There is nothing quite like a beautiful lawn. It is the backdrop you enjoy when relaxing on your porch, deck, patio, or balcony. It is where you set up a volleyball net and invite friends to play. It is the location for backyard cookouts, wedding receptions, birthday parties, graduations, and other gatherings. That is why it is important to keep it from being destroyed by all the many critters we have here in Florida, from the tiniest bug to the largest wildlife pest.
When bugs and wildlife come into our yards, they dig tunnels, nibble on ornamentals, gnaw on the bark of trees, and feed on vegetables in gardens and fruit in bushes and trees. But, worse than all of this, they can do a real number on a lawn. They destroy root systems when they tunnel under lawn turf, and create dead pathways when they cut through the grass. Whether you have an above ground pest or a below ground pest, it important to recognize the signs, and properly identify what creature is doing the damage. Let’s take a quick look at some of the repeat offenders that invade our yards and damage our lawns.
Moles
One of the easiest pests to identify is a mole. Not only will moles create raised tunnels under your lawn, they also leave volcano-looking mounds of dirt in your yard. This is because they tunnel through soil to find earthworms, grubs, and other critters to eat.
Grubs
These lawn pests are the larvae of beetles. Here in Florida, we see Florida white grubs quite a bit. They are the larvae of the June Beetle, which is also called a June bug. If you have a grub problem, it is likely that you will see yellow patches in your lawn. When these pests damage your lawn, it is sometimes possible to lift dead areas like you would a carpet.
Chinch Bugs
If you have dead patches of grass in your yard, it may be chinch bugs, especially if you have St. Augustine-grass. But, these bugs can attack a lawn with any type of grass. There is one way to know if this is the bug that is damaging your lawn. Unlike other pests that leave random patches, this lawn pest creates a patch that grows like ripples in a pond, starting small and getting large with each passing day.
Voles
These are rodents that damage tree bark and create pathways through a yard that look like grassy trenches. They will also do damage to plants, bulbs, tubers, and grass roots as they feed.
Mole Crickets
The damage these strange looking crickets do can be mistaken for other lawn pests, but there is a simple way to find out if mole crickets are what you have. Fill a bucket with water, squeeze a couple squirts of dish soap in the water, and pour the bucket out into a concentrated area where there is a brown patch. If you come back in 30 minutes and find mole crickets on the surface of your lawn, guess what? You have mole crickets.
Armyworms
This is the perfect name for these pests. As caterpillars, they move across a lawn like an invading army, destroying your grass as they go. A great way to find out if you have armyworms is to flood an area of grass with water and look to see if they come to the surface.
Sod Web Worms
Dead patches and silken webs are the telltale sign of this lawn pest. These tiny caterpillars are quite destructive when they come into a yard, and the damage often looks like someone took a weed eater to the lawn.
If you’re dealing with lawn destroying pests in Florida, let McCall Service help you take care of the problem. We are a full-service lawn care specialist, as well as an industry-leading pest control company. You’ll get the experienced and educated service you need to ensure your lawn has what it needs to be beautiful and strong, all year long. Reach out to us for answers to your questions or to set up service for your lawn today.
