5 Lawn Bugs that are Destroying Your Yard

There are a lot of lawn bugs that can cause damage to your lawn. By educating yourself on the types of bugs that are a threat to your area, you can prevent them from becoming a problem in your yard. Here are 5 of the lawn bugs that are most likely to cause harm to your grass:

Chinch bugs

Scientific name: Blissus leucopterus

Chinch bugs find their way into lawns during dry periods. Once your lawn has been invaded by this pest you’ll start to notice yellow or bare patches throughout your grass. These bugs are very small, usually no longer than 4 millimeters in their adult state. In color they range from bright red to a darker shade that’s nearly brown in appearance. When a large amount of chinch bugs is present, they can sometimes be identified by their pungent smell – especially if crushed (much like stink bugs).

The best way to get rid of this problem bug is to thoroughly irrigate your lawn. Chinch bugs are a symptom of a dry lawn, so their presence usually indicates that you haven’t been watering as frequently as you should. Water your lawn frequently, enough to keep the soil moist, for a month or less. By this time the bugs should have evacuated your lawn and you can reduce watering to the normally recommended amount.

Sod webworms

Scientific name: Fissicrambus mutabilis, Parapediasia teterrella, Pediasia trisecta

There are many varieties of sod webworms that could find their way into your lawn. Bugs like webworms are usually present because of a lack of proper irrigation in your yard. In larva state these pests are about 19 millimeters in length, and in their adult form they can grow to be as long as six millimeters longer.

In their larval state they are similar to a caterpillar, and they eat away at grass for their entire time in this form. This can cause quite a big dent in the grass in your lawn, especially if many of these pests are present. Like caterpillars, they then enter a pupa state and eventually emerge as a moth. Sod webworms are sometimes referred to as lawn moths.

Mole crickets

Scientific name: Gryllotalpidae

Mole crickets are a very common lawn threat, especially in warm or coastal areas.  These common lawn bugs range in size from 30 to 50 millimeters and are cylindrical in shape. Their arms are shovel-like, which comes in handy when they start causing problems by burrowing through your lawn.

Once they begin burrowing in your lawn they cause the soil to swell up. Their tunnels can be spotted as raised tubes in your lawn. Bugs like these can also cause other eyesores like brown patches. They are most active in late summer and early fall.

Mites

Scientific name: Bryobia praetiosa, Petrobia late, Oligonychus pratensis

Mites are very small, sometimes even microscopic. Many types of mites are active in lawns across the United States. Some of the most common include clover mites, brown wheat mites, and Banks grass mites. The most significant damage caused by mites takes place in early or mid-spring. Like many other pests mites can be prevented with proper lawn care, especially irrigation. Dry yards welcome all sorts of pests, by keeping your lawn healthy it has the best shot at fighting off these intruders.