Billbugs are a type of weevil or snout beetle. It feeds below ground and damages the roots or the growing crown area of the plant. Infestations may not just damage the lawn, but predators such as racoons, skunks and moles that dig and damage lawns in search of the insects.

Adult billbugs or weevils in spring and summer cause injuries to grasses as the females begin to burrow into the stems of plants and insert their eggs.

Young billbugs or “grubs” are the primary culprits for doing most harm. Grubs are legless, generally white or cream, with a brown head. They grow to about 1/3 to 1/2 inch long. Young grubs feed within the crown area of the plant and kill it. Stems of infested plants detach easily at the soil surface. The ends appear sawed-off, with a sawdust-like material present. Older billbug larvae feed in the lower crown and plant root zone.

Injury due to billbug is most common on new lawns, especially those established with sod. Within lawns, the most damage to the lawn occurs near evergreen shrubbery or other sites where the bugs may feel protected. Billbug damage appears as wilting and occasional death of grass, usually in small scattered patches. During severe infestation extensive areas of a lawn may be killed.

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Common Lawn Problems

Identifying lawn problems is key in treating them.

Lack of water: The grass will have a grayish, kind of blue cast to it. The leaves will be rolled over onto themselves. When you walk across the lawn it stays laying down, it doesn’t come back up.  You should give your lawn at least an inch of water, this will help bring it back.

Too much water: This problem can evident itself in many different ways. The lawn may appear yellow, from lack of oxygen, or when nutrients leach out of the lawn. Poor drainage, location at the bottom of a hill or soil heavy in clay are prone to essentially drowning the area, due to a lack of drainage.  You can add compost to the lawn to improve lawn structure.

Rodents: Moles and voles are rodents that damages the lawn by digging pathways through the lawn, damaging the structure. Some people think that moles and voles are the same, they are different animals with different diets, but they both can do harm to the lawn. They both are difficult to get rid of. Moles eat insects, such as grubs, in order to get rid of the moles, you need to get rid of the grubs first. Voles are mouse like, so the best way to get rid of them is to get an outdoor mousing cat.

Grubs: If you have moles you can be pretty sure that you have grubs. A “grub” is a term for the larva of many different insects. Lawns can be treated with milky spore, or to have your lawn treated by a professional to ensure the problem is taken care of.

pH Imbalance: If the pH levels are off in your lawn it can affect the nutrient intake of your lawn and garden. How do you know if there’s a pH imbalance? Well generally the first symptom is nutrient deficient plants, the plants in your yard will have a difficult time growing. But you’ll want to have a professional do a soil test, making sure that the pH is in fact imbalanced. The cure for the pH imbalance is adding lime or sulfer, if you add these without knowing for sure that you have a pH problem you will be wasting money and harm your lawn and plants.

Fungus: There are many kinds of fungal problems. Fungal problems create brown patches on the lawn. The most difficult fungal problem to treat is the fairy ring. It grows in the soil, damaging the structure of the grass and plants. To get rid of the fungus, you generally have to dig up all of the soil and replace it . Aerating can often help, add compost and water heavily to restore the health of the grass.

If you think that you have any of these lawn problems, visit us at www.harmonandsons.net