Common lawn insects and surface pests

Most lawn insects are only a problem when populations and turf stress coincide. Identify the pest before you buy a control. This overview is diagnostic, not a mixing recipe.

Grubs

White C-shaped larvae of beetles feed on roots. Turf lifts like carpet; raccoons or birds may tear the sod. Confirm with a square-foot soil sample. Timing (preventive versus curative) is species-specific and must match the consumer label.

Chinch bugs

Common in St. Augustine and other warm-season lawns during heat. Irregular straw patches expand from sunny, dry areas. A flotation test can help confirm. Water-stressed turf looks similar — do not treat drought as an insect outbreak.

Fire ants

Mounds in lawns and landscape beds. General-use consumer baits and mound drenches exist; follow the label exactly. Do not treat mounds inside structures or electrical equipment. Widespread or sensitive-site infestations belong with a licensed firm.

Ticks and mosquitoes around turf

These are public-health pests more than turf insects. Reduce standing water, keep grass mowed, and use consumer-labeled perimeter products only as directed. For schools, parks, or outbreak response, call the local health department or a licensed applicator.

Call a licensed applicator when the pest is structural (termites, carpenter ants in the building), when the site is a school or playground, when the product is restricted-use, or when nest treatments (wasps in walls, bees in structures) require specialized equipment and law.