1. Fall Armyworms<\/h2> ![\"Fall](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Fall-Armyworm-646x429.jpg\")
Photo Credit: uacescomm<\/a> \/ Flickr \/ CC0 1.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Scientific name: <\/strong>Spodoptera frugiperda <\/em><\/p> These camo-colored caterpillars love to eat grass in large groups, causing big brown patches on your turf. Fall armyworms<\/a> are active from April through December; they cause the most damage during the fall but can also wreak havoc on your grass in spring. Jacksonville homeowners can test for these pesky larvae with the liquid soap test:<\/p> - Mix one tablespoon of liquid dish soap with one gallon of water<\/li>
- Pour solution near damaged turfgrass<\/li>
- Watch for fall armyworms, which will crawl to the surface<\/li>
- Repeat if desired in the surrounding area<\/li> <\/ul>
The adult forms of fall armyworms are large, grayish-brown moths with two-inch wingspans. The mature moths lay hundreds of eggs on the lower leaves of grasses and shrubs, and they can reproduce several times in a season. They can travel long distances, too. But aside from producing more fall armyworms, the adults are mostly harmless to your turf. The larvae are what you need to worry about. <\/p>
2. Southern Chinch Bugs<\/h2> ![\"Chinch](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/rsz_rsz_1hairy_chinch_bug_-_blissus_leucopteru_50594763067-646x501.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Christina Butler<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Scientific name: <\/strong>Blissus insularis<\/em><\/p> According to the University of Florida\u2019s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF\/IFAS), these bugs are some of the worst landscape pests in Jacksonville<\/a> and the rest of Florida. Southern chinch bugs<\/a> drain the sap of many grass species, but St. Augustinegrass is their favorite. They also inject a toxin that turns grass yellow before it eventually dies. <\/p> Lawns damaged by Southern chinch bugs have yellow and brown patches of grass, which eventually turn into patches of dead grass if the problem gets bad enough.<\/p>
Young nymphs are orange-red with a white stripe on their backs, while adult southern chinch bugs are 1\/5th of an inch long and have black bodies, white overlapping wings, and orange legs. They are active from early June to late summer. This is one reason why pest control is a crucial part of summer lawn care in Jacksonville<\/a>.<\/p> 3. Mole Crickets<\/h2> ![\"Mole](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/mole-cricket-andy-reago-chrissy-mclarren-cc20-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren<\/a> \/ Flickr \/ CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Scientific names: <\/strong>Neoscapteriscus vicinus<\/em>, Neoscapteriscus borellii<\/em>, and Neoscapteriscus abbreviatus<\/em><\/p> Mole crickets<\/a> are a family of nocturnal brownish-gray crickets with mole-like front claws. They don\u2019t just eat your grass; they also burrow underground, damaging grass roots and seeds by pushing soil to the surface. Yards damaged by mole crickets will have brown patches and\/or small mounds of soil. You can use the soap technique to test for mole crickets. While they prefer Bahiagrass and Bermudagrass, they can cause damage to all kinds of turfgrasses.<\/p> In Florida, there are four species of mole cricket, but only three are considered pests:<\/p>
- Tawny mole cricket<\/li>
- Southern mole cricket<\/li>
- Short-winged mole cricket<\/li> <\/ul>
The northern mole cricket is a native species and isn\u2019t considered a pest by the UF\/IFAS.<\/p>
4. Tropical Sod Webworms<\/h2> ![\"Tropical](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Herpetogramma_phaeopteralis_15461141560-646x485.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Donald Hobern from Copenhagen, Denmark<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Scientific name: <\/strong>Herpetogramma phaeopteralis<\/em><\/p> This is another lawn caterpillar that loves munching on warm-season turfgrasses<\/a> like centipedegrass, Bahiagrass, Bermudagrass, Zoysiagrass, and St. Augustinegrass (their favorite). Most active from April to November, sod webworms<\/a> start out by feeding on the upper parts of grass blades and eventually eat them whole as they mature. They take up to 12 weeks to mature.<\/p> If your Jax lawn starts showing signs of window feeding (clear spots on grass blades) followed by patches of ragged, thinning grass, then you might have these pests. Perform the liquid soap test to check. If left untreated, you\u2019ll eventually find large brown patches in your grass.<\/p>
5. White Grubs<\/h2> ![\"3](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/rsz_grubs-gc27e5cc1a_1280-646x485.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Scientific name: <\/strong>Phyllophaga spp. <\/em><\/p> White grubs are actually the larval form of many scarab beetle species. Living beneath your turf, these pests feed on the roots of your grass, no matter what kind. White grub infestations<\/a> will first turn your turf yellow, which then turns spongy with brown spots. In severe cases, you can pull up your turf like a carpet because they\u2019ve eaten most (if not all) of the roots. You might even see more birds, raccoons, and skunks than usual \u2013 which will start digging into your turf \u2013 as they feast on white grubs.<\/p> 6. Billbugs<\/h2> ![\"Billbug\"](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/1024px-Sphenophorus_parvulus-Berger-646x431.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Joseph Berger, Bugwood.org<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ CC BY 3.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Scientific names: <\/strong>Sphenophorus venatus vestitus<\/em>, Sphenophorus parvulus<\/em><\/p> Billbugs are weevils, and both their adult and larval forms damage Jacksonville turfgrass. The larvae \u2013 which look like white grubs without legs \u2013 burrow through the ground and eat your grass\u2019s roots. Adult billbugs, on the other hand, terrorize your other plants, eating their stems, rhizomes, and stolons. Billbug infestation<\/a> shows as yellowing turf, which eventually dies. You can try tugging on your turf to check for billbugs; severe damage will allow you to pull it up like a carpet.<\/p> There are two billbug species that can cause issues: the hunting billbug and the bluegrass billbug. The hunting billbug is more of an issue in Jacksonville, as it loves warm-season grasses, but the bluegrass billbug also munches on a few of these. Here are some grasses they eat:<\/p>
- Zoysiagrass<\/li>
- Bermudagrass<\/li>
- St. Augustine grass<\/li>
- Centipedegrass<\/li>
- Bahiagrass<\/li> <\/ul>
Pest Management Advice for Jacksonville Homeowners<\/h2>
If you\u2019re dealing with any lawn pests, Duval County extension agent Larry Figart has some advice. Before spraying pesticides or hiring a pest control company to do it for you, you should scout your landscape. \u201cDon\u2019t spray pesticides until you\u2019ve seen a pest and identified it. You may end up killing beneficial insects<\/a> instead.\u201d<\/p> Figart<\/a> is an urban forestry extension agent for UF\/IFAS (University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences) Extension Duval County. He also encourages homeowners to consider a more balanced tolerance for pests, especially given the environmental hazards of chemical pesticides.<\/p> \u201cMaybe it\u2019s not complete eradication but prevention and a tolerance for some amount of the pest. For example, like with aphids, waiting until there are enough of them to cause problems, instead of acting when you see a single aphid.\u201d<\/p>
Maintaining a healthy landscape will go a long way toward pest prevention, as pests are less likely to attack a thick lawn with strong, healthy roots. Here are some tips to follow:<\/p>
- Don\u2019t mow your lawn too short<\/a><\/li>
- Water properly<\/a>; don\u2019t overwater!<\/li>
- Avoid using too much fertilizer<\/a>, especially if it\u2019s rich in nitrogen<\/li> <\/ul>
FAQ<\/h2> Are there other landscape pests you have to worry about in Jacksonville?<\/strong> There are more, less common critters that target shrubs, trees, vegetation, and other types of plants in Jacksonville landscapes. Here are a few of them:Even if they don\u2019t target your landscape, some insects can be pests toward you and your family or even your home. Among them are the following:Unfortunately, yes. The state\u2019s warm climate means bugs can survive throughout the year, even during the winter months.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>
Tell Pests to Buzz Off of Your Jacksonville Lawn<\/h2>
The best offense is a good defense, so it\u2019s best to protect your lawn from being overrun by pests in the first place. Part of this is maintaining your yard. However, it\u2019s not the end of the world if pests somehow still get into your turf, as you can hire professional pest control services to exterminate them. Connect with a Jacksonville lawn care service<\/a> on LawnStarter today to figure out a game plan for your lawn pest problems.<\/p>
Scientific name: <\/strong>Spodoptera frugiperda <\/em><\/p> These camo-colored caterpillars love to eat grass in large groups, causing big brown patches on your turf. Fall armyworms<\/a> are active from April through December; they cause the most damage during the fall but can also wreak havoc on your grass in spring. Jacksonville homeowners can test for these pesky larvae with the liquid soap test:<\/p> The adult forms of fall armyworms are large, grayish-brown moths with two-inch wingspans. The mature moths lay hundreds of eggs on the lower leaves of grasses and shrubs, and they can reproduce several times in a season. They can travel long distances, too. But aside from producing more fall armyworms, the adults are mostly harmless to your turf. The larvae are what you need to worry about. <\/p> Scientific name: <\/strong>Blissus insularis<\/em><\/p> According to the University of Florida\u2019s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF\/IFAS), these bugs are some of the worst landscape pests in Jacksonville<\/a> and the rest of Florida. Southern chinch bugs<\/a> drain the sap of many grass species, but St. Augustinegrass is their favorite. They also inject a toxin that turns grass yellow before it eventually dies. <\/p> Lawns damaged by Southern chinch bugs have yellow and brown patches of grass, which eventually turn into patches of dead grass if the problem gets bad enough.<\/p> Young nymphs are orange-red with a white stripe on their backs, while adult southern chinch bugs are 1\/5th of an inch long and have black bodies, white overlapping wings, and orange legs. They are active from early June to late summer. This is one reason why pest control is a crucial part of summer lawn care in Jacksonville<\/a>.<\/p> Scientific names: <\/strong>Neoscapteriscus vicinus<\/em>, Neoscapteriscus borellii<\/em>, and Neoscapteriscus abbreviatus<\/em><\/p> Mole crickets<\/a> are a family of nocturnal brownish-gray crickets with mole-like front claws. They don\u2019t just eat your grass; they also burrow underground, damaging grass roots and seeds by pushing soil to the surface. Yards damaged by mole crickets will have brown patches and\/or small mounds of soil. You can use the soap technique to test for mole crickets. While they prefer Bahiagrass and Bermudagrass, they can cause damage to all kinds of turfgrasses.<\/p> In Florida, there are four species of mole cricket, but only three are considered pests:<\/p> The northern mole cricket is a native species and isn\u2019t considered a pest by the UF\/IFAS.<\/p> Scientific name: <\/strong>Herpetogramma phaeopteralis<\/em><\/p> This is another lawn caterpillar that loves munching on warm-season turfgrasses<\/a> like centipedegrass, Bahiagrass, Bermudagrass, Zoysiagrass, and St. Augustinegrass (their favorite). Most active from April to November, sod webworms<\/a> start out by feeding on the upper parts of grass blades and eventually eat them whole as they mature. They take up to 12 weeks to mature.<\/p> If your Jax lawn starts showing signs of window feeding (clear spots on grass blades) followed by patches of ragged, thinning grass, then you might have these pests. Perform the liquid soap test to check. If left untreated, you\u2019ll eventually find large brown patches in your grass.<\/p> Scientific name: <\/strong>Phyllophaga spp. <\/em><\/p> White grubs are actually the larval form of many scarab beetle species. Living beneath your turf, these pests feed on the roots of your grass, no matter what kind. White grub infestations<\/a> will first turn your turf yellow, which then turns spongy with brown spots. In severe cases, you can pull up your turf like a carpet because they\u2019ve eaten most (if not all) of the roots. You might even see more birds, raccoons, and skunks than usual \u2013 which will start digging into your turf \u2013 as they feast on white grubs.<\/p> Scientific names: <\/strong>Sphenophorus venatus vestitus<\/em>, Sphenophorus parvulus<\/em><\/p> Billbugs are weevils, and both their adult and larval forms damage Jacksonville turfgrass. The larvae \u2013 which look like white grubs without legs \u2013 burrow through the ground and eat your grass\u2019s roots. Adult billbugs, on the other hand, terrorize your other plants, eating their stems, rhizomes, and stolons. Billbug infestation<\/a> shows as yellowing turf, which eventually dies. You can try tugging on your turf to check for billbugs; severe damage will allow you to pull it up like a carpet.<\/p> There are two billbug species that can cause issues: the hunting billbug and the bluegrass billbug. The hunting billbug is more of an issue in Jacksonville, as it loves warm-season grasses, but the bluegrass billbug also munches on a few of these. Here are some grasses they eat:<\/p> If you\u2019re dealing with any lawn pests, Duval County extension agent Larry Figart has some advice. Before spraying pesticides or hiring a pest control company to do it for you, you should scout your landscape. \u201cDon\u2019t spray pesticides until you\u2019ve seen a pest and identified it. You may end up killing beneficial insects<\/a> instead.\u201d<\/p> Figart<\/a> is an urban forestry extension agent for UF\/IFAS (University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences) Extension Duval County. He also encourages homeowners to consider a more balanced tolerance for pests, especially given the environmental hazards of chemical pesticides.<\/p> \u201cMaybe it\u2019s not complete eradication but prevention and a tolerance for some amount of the pest. For example, like with aphids, waiting until there are enough of them to cause problems, instead of acting when you see a single aphid.\u201d<\/p> Maintaining a healthy landscape will go a long way toward pest prevention, as pests are less likely to attack a thick lawn with strong, healthy roots. Here are some tips to follow:<\/p> There are more, less common critters that target shrubs, trees, vegetation, and other types of plants in Jacksonville landscapes. Here are a few of them: Even if they don\u2019t target your landscape, some insects can be pests toward you and your family or even your home. Among them are the following: Unfortunately, yes. The state\u2019s warm climate means bugs can survive throughout the year, even during the winter months.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div> The best offense is a good defense, so it\u2019s best to protect your lawn from being overrun by pests in the first place. Part of this is maintaining your yard. However, it\u2019s not the end of the world if pests somehow still get into your turf, as you can hire professional pest control services to exterminate them. Connect with a Jacksonville lawn care service<\/a> on LawnStarter today to figure out a game plan for your lawn pest problems.<\/p>
2. Southern Chinch Bugs<\/h2>
3. Mole Crickets<\/h2>
4. Tropical Sod Webworms<\/h2>
5. White Grubs<\/h2>
6. Billbugs<\/h2>
Pest Management Advice for Jacksonville Homeowners<\/h2>
FAQ<\/h2>
Tell Pests to Buzz Off of Your Jacksonville Lawn<\/h2>