4 Lawn Destroying Insects to Watch Out For

A healthy, lush lawn can be the envy of the neighborhood. In addition to attracting the birds and the bees, a healthy lawn is also inviting to hungry insects. Here are the four common lawn destroying insects to watch out for in Allentown, PA.  

Japanese Beetle

The Japanese beetle is an invasive species similar to the June bug that can damage not only your yard but your trees and shrubs as well. The beetle’s larvae feed on the roots of your grass in the spring and in fall. This makes it harder for the grass to take up water and the damage really becomes visible in times of drought. The grubs also attract moles, skunks, crows, raccoons and geese, other critters that can tear up your yard. When the adults emerge in the summer, they feed on nearly every tree and bush in your yard and if there are enough of them they can completely strip it of foliage. You can get rid of these pests with an organic pesticide or a homemade concoction of hot sauce, garlic, water, and dish soap.  

Sod Webworms

Webworms are annoying pests that can cause a great deal of damage. These little buggers are hard to find since they hide during the day and feed at night. You’ll know you have webworms when you start to see the baseball-sized brown patches on your lawn. One webworm can lay up to 200 eggs which hatch during the summer. If you catch them early enough, a simple solution of water and dish soap should bring them to the surface where you can rake them.

Chinch Bugs

A common lawn pest in Pennsylvania is the chinch bug., which often goes unnoticed because of its size and color. Adults like to spend the winter in unraked leaves and thatch which is why it’s essential to rake in the fall. When it comes to feeding, these little pests prefer red fescues, perennial ryegrass, and Kentucky bluegrass. Damage becomes visible from early July through late August.

Mole Crickets

Mole crickets can really damage a lawn if you aren’t vigilant. These scary-looking pests look like a lab experiment gone wrong. They’re 1 to 1 1/4 inches long and have large front claws (like a mole) and large lobster-like heads and bodies. Mole crickets damage grass and other plants by tunneling under the soil and damaging roots. If that wasn’t reason enough to be creeped out, they also bite.

Most of these pests can be controlled, as long as you identify them early. Don’t let insects treat your yard like a buffet. If you suspect you have a pest infestation, visit our Allentown lawn care page for more info today!