Insect Control Tips

There are many more beneficial insects than there are destructive or injurious ones. There are predacious insects, insects that act as plant pollinators, insects that provide medicinal benefits, insects that feed on dead, organic material and insects that provide aesthetic benefits for your yard care. Read More

You see them crawling all over your patio furniture. You see them congregating at the base of a tree. You find them crawling across the kitchen floor. Read More

One of the trickiest summer insects to catch before serious damage occurs is the chinch bug. Because chinch bugs favor the hot dry conditions of July and August, their damage is easily confused with drought stress, especially on slopes and on turf grass that is not getting regular irrigation. Read More

Have you ever looked up into one of your trees and it appears that someone has glued popcorn to the branches? Worse yet, have you ever parked your car in the shade and come back to find that sticky sap covers it? The same may be true of your lawn furniture or deck if they are located under shade trees. Read More

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

Earwigs make up a beneficial part of the garden environment, but have received a ‘bum’ rap because of some old folk tales. Here's how they received their name and the advantages of this member of the insect world. Read More

Several varieties of pine sawfly larvae feed on many types of conifers across the United States. The European pine sawfly is one of the more common varieties of this tree pest. Read More

Fire Ants can be identified by their reddish color and small size (1/8 to 1/4“ long). Most people identify them by their fiery sting that will result in a small bump or pustule on the skin. They will rapidly swarm the mound if it is disturbed in an effort to protect their queen. Read More

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

Since the 1800s, greenbug aphids have been causing devastation in American agriculture. Each year they ruin more than 50 million bushels of oats and wheat. In fact, experts estimate greenbugs destroy as much as 3% of all annual wheat crops throughout the world! Read More

Slugs and snails are closely related to the same group as clams—mollusks. They may be easy to catch, but they are difficult to find during the day. Snails and slugs come out at night and feed on ornamental plants causing damage and making your landscape plants less attractive. Read More

Grubs — These ugly critters have caused otherwise pleasant people to start personal crusades against this insect. It doesn't really make sense to get angry at grubs. But it is a good idea to make sure they don't make a meal of your property. Read More

Millipedes and centipedes are often confused for each other. Millipedes are usually dark colored and have two pairs of legs per body segment. Centipedes, on the other hand, come in many colors and sizes and have only one pair of legs per body segment. Millipedes are generally slow moving creatures that break down dead plant material. They are beneficial to your garden as they feed on the dead plant material and return the nutrients to the soil. Read More

These large, mobile insects can cause a lot of damage in virtually every type of warm season grass. By burrowing just below the soil surface, mole crickets dislodge plants and sprigs, which dry out and quickly die. Read More

Lawn moths are the flying adults of the sod webworm. If you've worked hard growing grass for a beautiful, thick lawn, you may get singled out to host a population of these lawn killers. The adults can (and do) fly to the lawns of their choice. They actually pick the better lawns in which to lay their eggs. Read More