Top North Florida Lawn Pests & How to Prevent Infestations

In the upcoming summer months, you may start to realize something is eating your lawn. The first step is identifying the hungry culprit, as this helps ensure you can treat it effectively. Different grass types are attacked by different Florida lawn insects, and how to treat those pests is unique to the type of insect present. 

Maintaining a lawn involves more than just mowing, killing weeds, watering, etc. There is a wide range of insects and other pests that want to make your lawn their new home. If lawn pests are left untreated, they can do some serious damage to your lawn. Below is an overview of common lawn pests in the panhandle region to keep an eye out for throughout the summer.

Chinch Bugs

St. Augustine turf is susceptible to an insect called a chinch bug. Chinch bugs feed on the leaves of St. Augustine. Their feeding activity in the early stages can look like a dry area in the turf. The chinch bug is small and not easy to see without a magnifying glass. If caught and treated early the turf should recover with a little extra TLC from your lawn care provider to help it fill back in.

Unchecked, chinch bugs will eat your entire lawn over time. They tend to return to the same areas annually. This makes prevention a good option to help with control.

Though Chinch bugs present the biggest threat, St. Augustine is also prone to Mole Crickets and Sod webworm, which we discuss below.

Mole Crickets

Mole crickets are often found in Zoysia, Bermuda, Centipede and, occasionally, St. Augustine grass. The crickets feed on the roots of the turf and make tunnels through the soil. Their activity softens the soil and makes the lawn feel squishy as you walk across it.

Because they damage the roots of the turf, recovering your lawn after infestation is difficult. Adult mole crickets are very hard to treat. The products we use target the nymph stage that usually emerges this time of year. Breaking the life cycle to prevent future generations is thought to be the best method to subdue populations of Mole crickets.

Tropical Sod Webworms & Armyworms

Sod webworms and army worms are typically active in mid-late summer. Moths deposit eggs into the thatch of turf areas. A larva that looks similar to a caterpillar emerges and feeds on the leaves of the grass.

Similar to chinch bugs, turf recovery is possible if treated quickly and professionally. The caterpillars move quickly and require diligent scouting to catch them before they do damage.

How to Prevent Lawn Pests

It is always recommended to contact a professional to treat your lawn, as improper treatment can cause serious, irreversible damage to your grass. And it goes without saying that maintaining a healthy lawn all year long is a hard task for any homeowner, especially with all the pests living in Florida. That is why our team at Brock Lawn & Pest Control have well-trained, licensed technicians and an exceptional program that will tend to your yard for the entire year. Our lawn program is designed with 6 timely applications to provide the proper balance of nutrients that your lawn needs. Having regularly scheduled lawn care will allow these nutrients to provide you with a strong, healthy growing lawn. 

How Our Lawn Program Works

• Pre-emergent to slow down weed germination
• Insecticide for damaging insects (chinch bugs, mole crickets, sod webworms, etc.)
• Disease control including brown patch fungus, dollar spot, large patch fungus and more
• Weed control for the wide variety of broadleaf weeds and sedge weeds
• Fertilization in both liquid and granule form to stimulate density
• Complimentary driveway and sidewalk clearing after service

Eliminate the risk of lawn pest infestations with our environmentally-friendly quarterly treatments and take your yard back with the help of Brock Lawn & Pest Control! As a locally owned and operated lawn care company, we proudly serve Florida’s Gulf Coast and northern counties with offices in Panama City, Fort Walton and Panama City Beach. 

Have a lawn emergency? We provide same day services! Contact our team today.