Last month, we talked about how cold weather leaves your lawn looking brown and drab. This discoloration looks like a problem, but brown grass during the winter is a normal part of the life cycle of warm season grasses. During the growing season, discolored grass can appear to be caused by dryness or a botched herbicide application, but remember that bugs and insects cause this kind of damage, too.
Some of these pests are easy to spot, but others are quite small. While your lawn will sometimes recover with water and simple turf maintenance, some require a more technical approach. That’s where we can help. At Lawn and Pest Solutions, we sometimes have preventative insecticides to take care of issues before they ever become a problem. Other insects cannot be prevented, but we do have applications available to stop the damage and allow your lawn to recover.
Let’s take a look at some common lawn pests that may be wreaking havoc on your grass as we speak.
What caused this?
Armadillos did the damage to the lawn pictured above, but they were hunting a food source. One of their most likely food sources is white grubs, the immature stage of different types of beetles. In North Mississippi, we often see billbugs and their larvae attacking lawns in late summer. Billbugs, their larvae and other grubs can extensively damage you lawn if left alone to feed. In this lawn, armadillos realized they could feed on the grubs and they then caused secondary damage.
How can this be remedied?
Rely on a professional to help you assess the damage to your lawn. Our technicians are trained to spot grub activity and offer treatment if it is warranted. The presence of one or two grubs in your lawn is not enough to require treatment, but when grubs are found in high enough numbers, we recommend treatment. For billbugs and their larvae specifically, applying the correct product at the correct rate makes all the difference.
Armadillos as stated above feed on some type of insect in your lawn. Their activity can cause extensive damage to your grass. If you notice armadillo activity in your lawn, you need to do two things: (1) have a professional assess your lawn for insect activity-contact us; (2) be sure the armadillo is not attempting to make himself at home on your property. When armadillos find a good food source, they often make an attempt to stay around. If you’ve ever seen an armadillo burrow, it is unmistakable. Look along the foundation of your home-they like to dig burrows against and sometimes underneath home foundations. Another popular location is under air conditioner units. The concrete pad on which these sit offers protection for the armadillo.
Lawn & Pest Solutions’ trained technicians have the knowledge and experience to help manage lawns and their pests in North Mississippi. Whether you are in Tupelo, New Albany, Oxford, Hernando, Olive Branch, or points in between, we will be glad to help you.
