Are pests a concern when dealing with grass in Florida?

Lawn pests are a tremendous concern when dealing with grass in Florida. Beautiful, healthy, green lawns result from proper watering, mowing, and fertilizing. Often, homeowners don’t know the best ways to care for lawns and cause stress conditions that invite pests and fungus conditions to damage the lawn. The most common lawn pests include:

· Chinch bugs – Tiny bugs that feed on the blades of St. Augustine grass, commonly found in Florida lawns causing dry patches. Chinch bugs can eventually destroy your lawn if left untreated.

· Armyworms – Adult armyworms are moths that lay several hundred eggs on your lawn then caterpillars emerge and start feeding on your ornamental plants and your grass, destroying your lawn if left untreated.

· Sod webworms – Like armyworms, they are the larval form of adult sod webworms that feed on your grass at night.

· White grubs – these beetle larvae feed on the roots of grass and are often found in a C-shape.

· Fire ants – Said to have destroyed 275 million acres of land in the US over the last 76 years, fire ants build unsightly mounds on Florida lawns. While they do keep to themselves unless threatened, fire ants can be dangerous to pets, humans, and livestock as a colony can attack all at once when threatened or disturbed.

· Fungus conditions can occur in your lawn and can require treatment to maintain a healthy lawn.

Contact a professional pest control company, such as Pestwise to address your lawn pest concerns, as well as a plan to keep your West Florida lawn green and healthy year-round.