Turf Destroying Insects
Chinch bugs
The major pest of St. Augustine turf in Florida is the Southern Chinch Bug. Chinch bugs populations are usually seen April to May and cause damage throughout the summer months. Chinch bug damage usually starts in areas without shade, in water stressed areas, and along the edges of driveways and sidewalks. Lawns that are not properly irrigated during dry spells are prime areas for chinch bug infestations.
Chinch bugs resistant to normal control measure are common place in Florida. In order to combat this problem, Trad’s uses a variety of products and custom blends of products.
Mole crickets
Several species of Mole crickets are cause for concern for Florida homeowners. Mole crickets live in the soil, feed at night and cause damage in the summer months. Adult Mole crickets are attracted to light so homeowners with streetlights in their yards will usually have Mole crickets.
Lawn caterpillars & Grubs
There are many lawn caterpillars in Florida, however the caterpillars that Trad’s is concerned with are Tropical Sod Webworms and Fall Armyworms. Sod Webworms and Armyworms seem to appear overnight, eating the foliage of the grass blade. Sod Webworms eat at night while Armyworms eat during the day. Often the first sign of infestation are moths in shady parts of the lawn. Sodworms and Armyworms prefer crabgrass and often their feeding starts in areas with crabgrass growth.
Grubs start as beetles that live on shrubs. Although Grubs receive a great deal of attention, they are not primarily a pest of St. Augustine turf. Homeowners digging in the lawn will often come across interesting insects and grubs, but this is not cause for alarm or treatment. There will usually be some grubs present but this does not mean they are in sufficient numbers to cause damage to St. Augustine turf. The insect control products Trad’s uses in the summer and fall easily maintains grub populations to levels where they do not cause damage.
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