Due to our mild climate and endless sunny days, Floridians can enjoy the outdoors all year round, but so can many of the insects who can wreak havoc on your plush green lawn. Just because summer has come to a close, doesn’t mean that these little buggers are going into hibernation.
You can send pesky insects to eternal hibernation by identifying and combating them. Here are our Top Three Most Prevalent Lawn-Killing Bugs:
Chinch bugs are one of the main lawn pests in Florida because they love to munch on St. Augustine grass, and St. Augustine grass is everywhere! When you notice dry and brown spots in areas, chinch bugs may be to blame. Spread the grass in the suspected area and look for winged, black insects.
Sod webworms make most of their damage to your lawn during the late summer and fall months. While they are still in their larval stage of a moth, they will feed near the base of your grass blades. They tend to feed at night and will quickly damage your lawn. Identify their munching grounds by looking for areas where the length of your grass seems uneven or brown. While walking through your lawn, you may notice small moths flying out of the grass as you pass. This can be another indicator that sod webworms are nearby.
Another pesky insect that will bring brown spots to your lawn is the Southern Mole Cricket. They prefer Bermuda and Bahia grass, but they will feast on other types of grasses. Since these bugs love to tunnel beneath the surface, eating roots as they go, often homeowners won’t suspect mole crickets until they notice dried out areas in their lawns.
The best way to keep your lawn protected from damaging insects like these is to
