The summer is one of the hardest times on your lawn. Pest season is in full swing, the rains are coming down every ten or twenty minutes, and the sun is giving it one heck of a beating. That’s why today we’re going to discuss a few common lawn pests. Easy identification of these pests is one of the first and best methods of control. When lawn pest control becomes second nature, that’s when you have an easier time of management.
Lawn Pest Control: Billbugs
Billbugs are going to be the first pest on our list. You’ll find this critter often in your pantry, but also under your turf. Also known as weevils, billbug adults and larvae feed on lawns. You can recognize the one fourth to three-fourths inch, brown to black adult weevils by their long snouts. Adult billbugs feed on grass stems. The small, white larvae look like a gooey piece of rice with an orangish-brown head. The larvae feed on plant roots. The larvae’s feeding is usually most destructive. Billbugs are destructive insects that can ruin a lawn. The grubs begin feeding in the grass stems and gradually working their way down to the roots, killing the grass blade by blade.
The adults emerge from the lawn thatch and leaf litter where they spent the winter when temperatures rise about 65 degrees Fahrenheit. You may see them walking around on driveways and sidewalks as they search for a good place to lay their eggs. They dig a little cave in the soil and deposit their eggs. Grubs emerge from the eggs in a week or two.
Lawn Ants!
This one is probably a no brainer for some, and a shock to others. If you live down south, you’ve seen what a fire ant mound can do. These things can criss-cross several lawns, and wreak havoc where they go. Ants are not generally considered dangerous pests, but they can pose significant health and cosmetic damage to turfgrass. Controlling ants in the lawn becomes important where their hill building causes root damage to grass and unsightly mounds. These colony insects settle in large numbers and build intricate labyrinths in grass root systems. Ant hills in grass may pose a hazard to foot travelers and mower blades. Knowing how to control ants in lawns begins with some information on these insects’ soil and location preferences, and a concerted effort to destroy their nests.
And not only are your lawns threatened by fire ants but so are you. The worst part about the fire ant is their aggressive nature. When these things bite, they mean it. The fire ant uses their crushing mandibles to grab hold of their prey and then inject them with venom through their stingers. These stings can even prove to be fatal to some humans and are painful for all. Their sting is venomous, and is highly irritating and result in red bumps with white puss. They’ll attack anything that comes too close, be it you, your family, or your pets.
The basics of keeping the fire ant out of your home are similar to keeping out the most common pests. Cleanliness is a virtue, and so is making sure to fix up any dripping and leaky pipes. These ants are easily found by locating their mounds around your home. Control is obtained by treating the mounds directly
Lawn Pest Control: Mole Cricket
Up next is maybe the most notorious creature that will have you learning lawn pest control.
Mole crickets cause their most damage in warm climates. But, you can find these guys along the coasts of the southeastern U.S. Their damage can be recognized by irregularly raised burrows and dying grass. These insects are often attracted to lawns that have an abundance of thatch—a thick, spongy mat of runners and undecomposed grass clippings on the soil surface. Sadly, improper mowing and excessive water or fertilizer can lead to this condition. Mole crickets find this to be suitable habitat and will eventually overwinter within deep burrows, which are created by their extensive digging. Once the soil warms up in spring, they will work their way up to the surface to feed on grass, usually at night. This feeding also takes place in the upper inch or so of soil.
There are usually only two major visible signs of mole cricket infestation. The first, you’ll see small brown soil mounds in your lawn. Similar to ant hills but not quite as easy to spot. The other is patches of dying grass dappled throughout your lawn. This is caused by the mole cricket’s tunneling habits.
Since the mole cricket is nocturnal, it’s not easy to identify the pest during daytime hours. To be completely certain you’re dealing with mole crickets, mix 2 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid with a gallon of water in a large bucket and pour the solution over a 1–2 square-foot area of your lawn that you think has been affected by mole crickets. It’s best, to perform this task in the early morning or late evening. If mole crickets are present, they’ll surface within a few minutes.
What To Do?
More than dealing with an indoor pest infestation, Lawn pest control is a tough task. Too much or too little of one product or another and you either have pests that survive and become immune, or you have dead pests AND a dead lawn. So, honestly, the best thing to do when you have an infestation is to contact a pro. And if you do, contact one with a history of service and use of natural methods of pest control.
Earth’s Best was founded in 1994 to provide effective and cutting edge and eco-friendly natural Brandon pest control. Earth’s Best can always provide you with the latest and most comprehensive range of services and information needed to protect your children, employees, pets and the environment.
We look forward to offering our Lawn pest control services to our current and future clients. To schedule an appointment please call us at 1-800-634-1313.