Centipede grass insect and pest control

It would be impossible to keep track of all the insects that live in a well grown centipede grass lawn. The most common inhabitants are usually crickets, beetles, grasshoppers, millipedes, and worms. Some of these insects feed on grass blades, some feed on grass roots, and some feed on each other. In most cases, your centipede grass will grow faster than the average insect can eat and you don't have to worry. There are, however, a few classes of insects that can increase in populations large enough to harm your lawn. These can be treated fairly easily with soil insecticides and natural products. The best time for a once a year insect treatment is in late July or early August.

Insect damage is often defined as an irregularly shaped patch of discolored or brown grass in a lawn. If you take a drive around town, you will probably pass a thousand lawns that could fit that definition. The problem is, only about 10 of those lawns are likely to have an insect problem. Lawns are finicky and irregular patches of brown grass pop up for different reasons. One of the most common is drought. You might think your centipede grass is evenly watered but even a slight rise or a different soil texture can alter the amount of water that penetrates the soil. When you think you have an insect problem, look for another cause first. Then, wait to see if the troubled lawn area expands. Only then should you worry about treating with a soil insecticide. Following is a list of insects that might cause problems in a centipede grass lawn. Don't panic! You may never see any of these bugs.

WHITE GRUBS: are one of the most common insect pest in a centipede grass lawn. White grubs are the larval soil inhabiting form of several different beetles. The most notorious beetle in the South is the Japanese Beetles. The Japanese Beetles are voracious feeding on almost anything green. They lay their eggs in centipede lawns and grass areas beginning in late July and begin a two month feeding frenzy on grass roots. As soil temperatures cool in October, the grubs tunnel down 4-8 inches into the soil where they pass the winter. As the soil warms in the spring, the grubs move to the surface, feed briefly in April/May, and then pupate. Grubs can be controlled with a granular soil insecticide applied in late July/early August according to the directions. Milky spore is a natural product that contains spores of Bacillus popilliae, a disease that kills white grubs. Milky spore will not kill every last white grub, but spores will remain active in your lawn for many years.

There are several types of larval worms that feed on centipede grass leaf blades. They include cutworms and sod webworms. Unlike white grubs, larval worms can have several life cycles during a growing season and are less predictable in their arrival. In addition, they are night feeders and hide in tunnels beneath your lawn during the day. Sod webworms leave a spidery web on grass blades that you notice early in the morning. Insect damage appears as areas of brown or unevenly clipped grass. Larval worms can be controlled with a soil insecticide approved for centipede grass. Bacillus thuringienis is an effective natural product.

ARMYWORMS: feed in masses on centipede grass leaf blades and are visible throughout the day and night. They move quickly and can literally devout a lawn. Keep a lookout beginning in the late spring and through the growing season. Young larvae eat the edges of grass blades while the mature larvae eat the entire blade. Armyworms usually affect an entire subdivision at a time, so watch for state agencies "armyworm alerts". The worst outbreaks of large populations usually occur from July to October. They can be controlled with soil insecticide approved for use on centipede grass lawns. Bacillus thuringiensis is an effective natural product.

A notorious insect problem in the lower South is the chinch bug. These disgusting little creatures can have numerous generations per growing season in the lower South. Their damage usually appears as irregular patches of yellowing or wilted grass and is most common in July through September. There is a fairly simple way to find out if they are there. Cut the top and bottom from a coffee can and pound it several inches into the yellow grass. Fill the inside of the can with several inches of water and maintain the water level for 5 minutes or so. The chinch bugs will float to the top. If you find any, apply a insecticide labeled for control of chinch bugs and approved for use on centipede grass.

MOLE CRICKETS: are a major concern in the lower South in sandy soils. These burrowing crickets tunnel through the soil at night, loosening the sandy soil and disrupting shallow centipede grass roots. Mole crickets are active throughout the growing season but are most commonly seen in the spring when night air temperatures remain above 60 degrees. Damage usually appears as if someone cultivated areas of your lawn. Mole crickets can be controlled with a soil insecticide labeled for control of mole crickets and approved for use on centipede grass.

FIRE ANTS: entomologist are working on this problem but have not found a good cure yet.

MOLES: typically when you have moles tunneling through your lawn they are after white grubs. Treat for white grubs in late July/early August and the moles will probably go away.

There is always another insect or pest that may plague your lawn. You might year or read about ground pearls, billbugs, nematodes, mites, viruses, and a long list of other potential problems. In general, don't worry. Just keep an eye on things and treat problems when you find them. Your lawn is tougher than you think.