From dead spots in your lawn to thatch, have you ever wondered if pests are the source of your lawn woes? Unfortunately, plenty of insects love to make their home in the soil of your green grass, which can jeopardize the health of your lawn. Learn how to identify these common lawn insects with tips from Pro-Staff Pest Control.
Billbugs
A form of weevil, billbugs will lay their eggs in your grass. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae will feed on your growing grass, causing dead spots. These pests can be incredibly hard to identify as they are small and typically burrowed deep in your yard. Professional help may be necessary to identify a billbug infestation.
Chinch Bugs
Chinch bugs are one of the most common lawn pests. These insects, roughly the size of a pencil tip, feed on the surface of your lawn. They cause damage by injecting their salvia into the grass during feedings and sucking the sap out of your lawn. When not controlled, chinch bugs can cause widespread damage and even kill your entire lawn.
Cutworms
Cutworms cause damage by feeding on the leaves of your grass. These big, fleshy caterpillars will attack your lawn in droves. If you suspect a cutworm infestation, it’s crucial to seek out professional assistance immediately.
Sod Webworms
Contrary to their name, sod webworms are actually a type of moth. If you see wheat-colored bugs flying slightly over your lawn in a zig-zag pattern, you may be suffering from a sod webworm infestation. However, unlike most lawn pests, it’s the larvae that cause damage to your lawn. What’s worse, you may not even notice the damage they cause until it’s too late. Sod webworm damage is often masked by new grass growth, so it isn’t until your lawn goes dormant that you may notice an infestation.
White Grubs
White grubs lay their eggs in your grass during the long summer. Come fall, they snack on your grassroots to stay alive. As temperatures drop in the winter, white grubs will descend into the soil in order to stay alive, and in the spring, they’ll return to start the cycle all over again.
Pro-Staff Pest Control, a pest control company in Ankeny, can help you tackle a pest infestation in your lawn. To learn more about our services, give us a call at (515) 279-7378.