Lawn Insect Control Tips
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There are two types of insects that feed on the lawn that can cause damage to your lawn. Surface feeding insects and root feeding insects. If not controlled these insects can cause serious damage to your lawn. Healthy lawns that are properly maintained will stave off damage even if there is a population of these insects present. Lawns that are cut too short, are allowed to overgrow because of irradic cutting schedules, or do not receive enough water during periods of heat or drought are more likely to show signs of insect damage. Surface feeding insects can damage the lawn from late summer into early fall. Grub damage occurs in fall and spring. Grubs present in fall will overwinter deeper in the soil only to re-emerge in early spring and cause further damage before they go through their metamorphous into beetles.
The most common insect that homeowners are likely to encounter is the white grub. Grubs are the juvenile form of many different beeltes. The two most devasting types are the Japenese Beetle and the Europeen Chaffer Beetle. Left untreated, an infestation can destroy the lawn. There are two different methods to control the white grub. The first is to monitor and scout for grubs in fall or early spring. If the lawn is in decline showing thin or dying spots/areas, it may be necessary to check the soil. Simply roll back the lawn in suspected areas and check the roots and shallow soil layer. If it is difficult to roll the lawn back this usually indicates there is a low grub population. If it is easy to roll back and pull up you will likely find a significant grub population feeding on the roots. At this time it is necessary to treat the lawn with an insecticide. Be sure to water this treatment thoroughly to ensure it reaches the soil layer.
The other method to control the white grub is to use a preventative application. Since lawn damage from the white grub can go unnoticed for quite some time, this preventative method allows complete protection before there is any chance of damage. Preventative grub control treatments are applied in summer around the same time beetles are laying eggs for the next generation. This prevents the eggs from hatching into the next generation which in turn disrupts the life cycle. Using a preventative program will also protect your lawn even if adjacent or neighboring properties are untreated.
Surface insects are more difficult to detect. The most common surface insects are sod webworms and chinch bugs. Damage usually occurs in late summer when weather conditions are hot and dry and insect populations have increased gradually over time. Once again healthy lawns with proper mowing and irrigation can stave off most damage even with substantial insect populations. The most noticeable sign of sod webworms is the presence of small white moths flying just above the lawn. These moths are the adult form of the insect. The sod webworms are the juvenile form. Although these moths can be detected at any time, they are most noticeable flying at dusk as they continue to lay eggs. Treatment is recommended if the lawn is showing signs of damage. Chinch bugs can also damage lawns in mid to late summer. Damaged areas are most often in hot, dry sunny areas of the lawn. It is easiest to detect them at the borders or edges of the damaged areas. It may be necessary to apply an insecticide to control the population of chinch bugs. Care should be taken when watering this application not to over water as the product only needs to reach the thatch layer.
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