Frequently Asked Questions

Insects and Pests

These are some of the common insects and pests that are found on lawns in the Michigan region.  All of these are readily treated by our Insect and Pest Treatment.

Sod Webworms

Sod webworms usually have one to two generations per year with the summer generation of larvae causing the most damage. The larvae spend the winter as a partially grown larva buried several inches deep in the soil. At the approach of warm weather in the spring, the larvae move upward and begin feeding on the lush spring growth of grass. The bluegrass, larger and striped sod webworms finish their feeding in late May to early June. At this time they burrow deeper into the thatch or soil to pupate. After 10 to 14 days, the new adult moths emerge at night to mate and lay eggs. Mated females lay most of their eggs on the second night by randomly dropping the eggs into the turf. The larvae from these eggs feed through July into early August before pupating again. The second generation of adult moths appears in late July through August. Since the turf is usually slowly growing at this time, sod webworm feeding can cause considerable damage. The second generation of larvae feed in September until October but damage s rarely detected because the turf has begun to grow rapidly again.

Chinch Bugs

Although tiny (1/4 inch or less), lawn chinch bugs can ruin a lawn in short order. The bugs become active in the spring, as weather warms up, and become progressively more destructive the drier it gets.  Symptoms of bug infestation include irregular areas of yellow and brown in sunny areas usually adjacent to sidewalks, driveways, curbs, or patios. Yellow and brown spots will also appear on leaf blades and stems.

Bill Bugs

The Bill Bug larvae burrow into the stems where there is moisture. They then feed on the turf grasses roots, rhizomes and shoots puncturing the plants tissues as they go. As the turf grass' stems and crowns die they form irregular brown patches. The Bill Bug adults feed on the stems and leaf blades causing only minor damage.  In late May the females deposit their eggs in the stem area just above the crown.  Their newly hatched larvae appear in late May and June feeding inside the turf grass' stem.

Army Worms

Army worms are moth larvae (caterpillars) that are pests of lawns and turf areas in the Midwest and southern states. They are called army worms because they 'march' in quantity over an area, feeding on lawns in large masses and moving to the next grassy area as one to continue feeding on leaf blades.