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Common Pests on Lawns and Turfs

Pest

Symptoms/Detection

Diagnosis/Control

 

Ant

Appearance of mounds in warm and sunny locations, especially on sandy soils.

Apply Sevin® brand carbaryl insecticide at the rate indicated on the granular label or dust label

Army worm

“Chewing” damage on grass blades, young grass plants appear ragged, or are chewed off at the crown level. Large green excrement pellets (frass) on turf surface. Small holes in soil where the pests are burrowing. All vegetation bordering the burrows of cutworms will be missing because the larvae cut nearby grass blades and drag them inside for food.

Look for starlings or other birds that frequent an area and leave probing holes in turf. Apply Sevin® brand carbaryl insecticide at the rate indicated on thegranular label or dust label

Billbug

Turf turns yellow, then brown. Tiny holes chewed in grass blades with yellowing and speckling around the holes. Small amount of saw dust-like material which larvae deposit in thatch as they digest their food. Damage to turf along sidewalks or other paved areas. Adult bill bugs can be spotted on side-walks and driveways near infested areas.

Dig soil in infested areas to search for larvae. When grass suffering heavy damage from Billbugs is pulled, it will come loose at the crowns. This is different than grass damage caused by pests feeding beneath the surface, which causes grass to come loose from injured subsurface roots. Apply Sevin® brand carbaryl insecticide at the rate indicated on the granular label or dust label. Refer to the conversion table for various formulations. Target applications at the larval life stage and irrigate  thoroughly after treatment to move the product down into the thatch.

Centipede

Centipede

The presence of worm-like creatures with many legs.

Apply Sevin® brand carbaryl insecticide at the rate indicated on the granular label or dust label..

Chigger

Pests are mostly commonly encountered in areas that are heavily wooded, or which have large amounts of shrubs.

Check for chiggers by using a small, dark piece of cardboard. Place the cardboard on the ground, standing upright on its edge, and check for very tiny, oval, yellowish or bright orange mites that rapidly crawl from the bottom of the cardboard to the top. Mow areas that have tall grasses or weeds. Apply Sevin® brand carbaryl insecticide at the rate indicated on the granular label or dust label.

Crane fly

The formation of small, irregular brown patches on lawns. The appearance of crane flies at rest near moving bodies of water, or in areas with standing water such as ponds and puddles.

Apply Sevin® brand carbaryl insecticide at the rate indicated on the granular label or dust label. whenever pests are present. Refer to the conversion table for various formulations. Make applications during early spring to target the larval life stage, and water thoroughly after treatment to move the product down into the thatch.

Chinch bug

Large, scattered yellow patches of grass that are dwarfed, turn brown and die as feeding continues. Damage occurs in sunny locations, and is frequently mistaken for drought stress. Turf is not responsive to irrigation.

Apply Sevin® brand carbaryl insecticide at the rate indicated on the granular label or dust label. Refer to the conversion table for various formulations. Treat entire grassy areas, rather than just damaged patches. Do not irrigate after application.

Cut worm

“Chewing” damage on grass blades, young grass plants appear ragged, or are chewed off at the crown level. Large green excrement pellets (frass) on turf surface. Small holes in soil where the pests are burrowing. All vegetation bordering the burrows of cutworms will be missing because the larvae cut nearby grass blades and drag them inside for food.

Look for starlings or other birds that frequent an area and leave probing holes in turf. Apply Sevin® brand carbaryl insecticide at the rate indicated on the granular label or dust label.

Deer tick

To check for ticks: slowly drag a one-square-yard piece of white cloth across the lawn, lawn perimeters, ornamentals beds, or wooded areas. Drag cloth for 15-30 seconds, then stop to examine it for ticks. Keep in mind that identification of different tick species is difficult.

Control larvae life stages of these pests during late spring or early summer. Apply Sevin® brand carbaryl insecticide at the rate indicated on the granular label or dust label. Refer to the conversion table for various form-ulations. Make applications to the entire lawn as well as ornamental beds and perimeter areas such as fence rows and wooded areas. An additional application in the late summer or fall can provide added control of adult ticks.

Fire ant

Appearance of mounds in warm and sunny locations, especially on sandy soils. Turf around mounds become thin and unsightly. Painful bites on the lower extremities of humans.

Apply Sevin® brand carbaryl insecticide at the rate indicated on the granular label or dust label whenever pests are present. Refer to the conversion table for various formulations. Treat entire grassy areas, rather than just damaged patches. Do not irrigate after application.

Flea

The presence of tiny, dark, jumping pests on pets’ fur. Bites on the lower extremities of humans.

Place a piece of white paper or cloth beneath your pet and groom the animal carefully. Tiny dark specks (flea feces) that turn reddish brown when dampened are the tell-tale signs of a flea infestation. Apply Sevin® brand carbaryl insecticide at the rate indicated on the granular label or dust label. Refer to the conversion table for various formulations. For direct applications to pets with Sevin® brand carbaryl dust, refer to the product label.

Grasshopper

The appearance of insects with enlarged rear legs that allow them to jump very powerfully. During the day these insects can be found feeding in sunny locations. Egg pods in the soil surrounded by gummy material that hardens to form a protective covering.

Till soil in vegetable gardens during fall or spring so that eggs can either be pushed far down into the ground, or brought up to the surface where they are dried out with exposure to sunlight. Note: This technique will only destroy a percentage of eggs, and should not be used as the only means of control in areas of large grasshopper populations. Apply Sevin® brand carbaryl insecticide at the rate indicated on the granular label or dust label.

Japanese beetle

Leaves are skeletonized by shiny green-metallic beetles with tiny tufts of white hair along each side of abdomen. Leaves may turn brown and die.

Vigorously shake small trees and shrubs early in the morning when beetles are sluggish. Place plastic sheets on the ground so the fallen beetles can be captured and destroyed. Apply Sevin® brand carbaryl insecticide at the rate indicated on the granular label or dust label. Refer to the conversion table for various formulations. For applications with Sevin® brand carbaryl dust, refer to the product label. Note: The use of pheromone traps to collect adults has not been shown to be effective in controlling Japanese beetles, according to researchers. In fact, these traps may become counter-productive by luring the beetles into the home lawn environment.

Leafhopper

Tiny, wedge-shaped bugs which can be found feeding on the undersides of leaves. These pests jump or fly when disturbed, and at times can be observed running sideways. Affected leaves wilt and have mottled, whitish, reddish or yellow appearance as a result of sap loss from insect feeding. Stems may also be affected.

Apply Sevin® brand carbaryl insecticide at the rate indicated on the granular label or dust label. Refer to the conversion table for various formulations.

Millipede

Millipede

The presence of worm-like creatures with many legs.

Apply Sevin® brand carbaryl insecticide at the rate indicated on the granular label or dust label. Refer to the conversion table for various formulations.

Sod webworm

Small, irregular, yellow or brown patches of turfgrass with a ragged appearance. These areas expand quickly, with grass plants soon dying as insect feeding continues. Chewing damage on grass blades, especially in sunny locations.

Look for starlings or other birds that frequent an area and leave probing holes in turf. Apply Sevin® brand carbaryl insecticide at the rate indicated on the granular label or dust label whenever pests are present. Refer to the conversion table for various formulations.

Tick

To check for ticks: slowly drag a one-square-yard piece of white cloth across the lawn, lawn perimeters, ornamentals beds, or wooded areas. Drag cloth for 15-30 seconds, then stop to examine it for ticks. Keep in mind that identification of different tick species is difficult.

Control larvae life stages of these pests during late spring or early summer. Apply Sevin® brand carbaryl insecticide at the rate indicated on the granular label or dust label. Refer to the conversion table for various form-ulations. Make applications to the entire lawn as well as ornamental beds and perimeter areas such as fence rows and wooded areas. An additional application in the late summer or fall can provide added control of adult ticks.

White grub

Damaged turf turns yellow, then brown. Root pruning occurs on affected turfgrass, sometimes severely enough that grass can easily be lifted from the soil. A gradual weakening or thinning of grass. Under severe infestations, small patches of grass die out. Presence of birds, moles, skunks, and other insect-eating animals seeking grubs for food. NOTE: The presence of these animals also indicate infestations of other pests.

Cut and pull open section of grass turf to search for grubs, paying close attention to any visible damage to root systems. Apply Sevin® brand carbaryl insecticide at the rate indicated on the granular label or dust label. Refer to the conversion table for various formulations. Irrigate thoroughly after treatment to help move the product down into the thatch.

Sevin® Brand Carbaryl Also Kills Many Other Insects

On Lawns & Turf Pests (granular and dust only), Including...

For Application Rates See Individual Package Instructions
granular label or dust label.

Black turfgrass ataenius

Beetle larvae

Centipedes

Earwigs

Essex skipper

European chafer

Fall armyworm

Fiery skipper

Green june beetle larvae

Hyperoides weevil (bluegrass weevil) larvae

Lucerne moth

Millipedes

Mosquitoes (adults)

Scarab beetle adults (may meetle,

June beetle, japanese beetle,

Green june beetle)

Sowbugs

Springtails

White grubs (Japanese beetle,

 Chaferbeetle, and phyllophagaspp. Larvae)

Yellowstriped armyworm