problem is on my end, so take their advice, not mine!

I don't think they hurt the lawn and they do prey on other insects. Next time you mow you'll sweep most of them up. You might want to sharpen your blade too.

That is actually a fungus. It is benign. I have a couple that I have been watching this week. The high humidity, daily dinner rain and temperatures are contributing. If you need to spread something to combat I would start with 20lbs/1000 ft^2 of cornmeal. The humidity is suppose to break mid week, and many fungi will go dormant soon.

Normally I would say that's clerotinia homoeocarpa (Dollar Spot), but there are no center holes and they look way bigger than normal.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dollar Spot

Grayentropy -

what kind of fungus do you believe this to be? There are hundreds if not thousands of smaller webs that look exactly like a classic spider web. Would this be a fungus? The pictures I've seen of fungus-based webs - the webs look more "fuzzy" stuff growing on the grass - these are more a flat, definite web.

When I asked about this in the original post - it never occured to me that this would be a fungus. I've always heard of sod webworm and wondered what that was - I thought maybe this was it. But doesn't sound like it.

Bergenjersey (by the way I grew up in Ramsey) - I think you're right - I went back out mid afternoon after the dew dried up and the webs, while still there, were basically invisible.

So I'm thinking this is some sort of spider, I'm going to assume harmless, and keep an eye on it.

If spider, I'm also thinking that these could help to keep the mosquito population down. I suppose anything helps.

Thanks!

grasswhisperer,

If you want to be sure, next time you're out in the morning when you can see the webs, look for the funnel or depression in the web. If you can't see the spider in the hole, tap on the web with a leaf or something to simulate an insect landing on it. You should see a spider come out of the hole. They're pretty fast.

Its not a fungus if you can't name it. Dollar Spot can exhibit some fuzzy growth but nothing like the size of those spider webs you have growing. Leave them alone.

in the second picture you can see the funnels

"Its not a fungus if you can't name it."

I name it Samuel Pore. There, now it's a fungus :)

I'll tell you one thing - my new camera really highlights the fact that I have other fungal issues - and that I need to sharpen my blade (which I've already done - thanks bergenjersey)

Thanks all for the insight and advice. I also am curious to know what is attracting so many red-breasted robins to my lawn. I'll post that in a separate post.

Thanks!

I still believe that it is a type of dollar spot. I live in MA and my neighbors and I have observed similar phenemenon in late spring when it's wet, hot and humid.

another link

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It doesn't look anything like dollar spot.

Earthworms are attracting Robins to your lawn which is a good thing. And its still not dollar spot.