Insect Control Tips

While some insects can be harmful, even deadly, to plant life and lawns, there are also some insects that provide various benefits to your lawn and landscape. There are several types of ants that live in North America, some that provide lawn care benefits, and some that don't. Read more about ants.

While these bugs may smell foul and, when crushed, can leave a purple spot behind, they are more of a nuisance than a detriment to your plant and tree life.  However, when they congregate in late summer or early fall, the nuisance can become unbearable. Read more about the control and prevention of boxelder bugs.

Due to its love of hot, dry conditions, the damaging effects of the chinch bug can sometimes be mistaken for other lawn problems such as lawn stress.  If the proper lawn care measures aren't taken, chinch bugs can kill large areas of grass, and since they are sensitive to light, they can be tough to find. Read more about chinch bugs.

A type of bug prominent throughout the United States, the cottony maple scale typically attacks shade trees, resembling a handful of popcorn. If a tree has a serious infestation, it can become weak and more susceptible to other types of attacks. Learn how to protect your trees from cottony maple scale.

Since the European crane fly immigrated to Western Washington, turf grass and pastures have been providing free lunches every spring in larger and larger parts of the state. Read more about crane flies.

Even though this insect eyesore has caught a bad reputation, it’s almost entirely undeserved:  earwigs are actually more beneficial to your lawn than they are harmful, feeding on other insects and decaying vegetation. Read more about earwigs.

This insect mainly feeds on pine trees in eastern and southern parts of the United States causing weaker trees and growth complications. Proper landscape and tree care can prevent a harmful infestation. Learn how you can protect your evergreens from the damaging behavior of European sawfly larvae.

Not only do fire ants sting humans, but they will also cause complications in your yard care and maintenance.  In addition, controlling them can become a bigger task than anticipated. Read more about fire ants.

There's just no nice way to say it. Fleas and ticks are parasites with a taste for human blood. They'll work on your pets too, of course, if you and your family aren't handy. These tiny insects survive by taking the blood of their hosts through their piercing, sucking mouth parts. This is usually painful and always uncomfortable, which makes these buggers bad enough. But sometimes, they give something back in the form of infectious diseases which means that controlling these dangerous insects is an important part of our lawn service. Read more about fleas and ticks.

These devastating bugs have been causing problems and destroying agriculture for decades. During the past 25 years, though, they have started invading lawns.  They are rapidly becoming a serious pest that can not only kill your grass, but ornamentals and roses. Read more about greenbug aphids

These pests feed on the roots of grass which can cause unsightly brown patches and an overall negative impact on your lawn's health and growth. Proper lawn care and grub control can help prevent the spread of grubs before they become a serious problem. Read more about grubs.

These creepy crawlers hide in the damp soil under rocks, boards, or other materials.  Despite their menacing appearance, they are beneficial to your landscaping and lawn care efforts because they feed on insects and materials that can harm your yard. Read more about millipedes and centipedes.

A single mole cricket can damage several square feet of your lawn by burrowing in the soil, feeding on roots, and dislodging plants so that they dry out and die. And because there is a variety of these insects, control and prevention can be tricky. Read more about mole crickets.

Snails and slugs feed on various ornamental and decorative plants in your landscape, and because their eating habits leave unsightly holes in foliage, these pests can have a detrimental effect on your lawn and garden. Learn how to prevent damage from snails and slugs.

Sod webworms chew off grass blades from the ground up, leaving patches of lawn that look as though they have been scalped. They are difficult to detect, and often can only be identified by their excrement. Learn how to detect, eradicate, and prevent an infestation of sod webworms.