Use the photos and details in this guide to help identify the insects infesting your lawn.
Army
Worms
Armyworms cause 1 to 2 inch wide dead spots in newly seeded and established lawns. The plants are eaten off at the soil level. The adult moths are tan or mottled gray with a wingspan of 1 inch and fly only at night or on overcast days.
Billbugs
Areas of lawn may turn brown in circular areas and the dead grass will break at the base when it’s pulled. The hollowed out stems have sawdust like material at the damaged ends.
Chinch Bugs
Lawns with chinch bug damage often look dry. Areas infested with chinch bugs tend to move from the driveways or sidewalks towards the centers of the lawn. These bugs can devastate turf during the hotter parts of the summer from mid July to early September.
Cut Worms
As with army worms, cut worms leave small, 1- to 2-inch-wide patches of brown grass in newly seeded and established lawns; the plants are eaten off at soil level. They often grow to 2 inches long. The moths are dark and fly at night.
Fleas, Ticks and Lyme disease
Fleas can cause a painful bite for you along with your pet. If left untreated, cats and dogs scratch constantly which can resolve in their skin becomes infected and may even lead into a nervous condition. Ticks can carry Lyme disease, bacteria and viruses.
Lawn Grubs
Grubs feed on the roots of many plants, but prefer the fibrous roots of turf grasses. As the root system is destroyed, sections of turf wilt, turn brown and can be easily pulled back to reveal grubs beneath.
Sod Webworm
The lawn turns brown in patches in the hottest, driest areas. Grass blades are chewed off just above the thatch line and silky white tubes can be found nestled in the root area. Worms mature into grayish-white moths that can be seen flying around the lawn.
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