Lawn Insect Control - Take Action Before Damage is Done

Lawn Insect Control
Our area of Pennsylvania has many insects which can harm lawns.

Below are several types of lawn insects.
Chinch Bugs – This sap-sucking insect can secrete a substance that causes home lawns to stop absorbing water which eventually leads to the grass withering and dying. They are often found in open, sunny areas and are as populated as 150-200 insects per square foot. Because of their small size and coloration, which blends in with grass, they can go unnoticed – especially during periods of drought. Minimizing the accumulation of thatch is a helpful step in discouraging infestations and thereby reducing future chinch bug problems.

Sod Webworms – Commonly known as lawn moths, the sod webworm insect can eat the grass and entire stem leaving brown patches, up to the size of a baseball, in the lawn. Appearing at dusk on warm, balmy evenings, these insects are recognizable as a pale-brown moth with a prominent snout. Another recognizable trait is their jerky, zigzag flight pattern. During the daylight hours, sod webworms escape scrutiny by hiding in shrubbery and other sheltered areas. Sod webworms gravitate towards steep slopes, banks, and other locations which are difficult to water. The most acute damage usually occurs in July and August. If treatment isn’t applied to your lawn, multiple generations of sod webworms can occur on an annual basis.

Armyworms – These pests are ferocious eaters that can destroy your grass once they start. Armyworms are heavily active at night eating grass blades and even the stems. During the heat and sunlight of the day they hide in plants, under grass, leaves and other debris. They get their name by moving in large masses (like little armies) and waiting to attack plants and grass as a group at night. The larvae stage is the most damaging time for your lawn and other plants. Armyworms can have several generations develop in any given summer.

Grubs – Grubs are c-shaped, pale white, soft-bodied creatures that can destroy your lawn from the ground up by feeding on the roots until your grass dies off. Grubs are the larvae of Japanese beetles and June beetles. As larvae transform into beetles, they shift their eating customs to plants above ground. Beetles emerge in early summer and destructively eat plants. Later in the summer, they lay eggs in the lawn’s soil. After the eggs hatch, the grubs become big and plump as they devour the roots of your lawn’s grass in a non-stop eating frenzy. Grubs can damage the entire root system of your grass and eventually destroy your lawn.

Treatment:
Once damage is noticed, it is important to take action before more damage occurs. If left untreated, the insects will continue to eat and destroy your lawn. Applying one to two applications of insecticide are needed to resolve the problem. In four to five days, a positive improvement should be seen. Showcase also offers preventative applications to deter insect activity.

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insect on grass