A Comprehensive Guide to Identifying and Controlling Lawn Pests

Having a lawn or yard at home is the most exciting way of making your landscape more appealing. However, when pests attack your lawn, they can destroy it and reduce its value. Pest invasion in yards and gardens can be hard to detect if you don’t have the right skills or tools.

In this short guide, we highlight some common lawn pests and what you can do to detect and remove them from your lawn. Remember, it is recommended to hire an expert who offers pest control in Mesa to ensure that the bugs are effectively exterminated. 

Lawn pest identification

If you intend to get rid of pests in your lawn, then you must identify them and adopt the right procedures to remove them. It is vital to understand the pests’ symptoms and life cycle so that you can prevent their reproduction and infestation at early stages. 

You can quickly tell if your lawn has pests. Here are some signs of pest infestation in your lawn:

• Signs of bite marks on the grass

• Wilting blades

• A turf layer on the lawn

• Dead or alive insects on the grass

• Holes in the soil

• Missing, thin, or damaged plant roots

Common lawn pests and how to control them

Chinch bugs 

Chinch bugs are black and shiny insects that have wings. They are common lawn pests in drought-prone areas. During the summer, these pests are more likely to infest your lawn and cause severe damage. In most cases, you will confuse its infestation with the effects of drought on your garden. 

How to get rid of chinch bug infestation 

• Apply fertilizer on the lawn

• Dethatch the lawn 

• Improve air circulation in the lawn

• Treat the yard with a granular chemical if the infestation is extensive

Grubs

Grubs are the most destructive of all the lawn pests. A grub is the larvae of a scarab beetle that lives below the soil. They feed on plant roots during spring and summer. You can quickly identify grub infestation if you notice your plants drying up, especially the grassroots getting damaged.

To get rid of grubs in your lawn 

• Pour a mixture dishwashing detergent on your turf. The grubs will begin to escape from the soil because of the detergent effect 

• Apply granule solution to the lawn

Mole crickets

You can find mole crickets below the ground where they feed on decaying plant material and other insects. Your garden has mole crickets if you notice brown patches, dying plants, and withering of plant leaves. If you want to get rid of mole crickets in your lawn then:

• Eradicate them with a granular solution

• Do not overwater the yard as this will make it conducive for these pests

Cutworms and Armyworms  

These are common in most humid lawns. You will rarely spot these pets when the sun is out. They come out of their hides in the morning and late in the evening to feed on grass blades. They always leave some dead spots on your lawn.

If you want to get rid of armyworms and cutworms, you can pour some dishwashing detergent mixture on the lawn. If symptoms of cutworm infestation persist, then you can contact an expert exterminator to get rid of them.

Conclusion 

Many pests can infest your lawn and make it less appealing. Note that you can apply most of the tips given here to get rid of other pests like voles, moles, sod webworms, and other common pets not mentioned here. Always inspect your lawn to exterminate the pests before they can cause extensive damages.