Common Lawn Pests In South Florida

By Author: Stam Bett
Total Articles: 452
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Maintaining a beautiful green lawn and landscaping in Miami and Fort Lauderdale can certainly be a challenge. As if the hot sun and poor soil conditions aren't enough, there are also a number of lawn pests and weeds that are all too common in the area. Here are some of the common pests that may infest your lawn, all of which may be addressed by contacting a company that offers lawn maintenance and landscaping in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Common Florida Lawn Pests
There are five primary insects and pests that destroy landscaping in Miami and surrounding areas. The first is the chinch bug, which mostly feeds on St. Augustine grass but may eat other types of grasses sometimes. This bug will suck out the grass's juice through a needle-like beak, which causes internal damage, and then inject a poison. You may have chinch bugs if you notice what appears to be drought damage, despite watering and feeding your lawn regularly. These bugs may kill your lawn in patches, or destoy your entire lawn! A company that provides lawn service in Miami can check if you have these bugs, and apply an insect killer.

Sod webworms ...
... are another common problem in South Florida, and these worms are the larval stage of a moth. They damage most types of grass, but prefer Bermuda. The adult moths will fly to the better lawns in the neighborhood to lay their eggs, and you may have a problem if you notice small brownish moths flying over your lawn in the evening. Damage will first appear as dead patches in healthy grass, but by the middle of the season you may have large parts of your lawn dead. Some patches will even appear scalped. You know you have sod webworms if you find small green pellets on your lawn. A company specializing in lawn service in Miami will need to attack these worms head-on and restore your lawn to its beautiful, green condition.

Mole crickets may also infest your Fort Lauderdale or Miami lawn. While they mostly eat bahigrass and Bermuda grass, they will also eat St. Augstine grass, zoysia and centipede grass. These crickets cause damage by burrowing through your soil, loosening the topsoil and uprooting your grass, which then dries out. Mole crickets eat during the night and tunnel up to 10 to 20 feet, and you may notice small mounds of soil or a lawn that feels spongy. To kill mole crickets, a company that provides lawn service in Fort Lauderdale will treat your lawn early in the spring or summer to prevent infestation and then apply an insect killer.

White grubs also attack South Florida lawns, which are the immature version of beetles. White grubs feed on grass roots, which causes patches of grass in your lawn to die. They are also known to attack flowers and plants in your landscaping as an adult beetle. If you have brown patches in your lawn that never turn green in the spring, it may be due to grub feeding in the fall. Lift a piece of the turf and you will notice it rolls up like carpet if there are grubs present. Timing of pesticide application is very important so contact a company that specializes in pesticide treatment and lawn care in Fort Lauderdale if you notice an infestation.

While maintaining a beautiful lawn can be a real challenge in South Florida, a landscaping company can help you keep your lawn looking its best by treating any insect infestations that may occur.

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