Pest Control to Keep Your West Palm Beach, FL Lawn Beautiful

The summer rains here in south Florida can provide some relief from the heat as well as keeping our lawns lush and green, but they can also do some damage if you don't stay on top of any potential pest control issues. Aside from standing water attracting disease-causing pests like mosquitoes, it may serve as an ideal location for some lawn-destroying pests to get a foothold on your property.

What follows are some of the most common pests, and what signs for which to be watching.

Chinch Bugs

Are patches of dead, brown grass beginning to take over your lawn? That could be a sign of the dreaded chinch bug. These tiny pests feed off of the sap in your grass, gradually killing it. If you've been overwatering, over-fertilizing, have sandy or shell-filled soil, or you have St. Augustine grass, you are more susceptible to this damage-causing pest.

If you monitor your lawn carefully, you may be able to catch it in time. Chinch bugs will cause this progression of signs:

• First you may notice that certain areas of the grass are growing more slowly than other areas.
• Next, those areas on your lawn will begin turning yellow
• The next phase will see that grass becoming a red/brown color.
• Finally, large sections of the lawn will die, appearing as though there were drought conditions

Sod Webworms

These little creatures resemble caterpillars, coming out to feast on your lawn at night. At their most active from April until autumn, they begin life as larvae, basically only scraping the grass blade surface. As they grow larger, though, so does their appetite. Sod webworms will begin eating the blades of grass, causing your lawn to begin to appear uneven and ragged, with patches of your lawn eventually growing thinner.

Sod webworms are large enough to be seen by the naked eye, so you may be able to diagnose their existence in your grass visually. You may also be able to determine their presence by being on the lookout for the green-tinged, pellet-shaped waste they leave behind them.

Grubs

These small crescent-shaped bugs will make a meal of your grass roots, burrowing tunnels as they feed their way across your lawn. The damage they cause to the roots makes it hard for the grass to absorb the nutrients and water it needs to flourish. If you're seeing sections of your yard turning yellow and dying, you may want to dig in and see if grubs are to blame. Cut a flap of grass about one square foot and peel it back. You'll be able to spot them if they're present.

Another downside to these pests is that they're a tasty food source for armadillos and raccoons, who will dig up your lawn in search of a meal.

If you suspect your lawn has fallen prey to any of these bugs, the time to call a pest control expert is now. Ambassador Pest Management  will come to your home or business and perform a free, no-obligation inspection and provide you with a service estimate that will help you take back your lawn from these unwelcome invaders.