Most insects are harmless to your lawn. Others, if left unchecked,
can wreck havoc on your beautiful landscape. Our trained technicians
can spot and identify those insects that can be a problem. Below is
a list of insects that can cause your lawn problems. If you suspect
that your landscape has a serious insect infestation, please call the
office as soon as possible before the damage becomes an expensive problem
Grubs are the larvae of several species of beetles. Adult beetles don't
normally feed on grass but they sometimes cause damage to ornamental
plants. Extensive damage can occur during the larval stage of the beetle's
In late summer, adult beetles lay their eggs in the lawn. When the
eggs hatch, they turn into white grubs which tunnel into the soil and
eat grass roots. They continue feeding until cooler weather forces them
deeper into the soil where they spend the winter.
In spring, they move back to the soil's surface where they continue
eating your grass roots until they emerge from the soil as an adult
beetle. The cycle then repeats itself.
Treating for grubs is a matter of proper timing. Effective control
can only be accomplished if treated early in their development cycle.
Once the grubs become full size (in early spring) it's usually too late
to control them. At Gro Lawn, we know the best time of the year to apply
special controls that will eliminate turf damaging grubs from your lawn
without harming other beneficial insects.
Adult billbugs are about 1/2 inch long weevils. They damage lawns in
midsummer when the grass is under stress from heat and drought. The
damage often is not apparent until later, when the unaffected grass
begins to recover from the heat stress. By the time damage is discovered,
Mole crickets feed on grass roots, but their major damage comes from
their movements through the soil. They tunnel near the soil surface
with strong forelegs, loosening the soil and uprooting plants which
dry out quickly. The insects eat at night an may tunnel as much as 10
to 20 feet per night. During the day, they return to their burrows.
They prefer St. Augustine and zoysia grass for their main diet.
Mole crickets are difficult to control because of their deep burrowing
habits. A continuing program of treatments is required to keep these
bugs under control.
Chinch bugs suck juices from grass plants. As
they feed, toxins are injected into the plant. It takes numerous chinch
bugs to damage a lawn, but they reproduce extremely fast. Populations
of chinch bugs have been known to grow to over 1000 per square foot.
The feed on grass growing in the full sun over shady areas. Adult chinch
bugs are tiny and very easy to overlook.
We apply a control that may require 2 applications for complete control.
If conditions are right, armyworms can achieve very high populations
in lawns and cause severe damage. The larvae damage turf by feeding
on stems and leaves. Outbreaks of armyworms may occur over large areas.
We apply a liquid application for immediate results. The most severe
damage occurs when armyworms feed during the hot, dry weather when the
lawn is under greater stress and less likely to recover from the damage
caused. To prevent severe damage to your lawn, army worms must be treated
as soon as they are noticed.
Fire Ants can be identified by their reddish color and small size (1/8
to 1/4 inch long). Most people identify them from their fiery sting
that will result in a small bump or pustule on the skin. They will rapidly
swarm the mound if it is disturbed in an effort to protect their queen.
Fire Ants infest many different areas. They can be found anywhere where
there's an abundance of food which includes other insects, oil from
seeds, meats, grease, or similar food sources. They liquefy the food
and return it to the colony to feed their young and the queen. They
go in search of food when temperatures reach 70 or more and can journey
up to 100' from their nest.
Fire Ants cause other problems besides a nasty sting. Mounds that can
reach more than 3. Nests built near a home may invade the home in search
Controlling Fire Ants is often a larger task than most homeowners can
handle. This is especially true with extensive infestations. Worker
ants build a complex of underground tunnels. If the mound is disturbed,
they move the queen to another location and set up a new nest.
We apply a special control that lasts 90 - 120 days. For year round
control, this low odor, low active ingredient application should be
made twice a year.
Sod Web Worms
Adult sod webworms, called lawn moths, are typical snout moths: they have sensory appendages
called labial palps that extend in front of the head. The moth holds its wings close to and over
its body at rest, giving it a slender appearance. When disturbed, the moth makes a short flight
close to the grass. At night, these moths drop their eggs indiscriminately on to turf. The creamy
larvae have a distinctive double row of brown or black spots down their backs, located at the
base of long bristles. The Lucerne moth larva is somewhat larger than the other sod webworm larvae.
During the day larvae reside in silk-lined burrows, writhing when disturbed. At night they emerge
Sod webworm larvae are leaf skeletonizers. As the larva mature they will notch or cut off
leaf blades and pull them into the burrow. Heavily infested turf quickly
appears moth eaten, with irregular patches of brown grass or bare areas.