When left to their own devices, bugs and insects can pose a serious threat to your lawn and garden. At times, these creatures aren’t anything to worry about. They present a normal part of your outdoor ecosystem. However, grubs, and insects like aphids and mites, can quickly propagate and cause an infestation that will decimate your vegetation.
An infestation of grubs will destroy the roots of your grasses, leaving large swaths of patchy, yellow and dead turf in their wake. They will attract animals like moles and raccoons that will happily dig through your garden, causing further damage to your plants and leaving behind a mess of upturned soil and grass.
Aphids, caterpillars, mites, snail and slugs, can chew through your fruits, vegetables, and other vegetation. If they don’t chew through your plants, they will suck the sap out of them, leaving them weak and wilting. They can bring along diseases and cause growths of molds and funguses that can negatively impact the health of your plant life.
It’s therefore important to deal with these problem grubs and insects as soon as they present a problem in your garden or yard. An insect and grub control service has the right tools and knowledge to quickly dispose of these pests so that they don’t kill or harm your plants.
When dealing with an insect or grub problem, you may consider tackling the problem on your own. A grub and insect control service has some distinct advantages over attempting to handle insect and grub infestations by yourself.
Insect and grub control services in your area are keenly aware of the variety of grubs and insects that are widespread in your climate and region. Each of these species have different lifecycles, feeding behaviors, breeding behaviors and most importantly, different treatment solutions. When you see a white grub in your garden, it might be the spawn of a Chafer, Japanese, Oriental or Black Turf grass beetle. By identifying a species, a professional can be more specific with their treatment methods, thus causing less harm to the rest of the plant and animal life in your garden.
You might be unsure altogether if your problem is really being caused by insects or grubs. A professional will be able to show you the signs of plant damage and determine which garden pest is causing it. You might see a little bit of damage on your plants and jump to conclusions about it being cause by one type of pest or another. If you treat the wrong pest, you might end up harming your overall garden ecosystem. It’s best not to treat pests when they are in large numbers and are infesting your vegetation. A professional will be able to determine whether there is an infestation, and what treatment is warranted by the severity of the infestation.
A professional insect and grub control service will also have the tools and materials needed for your infestation on hand. They’ll be able to effectively dispatch these treatments to your specific situation, to ensure that minimal harm is caused to beneficial plants, insects, and animals, while eliminating the infestation so that it no longer poses a risk to your plant life.
Most common lawn grubs follow a similar life cycle to one another. Beetle eggs hatch in July and August to very hungry grubs. These grubs are white in color, with a thick creamy texture and a dark backside. Once they hatch, they’ll begin eating the roots of your grass and other plants. As the weather cools down towards the winter, they bury deep into the ground so that they don’t freeze to death. In Spring, they emerge once again to feast on your roots. During the Spring, they also pupate and morph into fully grown beetles. When they are in their beetle stage, they generally aren’t a problem to your lawn anymore.
It’s fairly easy to spot a white grub infestation in your yard. When the grubs eat away at the grass roots, it will first cause the grass to turn yellow before it dies. An infestation of white grubs will also mean that you’ll have patches of dead and sickly grass around your yard. Since the grubs have destroyed the root system, you’ll be able to pull up the turf easily. Once you pull up the turf, you’ll likely see large amounts of these white grubs, unless they’ve already morphed into beetles.
Another thing to watch out for is an increase in animal activity in your yard. Moles, birds, raccoons and other small creatures will dig through your yard in order to eat the juicy grubs that are burrowed underneath the earth. These animals will cause further damage to your lawn as they will further uproot the grass and leave patchy areas in their wake.
A few grubs in your lawn aren’t a big deal. In fact, having some grubs in your lawn is healthy and a part of your outdoor ecosystem. However, in large amounts, these grubs are considered an infestation, and that’s when they can cause real problems. To check for an infestation, you can perform a quick checkup in August or September. Simply choose a spot that looks like it’s yellowing, browning, or patchy, then cut a square foot section of turf in that area with a spade. When you pull back the turf, if you see more than 5 grubs per square foot, then you may want to take additional measures.
A lawn care professional will be able to perform these tests for you in order to determine whether you have an infestation problem, as well as treat the infestation correctly so that the grubs don’t continue to harm your lawn or garden.
Aphids
Aphids can cause problems for your fruit and vegetable gardens. They are tiny insects with soft bodies and come in a variety of colors but are most commonly green. They prey on your plant life by sucking out the sap with their needle-like mouths. When a large number of aphids swarm a plant, especially younger plants, those plants can be quickly overwhelmed and die.
Aphids feed on all parts of your plants, including the leaves, fruits, roots and stems. Different aphid varieties will feed on different parts of the plant.
To detect aphids, you can look for a variety of signs of damage. Yellowing leaves or leaves that are stunted in their growth and curling at the ends, could be caused by aphids. If your plant is covered with honeydew, a sticky substance that is excreted by aphids when they feed on sap, is another sign. A buildup of honeydew can cause further issues with your vegetation. A black sooty mold fungus can begin to grow on vegetation that has been affected by an aphid infestation. Furthermore, aphids can be a host for a variety of viruses that can damage or kill you plant life.
If you’re concerned about an aphid infestation in your garden, then a professional insect control service can quickly clear your garden of the infestation so that you can have more success growing your fruits and vegetables.
Mites
Mites can be a huge nuisance, as they are extremely hard to spot with the naked eye. These tiny arachnids suck the sap out of your vegetation. They may appear as small red or black specks. They are especially prolific in spring, when they emerge to feed on your plants en masse. Worst still, these creatures lay hundreds of eggs at a time, making infestations a real concern for your garden.
When mites feed on your plants, they can cause the plants to weaken, and become susceptible to disease. Some mites produce a really thin webbing around your plants. Your plants may also have a large number of small holes suddenly appear. If you’re suspicious that a plant might have mites, you can shake it over a piece of white paper. If you inspect the white paper carefully, you might be able to spot the mites.
Since mites are such a common garden pest, professional insect control services know how to deal with them effectively. If mites are a problem in your own garden, you might consider hiring a professional insect control service to handle the situation.
Caterpillars and Cutworms
Caterpillars are another common garden pest. Since there are so many varieties of caterpillars (over 110,000!), there isn’t a particular time of the year that they can occur. Their eggs typically hatch after the winter. What makes them especially invasive is how fast they can devour your vegetation. Some species have been known to eat the leaves off of entire trees. Their powerful mouths can quickly chomp through your leaves and other plant parts. If you don’t deal with caterpillars swiftly, they can easily kill the plants that you’ve spent so much time and attention tending and caring for.
A professional insect control service will be able to identify the species of caterpillar that you’re facing and provide an adequate and effective solution to the problem, so that your crops and plant life doesn’t become decimated by an army of hungry caterpillars.
Snails and Slugs
Most often found in warm and humid climates, snails and slugs are molluscs that can be damaging to your garden. These creatures are most active at night and will chew large holes through your plants when they feed. They aren’t discriminatory with what they choose to eat and will chew through a wide variety of both living and dead plant material. They can lay over 100 eggs at a time, which makes them especially problematic, as they can quickly reproduce and pose an overwhelming infestation problem. If you can’t spot these creatures while they’re feeding, you’ll be able to see the slimy trail that they leave behind when they move.
If you have a slug or snail problem in your garden or yard, then a professional insect control service will be able to dispatch an effective solution to the problem, so that your plants can continue to grow unharmed.
Ants
While ants aren’t always a garden pest, they can still pose a problem in certain situations. For example, if you’re having a problem with aphids in your garden, the ants may actually be contributing to this problem. When aphids feed, they excrete a sweet substance called honeydew, which the ants feed on. In return, the ants protect the aphids from potential predators, which allows them to propagate and further feed on your plant life. Ants can also cause property damage, as they can chew through and nest in and around your home.
A professional insect control service will be able to deal with problematic ant colonies so that they no longer pose a threat to your garden or home.