Pest Control
A healthy, well looked after lawn is a beautiful thing, but like any plant, lawn can have it’s share of problems. There are many insects and pests that like to attack your lawn and can potentially cause significant harm. Knowing what lawn pests are out there in the lawn bug world will keep you ahead of the game and better equipped to deal with any unwanted grubs.
Root Feeding Grubs
Cockchafer, lawn beetle larvae or scarab beetle are all root feeding grubs. These insects are only in the young juvenile stage and feed on the lawn roots. White curl grub also feeds on lawn during the juvenile stage, however, it is sometimes incorrectly referred to as ‘witchetty grub’. These are entirely different insects.
Adult lawn grubs feed on the roots of your lawn and can be a serious problem. Cool season varieties like fescue and warm season varieties like kikuyu and couch can experience major damage from a nasty infestation, but they are not usually an issue for buffalo varieties. Stressed, undernourished lawns are also particularly prone to damage.
Adult beetles are black and shiny, about 15mm long with brown serrated legs. The eggs are laid in spring and early summer, developing into larvae that then feed on the roots. The pupal stage causes no damage, but the emerging grubs in late spring/early summer do. The beetles are dormant or semi dormant in winter.
A small infestation of black beetle can provide benefits to some lawns, for instance buffalos help the soil with their tunneling activity and stimulating new root growth, but if you see damage, it’s best to send them packing.
Black Beetle
Symptoms: Turf will lift off ground like carpet. Magpies congregate on lawn near beetles. Spongy texture under foot.
Description: Major pest in the Southern Australian environment. Hatched as larvae with white body. Adult beetle presents a shiny black colour.
Active Damage Season: Spring to late Summer
Initial Treatment: Insecticide – Buffalo Lawn Pest Control
Additional Treatment: Insecticide with active ingredient Chlorpyrifos
ArmyWorms
Symptoms: Larvae feed off grass and defoliates the plant.
Description: Larvae appear green colour smooth bodies with white strips on back and sides. Caterpillars curl up when disturbed. Adult moths have grey-brown, red-brown wings.
Active Damage Season: Spring to Autumn
Initial Treatment: Pest Control Insecticide
Additional Treatment: Second application may be required. Alternatively Grub Guard.
CutWorm
Symptoms: Feed on and cut off grass near soil. Cutworms live underneath soil. Spongy texture under foot.
Description: Plump, smooth caterpillars, of several moth species. Caterpillars appear brown in colour and curl up when disturbed.
Active Damage Season: Autumn and Winter
Initial Treatment: Pest Control Insecticide
Additional Treatment: Second application may be required. Alternatively Grub Guard.
LawnMite
Symptoms: Lawn looks dry and crunchy. Visual spider web effect over lawn.
Description: Small arthropods barely visual to the naked eye.
Active Damage Season: Spring to Summer
Initial Treatment: NPK Fertiliser. Grub Guard Pesticide. Sufficient water.
Additional Treatment: Contact licenced Pest Exterminator to apply Miticide.
