Florida Lawn Pest Identification: Spotting Common Garden Bugs

How to Identify Lawn Pests

Lush plants, tall trees, and beautiful lawns are things we imagine when we think of a Florida backyard. As well as providing a place for outdoor activities and adding curb appeal to your property, a healthy lawn helps to prevent soil erosion and provides oxygen.

However, avoiding dreaded brown patches and areas of dead grass is not always easy. Not only do we have Florida's demanding climate to contend with, but the Sunshine State is also host to a range of bugs and other tiny creatures that can cause major damage if left untreated. Check out our guide to common lawn pests in Florida and learn what to do if you find them in your yard.

Chinch Bugs

These tiny insects love the sun, so they are most likely to affect your lawn during the summer months. They are particularly attracted to St Augustine Grass. Here are some signs of chinch bug damage:

• Yellow patches of grass that turn brown over time
• Patchy damage
• Seasonal damage, or dead patches that are more prevalent in sunny areas of the lawn
• Root damage that allows grass blades to pull away from the soil very easily
• Visible insects on the grass or near the soil surface; chinch bugs are very small so you may need a magnifying glass to see them

To check for chinch bugs, look for visible insects crawling on blades of grass or just above the soil surface. Check the edges of brown patches; also check sunny areas of your lawn. You may need a magnifying glass to see these tiny, black and white insects.

Natural methods for getting rid of chinch bugs include minimizing the use of fertilizer and raking regularly to remove thatch (dead grass build-up) from the lawn. Some grass varieties - Zoysia and Bahia grass, for example - are resistant to chinch bugs.

If you have a serious chinch bug infestation and need to try a chemical control method, look for a suitable insecticide to apply in spring. Check the label instructions carefully before use. It may be a good idea to get in touch with a lawn care professional for advice, as some insecticides can be harmful to children and pets.

Grubs

Grubs are insect larvae that feed on grass roots and organic matter below the surface of soil. The most common type of grub in Florida is the white grubs, the larvae of scarab beetles, and in particular chafer beetle grubs. These little grubs are small and white and rest in a c-shaped curl. They tend to be half an inch to two inches long.

Common signs of a grub infestation include:

• Areas of yellow or brown turf; these may spread as grubs continue to feed on grass roots
• Thin or weak grass
• Areas of dead grass
• A bumpy or uneven lawn surface
• Small mounds of soil on the surface

To check for grubs, you can cut and lift a small section of turf and look for grubs in the soil underneath. Five or more grubs in a square foot of soil is a high population.

You can help to prevent a white grub infestation by maintaining your lawn regularly. Irrigate it properly, and mow regularly to the correct height for your grass type. Investigate any brown patches of grass or other forms of lawn damage promptly so you can take action.

Biological control options for grubs include milky spore, a bacterium that targets insect larvae, and beneficial nematodes, tiny worms that attack and kill beetle larvae. If these methods are ineffective, try a chemical insecticide, or get in touch with a lawn care or pest control expert.

Mole Crickets

Unlike most types of cricket, mole crickets are burrowing insects that spend most of their life cycle underground. Their tunneling severs grass roots, killing grass blades above; they also feed on plant roots and shoots, especially grasses. They can tunnel in any type of grass, but they prefer Bahia and Bermuda grass.

Florida has one native species of mole cricket, the northern mole cricket. Found throughout the Eastern US, this species is not considered a pest. However, these invasive species of mole cricket are considered pests and can do extensive damage:

• Tawny mole cricket
• Southern mole cricket
• Short-winged mole cricket

Look out for small mounds of dirt above the soil surface thrown up by mole crickets as they burrow. Other signs of damage include brown patches or dead grass.

An effective test for a mole cricket infestation is to combine three tablespoons of dish soap with a gallon of water. Pour this mixture over around four square feet of turf. Any mole crickets in that area will need to come to the surface for fresh air within three minutes. If two to four crickets appear in that time, that's a sign of a problematic mole cricket population.

Recent research at the University of Florida suggests that biological control may be a more effective way of dealing with mole crickets than traditional chemical control options. To treat a mole cricket infestation, you may want to try introducing beneficial nematodes, which can be purchased and applied to your soil.

Another option is to try to attract larra wasps to your yard. These wasps are natural predators of mole crickets. They lay parasitic eggs on individual crickets; the larra wasp larva then consumes the cricket. Larra wasps do not tend to sting humans unless caught and held. You can attract these beneficial insects by planting their favorite host plants: whitehead broom and partridge pea.

Sod Webworms

Tropical sod webworms are the caterpillars or larvae of sod webworm moths. These caterpillars can cause damage to your healthy lawn; they are particularly attracted to St Augustine grass. In Central and North Florida, sod webworms are most active spring through fall, whilst in South Florida they are active all year round.

Sod webworm caterpillars feed during the night and hide away to rest in the heat of the day. They eat the surface tissue of grass blades, leaving a thin, almost clear layer of inner tissue; this is sometimes known as window feeding. Look out for ragged patches, where damaged grass is shorter than the surrounding healthy grass. You may see bright green caterpillar droppings and, eventually, areas of brown grass.

To help control sod webworms, keep grass properly irrigated and remove thatch by regular raking. The thatch layer is where these caterpillars live, so raking will remove their habitat. If you already have tropical sod webworms in your lawn, use a combination of dish soap and water to drench the soil, forcing them to the surface, then rake and destroy the caterpillars.

For a more severe infestation, try applying beneficial nematodes. You could also apply a bacterium such as bt-kurstaki, which is not harmful to children or animals but is effective against certain insects.

Lawn Care to Prevent Infestations

A common theme with pest control is that regular lawn maintenance helps to protect your turf from a whole range of bugs and even other pests. As with all plants, you will need to check the requirements for the type of grass you are growing. After that, these regular maintenance checks can help to keep various bugs away.

• Mow your lawn to a suitable height. Healthy lawn practices will vary depending on your grass type.
• Keep your lawn well irrigated. Again, check requirements for your lawn type. Don't go overboard and end up with soggy roots, but be sure to water frequently enough to keep shoots of grass strong and healthy.
• Rake regularly. This will remove the layer of thatch, or dead grass, that can build up above the soil level. Several types of pest like to live in this thatch.
• Regularly check your lawn for signs of damage. Finding any potential problems early on makes them easier to deal with.
• Consider introducing beneficial nematodes to your soil. These microscopic worms are good for your garden and bad for many common pests!

If you feel out of your depth, or if natural methods are not helping you to get rid of a bug infestation in your beautiful lawn, it may be time to get in touch with a professional. A lawn care or pest control expert can advise you on the best way to get rid of bugs.

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