Summer is prime time for lawn pests like chiggers and chinch bugs, and they don’t wait for an invitation. The right ID and a fast response can save your lawn and your next backyard party.
Some of these pests bite you and your pets. Others destroy your grass from the roots up. Knowing which summer lawn pest you’re dealing with is the first step to choosing the right treatment. With tips from an expert, we’ll show you how.
| Tired of chasing lawn pests? Get a free quote from a LawnStarter lawn treatment pro near you. |
| Key Takeaways: |
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| • Biting pests and grass-killing pests require completely different treatment approaches. • Identify the pest before treating it. The wrong product can worsen infestations. • Natural options like beneficial nematodes and Bt work for most lawn-damaging pests. |
Summer Lawn Pests That Bite and Sting
| Pest | Signs to Watch For | Best First Step |
| Chiggers | Red, itchy welts on ankles | Mow short |
| Fire Ants | Sandy mounds; painful stings | Bait + mound drench |
| Fleas | Pet scratching; red bites on ankles | Vet treatment plan + remove wildlife attractants |
| Ticks | Ticks on pets or family; deer or rodent activity | Treat high-density areas with pesticide + use tick tubes |
1. Chiggers
Chiggers are tiny, bright red mites that cling to skin and inject a digestive enzyme that dissolves tissue. The result is clusters of intensely itchy red welts around your ankles that can last days or weeks.
Signs and conditions to watch for:
- Shaded, humid areas
- Soil temperatures between 77–86 degrees
- Tend to cluster in specific patches
How to get rid of chiggers:
- Mow the lawn short
- Remove weeds and unnecessary shrubs
- Treat infested areas with a labeled pesticide
Note: Wear DEET-based insect repellent while in the yard. It won’t eliminate chiggers, but it will help keep them from biting.
2. Fire Ants
Fire ants are aggressive, venomous, and fast. Once disturbed, they swarm and sting repeatedly, causing burning pain and, in some cases, allergic reactions requiring emergency care.
Fire ants are also one of the types of ants that damage yards.
Signs and conditions to watch for:
- Dome-shaped sandy mounds with no visible entry hole
- Sunny, open areas, especially near sidewalks and driveways
- Most active in warm weather
How to get rid of fire ants:
- Use the Texas Two-Step method: Broadcast a bait insecticide across the yard, then treat individual mounds with a drench, granule, or dust insecticide.
Always read and follow the label instructions on your pesticide. According to Wizzie Brown, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) specialist with Texas A&M, this is the most common mistake homeowners make with the Two-Step method. “The label will tell where, how, and amount of product to apply.”
- Boiling water can kill fire ants (it eliminates roughly 60% of treated mounds), but Brown cautions it “may not reach far enough down into the ground to kill all workers, brood, and queens.” For best results, pour 2–3 gallons per mound after a rain, “when fire ants are closer to the surface, trying to get out of the water-saturated soil.”
Note: Call 911 immediately if someone shows signs of an allergic reaction to stings.
| Severe infestation or fire ants nesting near electrical housing? Hire a lawn treatment pro. Brown says that when fire ants carry soil into electrical boxes, it can break down wire insulation and cause shorts. |
3. Fleas
Fleas are blood-sucking pests that hide in your lawn and hitch rides on pets and people. If your dog is scratching constantly after playing outside, fleas may be to blame.
Signs of fleas and conditions to watch for:
- Shaded, moist areas
- Spots where pets like to rest
- Tiny black specks (flea dirt) on outdoor surfaces or pet bedding
How to get rid of fleas:
- Start with your vet to develop a treatment plan for affected pets before tackling the yard
- Apply a flea-labeled pesticide to problem areas
- Keep wildlife that commonly carry fleas (raccoons and skunks) out of the yard
4. Ticks
Ticks climb tall vegetation and wait patiently for a human or animal to brush past. They transmit Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and other serious illnesses.
Signs you have ticks:
- Regularly finding ticks on yourself, family members, or pets after being outdoors
How to get rid of ticks:
- Treat high-density areas with a labeled pesticide
- Place tick tubes near stone walls, brush piles, and wooded edges
- Install deer fencing (research shows fencing can reduce nymph populations by as much as 84%)
According to tick researcher Erika Machtinger of Penn State, chemical acaricides (tick-killing pesticides) are the most reliable tick control method, achieving a 93.8% suppression rate. But, she says, “homeowners do not need to broadcast-spray their entire lawn.”
Because most ticks live at the edge where the lawn meets the woods, near stone walls, and around dense plantings, “applying acaricides in a highly targeted manner to these specific habitats provides excellent control while minimizing environmental impact,” she says.
Summer Lawn Pests That Feast on Your Grass
| Pest | Signs to Watch For | Best First Step |
| Chinch Bugs | Yellow-to-brown patches near pavement | Dethatch |
| Cutworms | Circular dead patches; small burrow holes | Hand-pick cutworms at night; dethatch |
| Fall Armyworms | Large dead patches | Watering, Bt, nematodes, or pesticide (depends on severity) |
| Mole Crickets | Spongy ground; dying grass; raised ridges | Nematodes or attract Larra wasps; pesticide last |
| Two-Lined Spittlebugs | Foam on blades; white/purple grass streaks | Healthy lawn care; pyrethroid if severe |
| White Grubs | Irregular brown patches; turf lifts easily | Nematodes in late summer; pesticide if severe |
| Wildlife | Tunnels; spongy ground; dug-up yard | Check local laws for regulations |
5. Chinch Bugs
Chinch bugs are tiny (about 1/5 inch) but destructive. They suck the juices from grass blades while injecting a toxin that prevents the turf from absorbing water.
Signs and conditions to watch for:
- Yellowing patches that start near driveways or sidewalks and spread
- Thrive during hot, dry weather and hide in thatch
How to get rid of chinch bugs:
- Remove excessive thatch
- Overseed with pest-resistant grass varieties: endophyte-enhanced fine fescue, perennial ryegrass, or tall fescue for cool-season lawns; centipedegrass for warm-season lawns
- Use pesticides as a last resort — they kill the beneficial insects
Note: Not sure if it’s chinch bugs? Try the tin can test: Remove both ends of a can, press it into the lawn near damaged grass, fill with water, and watch for bugs floating up within 10 minutes.
6. Cutworms
Cutworms are 2-inch caterpillars that hide in thatch during the day and chew grass near the soil surface at night. Most are dull gray, brown, or black and may have stripes or spots. They curl into a C-shape when disturbed.
Signs and conditions to watch for:
- Circular dead patches with small burrow holes in the lawn (looks like ball marks on a putting green)
How to get rid of cutworms:
- Hand-pick cutworms at night
- Remove excess thatch
- Apply Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki) to kill cutworm larvae
- Apply beneficial nematodes (Steinernema carpocapsae) to infect and kill soil cutworms
- Use a labeled insecticide
7. Fall Armyworms
Fall armyworms show up in mid-to-late summer and can devastate a lawn in just a few days. Unlike cutworms, they feed during the day. Look for caterpillars up to 1 1/2 inches long with a light-colored “Y” on their dark heads.
Signs and conditions to watch for:
- Rapidly appearing large patches of dead or ragged-looking grass
- Grass blades with a transparent “windowpane” look
- Increased bird activity on the lawn
How to get rid of fall armyworms:
- Mild infestations often resolve on their own with good watering
- Apply Bt or nematodes for moderate infestations
- Use a caterpillar-targeted pesticide for severe damage
8. Mole Crickets
Mole crickets use claw-shaped front legs to tunnel through your lawn’s root zone, mostly at night. They’re especially damaging in Southeastern states with sandy, well-drained soils.
Signs and conditions to watch for:
- Spongy turf that feels loose from the ground
- Raised ridges or tunneling trails across the lawn
- Dying patches in Bermudagrass or bahiagrass
How to get rid of mole crickets:
- Release nematodes (Steinernema scapterisci) to target them without harming beneficial insects
- Attract Larra wasps, a natural predator
- Apply pesticide in early summer when nymphs are most vulnerable
9. Two-Lined Spittlebugs
The yellow-green two-lined spittlebug nymphs hide inside a frothy secretion of spittle on grass blades. The adults suck out grass juices, leaving streaks on the blades.
Centipedegrass is especially vulnerable.
Signs and conditions to watch for:
- Foamy white clusters on grass blades
- White or purple streaking along blades
- Yellow or brown patches (severe infestations)
How to get rid of two-lined spittlebugs:
- A healthy lawn can tolerate light infestations without treatment
- Use a pyrethroid for severe cases; apply thoroughly since the spittle coating reduces contact
10. White Grubs
White grubs are the C-shaped larvae of scarab beetles, including Japanese beetles, June beetles, chafer beetles, and billbugs. They feed on grass roots just below the soil surface.
Signs of grubs and conditions to watch for:
- Irregular brown patches that don’t green up with water
- Turf that lifts easily from the soil
- Birds, moles, or skunks digging in the lawn
- Well-irrigated lawns attract egg-laying beetles in mid-summer
How to get rid of white grubs:
- Apply beneficial nematodes (Steinernema or Heterorhabditis spp.) for a natural approach, matching the right nematode to the grub species
- Apply a curative pesticide in late summer, soon after eggs hatch
Note: Not sure if it’s grubs? Try the shovel test: Cut 3 sides of a 1-square-foot section and fold it back. Treat if you find 5 or more grubs.
11. Wildlife
Moles, voles, armadillos, gophers, and groundhogs dig through lawns searching for food. Their tunnels damage roots, create tripping hazards, and leave the lawn looking like a construction zone.
Signs and conditions to watch for:
- Raised ridges or tunnels running across the lawn
- Patches of dug-up turf or cone-shaped soil mounds
- Existing grub or soil insect populations attract digging wildlife
How to get rid of lawn-damaging wildlife:
- Control grubs and soil insects first; removing the food source often reduces wildlife activity
- Remove animals based on local and state laws
Note: If you suspect rabies, keep people and pets indoors and call wildlife control immediately. Do not attempt to remove a rabid animal.
See Related:
- How to Get Rid of Moles in Your Yard
- How to Get Rid of Voles in Your Yard: 7 Proven Methods
- How to Get Rid of Gophers
FAQs
Fire ants, fall armyworms, and white grubs all require fast action.
• Fire ant stings can trigger severe allergic reactions
• Fall armyworms can destroy large sections of lawn within days
• White grubs should be treated soon after hatching; they become much harder to kill as they grow
Routine lawn care and knowing your grass’s tendencies (such as high thatch accumulation) go a long way towards getting rid of summer lawn pests.
• Mow short and clear brush as a first line of defense against chiggers
• Dethatching alone can reduce chinch bug populations without any chemicals
• Beneficial nematodes are effective against grubs, cutworms, fall armyworms, and mole crickets
• Bt bacterium (Bacillus thuringiensis) kills caterpillar pests like armyworms and cutworms without harming beneficial insects.
Hire a Pro to Help with Your Pest Problems
Not every pest problem is easy to diagnose. Brown patches could be chinch bugs, white grubs, or just drought stress. What looks like a minor infestation can spread fast if treated with the wrong product.
One of our local lawn treatment professionals can correctly identify the pest, recommend the right treatment, and help prevent it from returning. Professional help isn’t just convenient — it’s the fastest way to protect your lawn.
Sources:
Wizzie Brown, senior Extension program specialist, Texas A&M AgriLife, Austin, TX. Personal interview.
Erika T. Machtinger, associate professor of entomology and Extension vector-borne disease team lead, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. Personal interview.
Main Image: Hand beside white grubs in lawn soil. Image Credit: Kiran / Adobe Stock
