{"id":17471,"date":"2020-03-19T12:05:44","date_gmt":"2020-03-19T15:05:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/?p=17471"},"modified":"2025-05-27T17:18:10","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T20:18:10","slug":"most-destructive-invasive-pests-richmond","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/virginia\/richmond-va\/most-destructive-invasive-pests-richmond\/","title":{"rendered":"The Most-Destructive Invasive Pests in Richmond"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Richmond area is blessed with a climate that promises plenty of warmth, rain, and a long growing season. But the spring showers that bring May flowers also herald the gardener\u2019s annual battle with the bugs.<\/p> <p>Here are the most destructive, invasive pests in Richmond.<\/p> <h2>White Grubs<\/h2> <figure id=\"attachment_16868\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16868\" style=\"width: 252px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16868\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Kuhars-2.jpg\" alt=\"Dr. Kuhar \" width=\"252\" height=\"271\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-16868\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dr. Thomas Kuhar<\/figcaption><\/figure> <p>White grubs are the larva stages of several beetles. In Richmond, they&#8217;re usually the larvae of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pubs.ext.vt.edu\/content\/dam\/pubs_ext_vt_edu\/2902\/2902-1101\/2902-1101_pdf.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Japanese beetles<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/vtechworks.lib.vt.edu\/bitstream\/handle\/10919\/73787\/Masked%20Chafer%20JIPM%20article%20reprint.pdf?sequence=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">masked chafers<\/a>. Virginia Tech entomology professor Dr. Tom Kuhar says this pest tops his list when it comes to yard damage. \u201cWhite grubs are the No. 1 lawn pest in Virginia,\u201d Dr. Kuhar said.<\/p> <p>Japanese beetles are about a half-inch long and easy to recognize because of their copper-colored bodies and green thoraxes and heads. As adults, they\u2019ll feed on leaves, flowers, and fruit trees. As grubs, they\u2019ll destroy your lawn. \u201cThe grubs feed on grass roots and can kill large patches,\u201d Dr. Kuhar said. \u201cYou\u2019ll see their damage in late summer and early fall when the grubs are in their mature stage.\u201d<\/p> <p>As adults, the masked chafers are a little larger beetle and dull brown in color. The adults don\u2019t inflict the damage the Japanese beetles do, but the larvae are equally ravenous turf-killers.<\/p> <p>Kuhar said the grubs can bring about another form of damage to lawns. \u201cThey attract skunks and moles that dig up turf looking for them. That can be an aesthetic problem.\u201d He also points out drought-stressed lawns are more vulnerable to grub infestation. \u201cA healthy lawn can tolerate some grubs,\u201d Dr. Kuhar said.<\/p> <p>You can find commercial chemical insecticides that will control grubs, but a more eco-friendly method is to introduce nematodes, which are microscopic worms that feed on the bigger pests. Nematodes, available online and in stores, are safe for plants and animals.<\/p> <h2>Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs<\/h2> <figure id=\"attachment_17475\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17475\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-17475\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/brown-marmorated-stink-bug-800px-lisa-zins-cc20.jpg\" alt=\"Brown marmorated stink bug. \" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/brown-marmorated-stink-bug-800px-lisa-zins-cc20.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/brown-marmorated-stink-bug-800px-lisa-zins-cc20-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/brown-marmorated-stink-bug-800px-lisa-zins-cc20-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/brown-marmorated-stink-bug-800px-lisa-zins-cc20-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-17475\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brown marmorated stink bug. Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/94846844@N04\/30459230740\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Lisa Zins<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">CC 2.0<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure> <p>A worrisome pest emerging across Virginia is the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/pest-control\/new-invading-bug-menace-brown-marmorated-stink-bugs\/\">brown marmorated stink bug.<\/a>\u00a0It&#8217;s an Asian import that does serious damage to fruits, vegetables, and nut crops. The squarish bugs are a little over a half-inch long and usually brown, but colors may vary from black to red. It gets its name from the pungent odor it emits to shoo away predators.<\/p> <p>Most insecticides are ineffective against this pest, but Dr. Kuhar says a parasitic wasp apparently followed the stink bug from Asia and feasts on its eggs. Tests are now underway to see if the intentional release of\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.stopbmsb.org\/biological-control\/samurai-wasp-trissolcus-japonicus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Samurai wasp<\/a>\u00a0can help control the growing infestation.<\/p> <h2>Spotted Lanternfly<\/h2> <figure id=\"attachment_17473\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17473\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-17473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/spotted-lanternfly-usgs-public-domain.jpg\" alt=\"Spotted lanternfly\" width=\"800\" height=\"740\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/spotted-lanternfly-usgs-public-domain.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/spotted-lanternfly-usgs-public-domain-150x139.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/spotted-lanternfly-usgs-public-domain-300x278.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/spotted-lanternfly-usgs-public-domain-768x710.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-17473\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Spotted lanternfly. Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/usgsbiml\/35006932160\/in\/photostream\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">USGS<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure> <p>Another recent arrival to Virginia causing concern is the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.agriculture.pa.gov\/Plants_Land_Water\/PlantIndustry\/Entomology\/spotted_lanternfly\/SpottedLanternflyAlert\/Pages\/default.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">spotted lanternfly<\/a>. It\u2019s in the class of bugs called leafhoppers and is infamous for sucking the sap out of trees, vines, and ornamental plants. This insect is about an inch long and is deceptively pretty with red wings that give it a unique glow \u2014 thus the name. You can also spot them by a honeydew they excrete from the sap they extract.<\/p> <p>The lanternfly wasn\u2019t spotted in the U.S. until 2014 but has since migrated from Pennsylvania into Virginia. Because they\u2019re so new, researchers are still studying the best methods of control. They\u2019re testing whether the release of predatory wasps can stem the spread. Meanwhile, you can scrape their eggs from your trees and kill them in baggies of alcohol. Insecticidal soaps, Essential oils\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Neem_oil\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">neem oil<\/a>, and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/npic.orst.edu\/factsheets\/pyrethrins.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pyrethrins<\/a>\u00a0also show some effectiveness. The use of chemical insecticides should be left to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3jXRrou\" rel=\"nofollow\">experienced exterminators.<\/a><\/p> <h2>\u00a0Emerald Ash Borers<\/h2> <figure id=\"attachment_17474\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17474\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-17474\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/emerald-ash-borer-800px-benjamin-smith-ccnd20.jpg\" alt=\"Emerald ash borer\" width=\"800\" height=\"787\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/emerald-ash-borer-800px-benjamin-smith-ccnd20.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/emerald-ash-borer-800px-benjamin-smith-ccnd20-150x148.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/emerald-ash-borer-800px-benjamin-smith-ccnd20-300x295.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/emerald-ash-borer-800px-benjamin-smith-ccnd20-768x756.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-17474\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Emerald ash borer. Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/31275091@N03\/14413937741\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Benjamin Smith<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">CC 2.0<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure> <p>This\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.virginiamercury.com\/2019\/10\/14\/theyre-critically-important-virginias-ash-trees-are-under-siege\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Asian native beetle<\/a>\u00a0only bothers ash trees, but it\u2019s completely devastating to them. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has placed Virginia and much of the Northern United States under a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aphis.usda.gov\/aphis\/maps\/plant-health\/eab-storymap\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">tree quarantine<\/a>\u00a0as a result. The adult beetle is tiny \u2014 only about a half-inch long \u2014 and is recognizable by its bright green color.<\/p> <p>Once borers tunnel into an ash tree, they cut circles around the branches and trunk, which cause it to die. Because they live beneath the bark, these bugs are hard to spot. An abundance of woodpeckers on your ash may signal the presence of borers.<\/p> <p>Once a tree is infected, there\u2019s no hope of saving it. It must be removed to avoid the spread of the infestation to other trees. Dr. Kuhar says you can prevent the problem by drenching the soil at the base of the tree with insecticide. But you must do this in May or early June before the tree becomes a victim.<\/p> <p>Tom Kuhar is a Professor and Integrated Pest Management Specialist in the Department of Entomology at Virginia Tech. Dr. Kuhar&#8217;s research focuses on the integrated pest management of insect pests of vegetable crops and turfgrass. He has published over 120 peer-reviewed papers and six book chapters on insect pest management in agricultural crops.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Richmond area is blessed with a climate that promises plenty of warmth, rain, and a long growing season. But [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":17476,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[669,357,476],"tags":[2023],"class_list":["post-17471","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pest-control","category-richmond-va","category-virginia","tag-richmond-va-pest-control"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/june-bug-grub-larvae-phyllophaga-dominic-paulo-pubic-domain-1400px.jpg?wsr","author_info":{"display_name":"Lynn Walker","author_link":"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/author\/lynn-walker\/"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Most-Destructive Invasive Pests in Richmond<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/virginia\/richmond-va\/most-destructive-invasive-pests-richmond\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Most-Destructive Invasive Pests in Richmond\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Richmond area is blessed with a climate that promises plenty of warmth, rain, and a long growing season. But [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/virginia\/richmond-va\/most-destructive-invasive-pests-richmond\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Lawnstarter\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-03-19T15:05:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-05-27T20:18:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/june-bug-grub-larvae-phyllophaga-dominic-paulo-pubic-domain-1400px.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"593\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Lynn Walker\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Lynn Walker\" 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