Despite your best efforts to maintain the perfect lawn, you can still experience some significant issues because of insect infestations. Insects can pose a threat to your lawn and possibly destroy it. Here are a few common offenders to Florida lawns.
Billbugs — They prefer Zoysia grass and Bermuda grass and do most of their damage in the summer. Wilted patches in your lawn can mark infestations.
Fire Ants — Their sting is 95 percent alkaloid venom, which causes pain and white pustules. They nest under patio slabs, lawns, and under the edges of concrete such as sidewalks and driveways, and also around electrical boxes.
Grasshoppers — They are herbivores and can cause serious damage to crops and other plants. They’re considered to be a nuisance.
Ground Pearls — These insects suck fluids from a variety of grasses; their favorite is centipede grass. As long as your lawn is adequately hydrated and maintained, it shouldn’t show any serious damage despite the infestation.
Mole Crickets — They can cause extensive damage by feeding on grass roots, tunneling near the soil surface, and dislodging plants until they dry out. They can destroy the grass density and cause patches in the lawn.
Southern Chinch Bug — This insect feeds on grasses by sucking the fluids out of the crown, stems, and stolons of the grass with their mouthparts. Infested areas appear as yellow to burnt red patches in the lawn. Severe damage occurs most of the year and slows down during winter.
Spittlebugs — These insects usually attack grass in shady areas and leave a purple stripe in the blades of grass it compromises. As long as your lawn is well maintained, these bugs are rarely a problem.
Tropical Sod Webworm — The larvae of this worm are destructive on newly created lawns, sports fields, golf courses, and sod. The first sign of damage is differences in grass height, caused by the feeding larvae. They destroy the appearance, density, and overall life cycle of the grass it attacks.
White Grubs — These insects love to feed on roots and cause scattered brown patches. Damage occurs mainly because the insect destroys the root system of the grass, and the grass can no longer absorb water.
By paying close attention to your lawn, you should be able to counteract the adverse effects of these insects before damage occurs. Your irrigation system plays an essential role in the health of your lawn. Challenger Irrigation has irrigation specialists on standby to prepare your system for spring. Call our office to schedule an appointment.
