Every year, agricultural pests destroy between 20 and 40% of food plants across the globe. That’s despite farmers’ conscious efforts to combat them using the latest preventive and treatment measures.
Imagine the harm backyard insects can cause to your carefully manicured lawn. As summer rolls along, it’s vital to remain vigilant if you want to enjoy green, healthy lawns all season long.
Keep reading to find out more about three common lawn pests you should look out for in your garden.
1. Armyworms on the March
Armyworms are most prolific in the south, where they can lay waste to a lawn overnight. They’re named for their tendency to march across lawns en masse, eating everything in their path.
These backyard pests come in various colors, including green, brown, red, and yellow. They all have stripes and are typically about 2 inches long.
Armyworm infestations normally occur during the late summer. You can tell they’ve arrived in your backyard if you notice any of the following signs:
- Mass destruction overnight
- Bare patches on an otherwise healthy lawn
- Translucent-looking blades of grass
- An influx of birds
If you notice any of the above, get in touch with a lawn care expert immediately, before the worms come out in full force.
2. Ants Are a Grey Area
These common lawn insects aren’t always bad news for your garden.
Most of the time, their tunneling habits help bring water and oxygen to your plants’ roots. They’re also voracious predators and sometimes assist you in controlling undesirable arthropods in your garden.
As they scurry about your gardens, ants can help pollinate certain plants, helping them fruit and reproduce.
Some species of ants can harm your lawn when they bury your grass under mounds of soil or by farming root-eating aphids under the surface. Of these, Carpenter ants are the most troublesome type of ants you’re likely to encounter in your garden.
Carpenter ants build their nests in any kind of wood. They’re not averse to making themselves at home in old stumps, garden furniture, or your home’s structure.
They can also deliver a nasty bite and then spray it with formic acid to make things worse.
Click through to https://www.holmesutah.com/sandy/ for more information about this type of pest and where to search for it in your garden.
3. Fleas are Lawn Pests, Too
Fleas don’t cause any harm to your garden, but you do not want them to set up home there. Once fleas establish themselves in your grass, they’re only a hop, skip, and a jump away from infesting your home.
When they get into your home, it’s extremely difficult to get rid of them without the help of an experienced pest control expert.
One way to check for fleas is to walk around your garden wearing white socks. If you collect any small dark-colored passengers along the way, you need to get hold of a lawn care expert immediately.
Keep Your Garden Growing Strong
Keeping lawn pests under control is one of the most difficult parts of maintaining any garden.
Home remedies and off-the-shelf remedies rarely work for these tenacious bugs. Rather, enlist the services of a lawn care company to keep your spaces pest-free.
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