Insect problems
Insects are not a common cause of residential lawn damage, but certain species
occasionally damage or kill turfgrass.
Insect feeding can cause grass to turn yellow or brown,
or die, especially if the grass is already stressed. Damage usually begins in scattered
small patches, which may merge into large dead areas.
Lack of proper cultural care
and use of inappropriate grass species in a particular location are more likely responsible
for
unhealthy
or dying lawns than insects. Disease-causing pathogens, excessive or inappropriate use
of chemicals such as fertilizers and herbicides, and dog urine also produce damage resembling
that of insects.
Before taking any insect control action, be sure that it is insects causing the problem
and
not something else.
Insects that do infest home lawns are often difficult to observe and their presence goes undetected until significant damage has been done. Plus, insect damage can be mistaken for other problems such as drought damage. If the lawn remains brown or shows signs of thinning despite appropriate watering, then closer examination for insects should be done. A lawn inspection should include looking at leaves, stems, roots, thatch and the soil to determine if the problem is insect-related and catch the problem before extensive damage occurs.
Lawn Insects
Insects that may cause damage lawns include various root-, crown-, and leaf-feeding
caterpillars; white grubs, which are the larvae of beetles; billbugs,
which are weevils with white, grub like larvae; and chinch
bugs, which are true bugs in the order Hemiptera. Armyworms,
cutworms, mole
crickets also cause damage to lawns. In northwestern America, crane flies are sometimes a problem.
Each species
produces somewhat different
damage symptoms and must be managed differently. Many insects may be observed while
examining grass. However, control is rarely or never needed for most types of insects because
they are harmless, and more likely to be beneficial.
Common beneficial insects include predatory ants, ground beetles, rove beetles, and blister
beetles. Other common arthropods that are primarily decomposers and do no significant injury
to turfgrass include springtail's and millipedes.
Good cultural practices are the primary method for managing insect damage to lawns. Growing
appropriate grass species for a particular location and providing lawns with proper care are
especially important. Practices such as irrigating and fertilizing have a major impact on lawn
health. Physical controls, such as thatch removal, choice of mowing
height and frequency, and
providing grass with more light by pruning tree branches, are also important in certain situations.
Most home lawns do
not need to be treated with insecticides if proper cultural practices are followed. Insecticides
should never be applied unless a pest is identified and detected at damaging levels. If insecticides
are necessary, choose materials that have minimum impacts on beneficial organisms and the
environment.
Prevention of pest problems
Keeping your grass healthy is by far the best way to prevent damage from lawn pests.
Healthy lawns require few, if any, insecticide treatments. If a lawn is under
stress and
a pesticide
is applied, it stands a better chance of suffering damage from the pesticide itself.
