Lawn care takes some basic maintenance like watering, fertilizing, and mowing. Although it usually takes up a big chunk of your time, having a thick, emerald green lawn makes it worth it.
However, a perfect lawn doesn’t only require rigid maintenance. Inevitably, you have to deal with insects that can cause damage to your healthy lawn. For the best lawn insect killer, you can either choose from natural or man-made insecticides.
If you want to know which killer is best suited for your lawn, you’ve come to the right place. This article will explore everything you need to know about insect killers.
What Are the Common Insects on Your Lawn?
Whether you’re paying lawn care services or doing the dirty work yourself, your lush lawn is an inviting landscape of your property. So, if it starts looking sickly, there’s a huge possibility of pest infestation.
But before you plan the treatment, it’s important to identify what insects you’re dealing with.
After all, knowing what kinds of lawn bugs are feasting on the grass can help you choose the right insecticide.
Various insects can dwell on your lawn. Some target the roots of the grass, while others eat the stalks. Let’s take a closer look at the possible culprits of your withering grass!
1. Grubs
Grubs, also known as June Bugs, are scarab beetle larvae. They have white, C-shaped bodies, resembling tiny worms.
During spring and early summer, grubs feed on the roots of the grass, causing the grass blades to wilt. Eventually, brown patches on your turf will appear.
Other symptom is having moles or birds digging on your lawn in search of food. Damaged grass will lift easily from the ground, revealing the grubs underneath.
2. Chinch Bugs
The most common type of chinch bugs that can inhabit your lawn are hairy chinch bugs. Chinch bugs are tiny, winged, sap-sucking insects that thrive by sucking the grass. If there’s no more sap, they move on to other patches of grass.
Ultimately, chinch bugs leave dead spots of turf in their wake.
3. Sod Webworms
Sod webworms are larvae of lawn moths. They’re skinny and have two snouts.
Webworms feed on the blades and roots of the grass, leaving them to wither and die. Typically, sod webworms can damage large areas of your lawn.
If you see birds making holes and tunnels on the grass like they’re looking for worms, it’s more likely that you’re having a webworm invasion. Another indicator is when you see small moths flying around the lawnmower when you’re mowing.
4. Armyworms
As the name implies, armyworms invade lawns and crops in masses, like armies. Depending on the species, they can be gray or yellow. These particular insects strip away leaf tissue, leaving skeletonized grass behind.
Armyworms feed mostly at night and hide from the sun during the day. They can cause brown spots and circular dead spots on your lawn.
5. Cutworms
Cutworms are a type of caterpillar that damage the lawn by burrowing into the ground to hide from the sun. At night, they crawl to the surface to feed on grass. They bite off grass blades or chew off the entire stems.
Some species even like to eat the root as well.
Cutworms leave tiny craters on the grass after burrowing. If you see grasses chewed to the base, it’s an indication that you’re dealing with cutworms. Eventually, the grass turns brown and dies.
6. Mole Crickets
Mole crickets are brown, winged insects that have shovel-like legs for digging. They tunnel through the ground, damaging the roots of the grass.
Thus, the grass becomes dehydrated and decayed.
7. Spider Mites
Spider mites are common pests destructive to lawns and gardens. Although they’re not classified as insects, they can cause lawn problems if you don’t deal with them right away.
Usually, brown patches on your lawn indicate that you’re having a spider mite invasion. The early signs are yellowish grass blades and silky webs weaved to the stems of the grass.
8. Billbugs
Both larvae and adult billbugs damage the grass by feeding on it. A subtle hint of billbugs infestation is sawdust-like debris.
Also, billbugs leave patches of fading grass that turn into brown, dead spots.
9. Ants
Ants don’t necessarily harm the growth of the grass. In fact, ants can improve the quality of the soil. Since ants are natural diggers, they can aerate the soil by creating tunnels that result in water absorption.
Yet, too many anthills on your lawn can be an eyesore. Aside from the unsightly anthills, the excessive excavation of ants can leave unpleasant mounds of dirt on your lawn.
10. Leatherjackets
Leatherjackets are larvae of Crane flies. They consume grass roots and cause the grass to die later on. The signs of leatherjackets range from thinning grass to several patches of dead grass.
If you see birds, raccoons, and skunks digging on the brown spots, chances are you have leatherjackets dwelling on the lawn.
11. Fiery Skippers
Fiery skippers have beautiful orange wings covered with black spots. Although they add color to your lawn, they also bring eggs that hatch into troublesome larvae.
The larvae eat the grass and leave tiny spots of brown grass. If the early signs go unnoticed, the dead patches can expand across the lawn.
12. Spittlebugs
Spittlebugs have needle-like mouths that they use to pierce plant tissue and suck out the sap until the grass is completely dry.
As a result, it might die from dehydration.
13. Wireworms
Wireworms are beetle larvae that are mostly slender and smooth. They burrow into the soil and eat the roots of the grass.
As a result, the grass becomes dehydrated and dies afterward.
14. Earthworms
Earthworms are soil-dwelling organisms. They don’t eat grass. They burrow into the ground to feed on organic matter present in the soil.
Hence, earthworms can make unappealing mounds of dirt all over your lawn.
What Are the Best Natural Lawn Insect Killers?
There are various natural insect killers out there. They come from natural substances like minerals, microorganisms, and plants.
For an organic approach to pest control, here are the best natural insect killers you can choose from:
1. Neem Oil
As the name suggests, neem oil is made from neem tree seeds. Neem oil has an active ingredient called Azadirachtin. It eliminates a wide range of insects like sod webworms and spider mites.
Most neem oil products that come in spray bottles kill insects by covering them completely and suffocating them.
2. Soap Spray
Sometimes, simply dissolving soap or detergent in water is a good solution for your insect problems. Soap spray can terminate insects like spittlebugs by washing off their outer, waxy covering known as insect cuticle.
Now that the insects’ watertight covering is compromised, the insect will dry up and die.
3. Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is made up of a non-toxic powder extracted from diatoms. Diatoms are a type of algae that inhabits fresh and marine waters.
Diatomaceous earth powder has corrosive edges that damage both the exoskeleton and lungs of the insects. It also absorbs the oils and fats from the exoskeleton, resulting in dehydration and death.
Being a natural substance, diatomaceous earth powder is safe for humans, pets, and lawns. You can sprinkle it around your lawn, but don’t apply it if the grass is wet as that will immobilize its effect.
4. Boric Acid
Like Diatomaceous earth, Boric acid dehydrates the insects’ exoskeletons. It can also cause poisoning and death if the insects digest it.
But, a boric acid’s abrasive effect can also kill plants and affect humans. So, you should be careful in applying it.
Make sure to spray only on the edges of the lawn, the spots where the grass is already dead, and areas where you can see the insects. In addition, wear gloves and a mask when using boric acid.
5. Spinosad
Spinosad is made from the fermentation of a soil bacterium referred to as Saccharopolyspora. It’s a natural pesticide that kills insects through contact. For a more desirable effect, you can also apply spinosad to the grass.
Once the insects or larvae consume the grass, they’ll suffer from paralysis and die shortly after.
6. Bacillus Thuringiensis
Bacillus thuringiensis, also known as Bt, is a species of bacteria that produces toxic proteins.
After ingestion, the insects will die from the infection. Additionally, this pesticide is toxic to insects, but not to humans and pets.
7. Beauveria Bassiana
Beauveria Bassiana is a fungus that can terminate ants, beetles, and caterpillars like cutworms. The insects don’t necessarily have to ingest Beauveria Bassiana as it can infect pests through direct contact.
After the insects get infected, the fungus quickly spreads inside their bodies and feeds on the nutrients. It also produces toxins, causing the host to die.
8. Milky Spore
Milky spore is a natural bacterium derived from Paenibacillus popilliae that mainly targets grubs. Since it’s non-toxic, you can sprinkle the milky spore onto your lawn with a drop spreader. After the insects consume this pesticide, they’ll die within three weeks.
A major benefit of milky spore is that you can apply it once, but the effect is permanent.
9. Beneficial Nematodes
Nematodes are microscopic organisms that look like worms. Although some species of nematodes are considered pests, beneficial nematodes, in particular, can parasitize and kill other insects.
Nematodes can help control various insects like cutworms, grubs, and leatherjackets. However, nematode products need high humidity, moist conditions, and temperatures between 55 and 90 degrees.
What Are the Best Store-Bought Lawn Insect Killers?
Synthetic insecticides are counterparts of organic insecticides. Although both can kill lawn insects, synthetic insecticides have longer shelf-life.
Let’s take a look at the best man-made insect killers:
Spectracide Triazicide is one of the most effective insecticides you can use. It can eliminate common bugs dwelling on the surface and underground like chinch bugs, mole cricket, billbugs, grubs, armyworms, and ants.
You can simply connect the insecticide to the end of your garden hose and spray it on your lawn.
Aside from its easy application, the effect of Spectracide Triazicide can last for three months.
Ortho Home Defense is a granular insecticide that doesn’t just terminate bugs. It also seeps through the soil and acts like a barrier against potential insect dwellers.
Make sure to use 1 lb per 1,000 square feet for the best results.
Like Spectracide Triazicide, this product can control bugs for three months. Although it’s safe for animals and humans, make sure to let it dry first before coming into direct contact with your lawn.
Orthene 97.4% Acephate is a dissolvable insecticide that can quickly penetrate grass tissues so it won’t easily wash away in case of a heavy rain. Aside from spraying, you can also sprinkle it around your lawn like granules.
However, Orthene can only fend off lawn bugs for three weeks.
Permethrin retains its anti-infestation effect for three months. You can use it as a topical treatment or you can spray it around the perimeter of your lawn.
For a better result, you can combine permethrin with an insect growth regulator like ZOECON Gentrol (IGR).
The combination can kill pests and stunt their growth to disrupt their breeding cycle. Make sure to use gloves and masks as mixing permethrin and insect growth regulator can result in an abrasive chemical.
Demand CS is a water-based insecticide that has micro-encapsulated technology, which means that it leaves behind micro-particles.
These particles will then bind with the surface, allowing a protection from lawn pests for up to 90 days. It can also terminate over 30 types of common bugs like chinch bugs, ants, and grubs.
Yet, bear in mind that Demand CS is a harsh chemical. Direct contact during application can lead to allergic skin reaction.
Wrapping Up
There you have it: your guide to the best lawn insect killer!
Remember that identifying the insects destroying your lawn can help you decide on an effective treatment plan.
Furthermore, it’s best to spot the early signs of pest infestation as most lawn killers can’t remedy lawn damage. If insects have already damaged the lawn severely, you might end up with permanent dead spots.
Originally published at https://greengrassplot.com on October 24, 2022.