Lawn Insects

Lawn Insect Management

If left untreated, insects can cause significant damage to your lawn and garden. Insect control begins with the identification of the insect causing damage. Some insects can only be controlled at certain times during their life cycles. GoldenRule will apply needed solutions at the right time and placement to remove damaging insects from your lawn, while protecting the natural beauty and ecosystem of your property.

Images of Lawns That Have Been Damaged by Insects

European Crane Fly Damage

Chinch Bug Damage

Black Turf Grass Ataenius Damage

Top 5 Most Damaging Insects to Your Lawn

(Treated with Home Insect Control GoldPlan)

European Crane Fly

The European crane fly is a common pest in the Northwest. Adult insects resemble an oversized mosquito and often perch on lawns or the flat walls of a home. Larvae, called leatherjackets, hatch in the fall and feed on grass roots through the region’s mild winter.

Cutworm/Armyworm

Cutworm and armyworm larvae chew and cut blades around the crown. Damage begins in small, irregular spots and spreads to patches extending many feet in width.

Billbugs

Billbugs first feed on the inside of grass stems and crowns, then move to feed on roots. The affected area appears brown, thin, and dead in small, irregular spots. Damage can spread to patches extending many feet in width. Fine, white, sawdust-like grass can be observed on the soil surface. Damaged grass breaks at the crown and is easy to pull from the soil, but cannot be rolled up like sod damaged by white grubs.

Masked Chafer/ White Grubs

Masked Chafer/ White Grubs feed on the roots of grass. Damage appears in late summer or fall as irregular patches of brown, dying grass. The ground often feels spongy, and the lawn can be rolled up if heavily infested. Skunks, moles, and birds may be attracted to lawns with high grub populations.

Black Turf Grass Ataenius

Larvae feed on roots, causing irregular patches of brown or dead turf. Damaged turf can appear drought stressed, and the problem may be confused with damage due to grass root diseases such as summer patch. Lawns with extensive root damage can be easily peeled off the soil.