Insect Control

Chinch bugs | White grubs | Sod webworms | Spider mites

Chinch Bugs

• Small insects (adults are 1/5" of an inch) that are black and white in color.
• They feed by sucking juices from the leaves and stems of the turfgrass which will cause the turfgrass to wilt and discolor.
• The turf will appear patchy and turn yellow and then brown over time. Damage will be heaviest in sunny areas, so it can be mistaken for drought stress.

White Grubs

• White grubs are the larvae of scarab beetles.
• These larvae have C-shaped bodies that are cream colored. They have a reddish-brown head capsule and three pair of legs.

Sod Webworms

• Sod webworms are usually recognized by most as caterpillars since that is the turf-damaging stage.
• The caterpillars are gray to tan with a brown head and dark spots on the body. The adults are buff-colored moths that have snouts projecting forward from the head.
• Sod webworms feed at night and make the grass have bare areas or irregular patches of brown grass.

Spider Mites

• Spider mites are not insects, but arachnids. These arthropods are very small with oval bodies. Spider mites can be green, yellow, reddish-brown or black.
• Will cause grass to have a lack of vigor and a pale or silvery discoloration. The leaves of the grass will become yellow and eventually dry out and die.
• You may find fine webbing at the feeding areas on the under surfaces of the grass blades.