Having a perfect lawn or garden is a never ending battle. It’s a battle against weather conditions, storms and of course, pests. It seems that as soon as you have things going your way, something tries to muck it up for you. You can’t control what nature throws at you, but you can set the conditions so that you are prepared for anything. Pests, for example, can wreak havoc on your yard and you can only play catch up for so long. By seeing the signs of damage from pests, you can get rid of them and even put some preventative measures in place to keep them from coming back.
In this article, I will go over several of the pests you should be on the lookout for and what to do about it.
Grubs
These are green lawn Enemy Number 1. They are the larvae of beetles, mainly Japanese beetles, an invasive species. In fact, in both stages, larvae and adults, they can destroy the better part of your yard and garden. As larvae they eat the roots of the grass. You’ll see dead patches of grass around the yard and that is a sure sign of grubs feasting underneath. Or, you will have crows that know that the grubs are under there and will tear up your lawn rooting around for them so it is a double edge sword. You’re happy the crows are eating them but the damage is done regardless.
Then when they are adults, they will eat the leaves of your trees, bushes and plants once they transform. The best way to keep them from destroying your lawn is to introduce nematodes into your soil. They are microscopic worms that love to eat larvae and other bugs that damage your lawn. It is a very eco friendly way to deal with pests over using an insecticide.
Stink bugs
The last few years has seen a huge explosion of stink bugs in just about every region of North America and even Europe. They love to eat tender plants like flowers and any vegetables you have growing in your garden. Since they suck the sap and water out of plants, your lawn will be spared, but any ornamental or vegetable plant is likely to be ruined. If you have an herb garden or tomatoes, then you have to be on the lookout for them.
If you have a lot of them around, not only will you know something is up by the looks of the damage to your plants, but you will surely smell them. They have a pungent odor to keep predators away and is unmistakable when they are in large numbers in your yard. To keep them out of your yard, you can’t use an insecticide. They are impervious to most of them so you’re just adding harsh chemicals to your environment for no reason. Instead, add beneficial bugs to keep them away like a Samurai Wasp.
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