Common Lawn Pests in North Mississippi: How to Identify & Control Them

If your lawn suddenly has brown patches, thinning grass, or areas that just don’t seem to bounce back, lawn pests could be the reason. In North Mississippi, common lawn pests like grubs, billbugs, spittlebugs, and armyworms can all cause noticeable damage—sometimes before you ever spot the insects themselves.

The tricky part is that lawn pest damage can look a lot like drought stress, disease, or other lawn problems. Knowing which pests are common in our area, what signs to watch for, and how they damage your grass can help you figure out what’s going on and what to do next.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common lawn pests in North Mississippi and how to identify them.

Jump to:

• Which Insects Live In My Lawn?
• What Does Grub Damage Look Like?
• How Can You Tell Different Types of Lawn Pest Damage Apart?
• What Is Included In Outdoor Pest Control?
• Is Lawn Pest Control Really Necessary?
• Choosing Lawn Pest Control in Tupelo, Corinth & New Albany

Which Insects Live In My Lawn?

The most common lawn pests in North Mississippi are grubs, billbugs, spittlebugs, and armyworms. Lawns provide a natural habitat for insects with an ample supply of food and shelter.

But when that food IS your lawn, that can become a problem.

Grubs and billbugs are subsurface feeders, meaning they feed beneath the surface on the grass roots. Spittlebugs and armyworms are surface-feeding insects and feed on the grass blades themselves. Let’s take a closer look at these common lawn pests.

Grubs

Lawn grubs are the larval stage of beetles such as Japanese beetles and June bugs. These white, C-shaped pests live beneath the soil and feed on grass roots, which can weaken the lawn and eventually cause areas of turf to die.

Because grubs feed underground, you may notice the lawn damage before you ever see the pests themselves.

Billbugs

Billbugs are a type of weevil. They’re actually a pest that does “double-duty damage.” As larvae, billbugs are subsurface feeders. That’s why some homeowners refer to them as “billbug grubs.”

As adults, billbugs are surface-feeding insects and will chew holes in the grass blades. This damage is less severe than what the larvae will do.

Spittlebugs

These pests are named for the frothy spittle mass that they leave behind after feeding on plants, like grass. They use their piercing, sucking mouthparts to suck juice right out of your grass blades. They are found predominantly in Centipedegrass.

Armyworms

Armyworms are caterpillars that get their name because they tend to travel in large groups (or “armies”) when they infest a lawn. Fall armyworms usually infest lawns in southern and transition zone states, making North Mississippi lawns an ideal location for them to attack.

While not every lawn will wind up with a pest problem, it is important to be watching for signs of damage so that you can implement solutions quickly.

What Does Grub Damage Look Like?

Because grubs feed on grass roots below the soil, grub damage often shows up as irregular brown or thinning patches in the lawn. As root damage becomes more severe, affected grass may feel loose and pull away from the soil easily.

You might also notice birds, raccoons, skunks, or other animals digging in the lawn in search of grubs. The challenge is that brown grass doesn’t automatically mean you have grubs—other lawn insects, disease, drought stress, and lawn problems can cause similar symptoms.

If you suspect grubs, learn more about the signs of grub damage and how to control lawn grubs before the damage gets worse.

How Can You Tell Different Types of Lawn Pest Damage Apart?

Brown patches and thinning grass can have many causes, so identifying a lawn pest based on damage alone isn’t always easy. One helpful clue is where and how the insect feeds.

Subsurface pests like grubs and billbug larvae damage the roots, while surface-feeding pests like spittlebugs and armyworms attack the grass above ground. Looking closely at the type of damage—and other signs the pest leaves behind—can help narrow down what’s attacking your lawn.

Here’s what to look for with some of the most common lawn pests in North Mississippi.

Billbug Damage

Billbug larvae damage can look a lot like grub damage with irregularly shaped brown spots. The damage often appears as irregular mottling or thinning of the turf, which is sometimes mistaken as drought damage as well.

One way to tell the difference between billbug damage and grub damage is to look for sawdust-like frass. Frass is an excrement left behind exclusively by billbug larvae. Adult billbugs also cause damage by chewing holes in your grass blades. This damage is far less severe than what the larvae tend to cause while feeding on roots.

Spittlebug Damage

As spittlebugs use their piercing, sucking mouthparts to suck juice from your grass blades, they will start to turn yellow. Eventually, the grass will turn brown or purple as the damage worsens.

A telltale sign that you have a spittlebug problem is the frothy spittle left behind by these pests. This foam-like substance can be found at the base of the grass.

Armyworm Damage

Early feeding damage by armyworms looks like drought-stressed grass, but if there are a lot of these pests present, it can quickly progress to complete browning.

Armyworms chomp directly on grass blades as they feed . Look closely and you’ll see ragged holes in your individual grass blades. Grass may be eaten down to the ground, creating brown patches.

Another sign of armyworms includes a lacy or transparent effect on your grass blades where they have been chewed.

Because several lawn pests can cause similar symptoms, identifying the insect responsible is an important first step. The right treatment depends on the type of pest, where it is feeding, and how much damage has already occurred.

What Is Included In Outdoor Pest Control?

There are different pest control solutions for different problems.

At Lawn & Pest Solutions, we believe in an integrated pest management approach. This means that we will inspect your lawn for pest problems and provide further recommendations based on our findings.

We do have preventative and curative products that can help you address some of the common lawn pests we’ve talked about in this article. With lawn pest control, you can let go of the worries that you’re going to lose your lawn to pests.

Is Lawn Pest Control Really Necessary?

Yes, there will definitely be times when lawn pest control is necessary. While not every lawn experiences problems with pests, once you do, you want to make sure that you act quickly.

Many lawn pests have the power to be highly destructive in a short amount of time. This is one of the benefits of having a technician on your property regularly, keeping an eye on what’s going on.

We often tell homeowners that lawn pest control is a protection of their investment.

Even a healthy, well-maintained lawn can experience pest problems. Grubs, armyworms, billbugs, spittlebugs, and other lawn insects can damage grass despite your best efforts to keep it healthy.

That’s why identifying pest activity early matters. Addressing an insect problem before significant damage occurs can help protect the time and money you’ve already invested in your lawn. If grubs are a particular concern, learn more about why professional grub control can be an important part of protecting your lawn.

Choosing Lawn Pest Control in Tupelo, Corinth & New Albany

At the end of the day, you don’t have to let lawn pests win. When you partner with a lawn care company that you trust has your best interests at heart, they’ll always be scouting for potential problems. A company like this will also give you helpful tips and advice to set you up for success.

At Lawn & Pest Solutions, we care deeply about ensuring our customers are happy. One of the reasons that we love the work that we do is that we thoroughly enjoy helping homeowners enjoy their properties to the fullest. That includes helping homeowners solve their lawn pest problems.

We understand that problems like pest damage can be incredibly frustrating. But we’ll help set you up for success. With professional lawn pest control, you can save time, money, and aggravation and have the healthy lawn that you deserve.

Ready to learn why Lawn & Pest Solutions could be your choice for lawn pest control services in Tupelo, Corinth & nearby North Mississippi communities? We’re excited to learn more about you and help you have the best lawn on the block. Get started today with a free quote. Together, we can create a customized plan that's perfect for you and your lawn.