5 garden pests and how to deal with them – WDTN.com

Robin Allday, BestReviews staff

1 day ago

These pests can damage your garden if you don’t deal with them

Although summer is the busiest time of year for lawn care, the work required to maintain your lawn doesn’t stop with the change of seasons. Since the life cycle of many insects includes a gestation period in the fall, if you want a healthy lawn for the following summer, you need to take steps now. A little lawn care in the fall and insect prevention pays dividends the following spring and summer. First you have to know your enemies.

Shop this article: BioAdvanced 24-Hour Grub Killer Plus Granules, Scotts GrubEx Grub, Caterpillar, Japanese Beetle Killer and Summit…Responsible Solutions for Caterpillar and Webworm Control

Leather jackets

Leather jackets are the larvae of the crane fly, which resemble enlarged mosquitoes when mature. These larvae have a cylindrical shape with a head that retracts into the thorax. Hungry larvae feed on decaying plant material. Leatherjackets hatch in the fall and forage for three months in your garden. Signs that these creatures are busy in your garden include dead patches of grass and predators such as raccoons or birds burrowing in your garden.

Armyworms

Armyworms enter their larval stage in the fall, and like most babies, they need frequent feeding. These insects are a type of larvae, and are given this name because they attack in large numbers. Common herbs, incl FescueBermuda grass and ryegrass are a delicacy for these little pests.

These larvae hatch three times a year, and the final egg-laying coincides with autumn. Damage from armyworms may appear as bare spots on your lawn and may require more grass seed. After eating, they leave the tips of the grass blades transparent.

Larvae worms

Larvae worms are the adolescent form of what will eventually become scarab beetles. These vile beasts have a white, C-shaped body with small legs clustered near the head. Worms hatch from the eggs in the fall and begin devouring your garden. Dead spots of grass that rise easily are a sign of grub activity the previous fall.

To catch these pests early, look for squishy spots on your lawn. Diagnose your problem by grabbing shovelDig up a square foot of grass and count the larvae present. If there are 10 or more caterpillars, you need to act to protect your garden for the following year.

Web worms are goofy

Apple webworms reproduce three times a year, with the third generation coinciding with autumn. Like other insects that threaten your lawn, these worms enter the world hungry for delicious grass roots. The larvae are about an inch long and may have green or brown bodies with a brown head.

If your lawn develops irregularly shaped brown spots that gradually expand, or if you see blades of grass being nibbled down to the base, it is very likely that you are infested with sod webworm.

Chinch bugs

Chinch bugs come in two interesting types: common and hairy. The hairy chinch bug lives by eating common lawn grasses, including fescue and ryegrass. In late summer, these proud bedbug mothers spawn up to 200 eggs, which begin eating away at your garden as soon as they hatch a few weeks later.

These tiny insects are only about one-sixth of an inch long when mature, so the larvae are difficult to see. Yellow patches of grass along driveways and sidewalks may indicate the presence of these creatures.

The best fall lawn insect control products

Spectracid Triazide Ready-to-Spray Lawn Insect Killer

This pesticide kills many common insects, including crane flies (leatherjackets) on contact. It comes in a bottle that attaches to your garden hose, making use simple and effective.

Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer for indoor and outdoor spaces

Expertly dispatch armyworms and bugs with this insecticide that can be used indoors and outdoors. Use this spray to create a barrier around your home.

Scotts Group, X-Group, Caterpillar, and Japanese Beetle Killer

This is a revamped version of a popular product that kills more types of caterpillars. One treatment provides four months of protection from any worm-like organisms.

Top…Responsible Solutions for Webworm and Caterpillar Control

This natural pesticide for organic gardeners is safe for fruits, vegetables and trees. This product kills webworms and many other common insects in their larval stage.

Sevin Insect Killer Granules (10 lbs)

Formulated in easy-to-use granules, this insecticide kills a long list of threats to your garden, including chinch bugs, webworms and armyworms. Use this product to create a permanent barrier around your home.

BioAdvanced 24-Hour Grub Killer Plus Granules

A fast-acting solution for serious infestations, this insecticide stops armyworms, bugs, caterpillars, webworms and more. It kills on contact and then decomposes rapidly.

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Robin Allday writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

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