Fall Lawn Pests Common to Florida
As Summer transitions to Fall, our lawns undergo a change themselves. And as they do, the threats to a continuing leafy green existence do the same. In Florida, and particularly Tampa, any season can be a minefield in the battle with pests. But Fall does offer some very specific challenges, as a few critters tend to thrive locally in lower humidity and a less oppressive level of sunlight. Some of these creatures can be handled pretty simply on your own, but for many, it may be wise to contact the Tampa area pest control experts at Apex.
We have compiled a list of common Fall lawn pests, and some tips on what you should do if you suspect you’ve fallen into their grasp. This is but a few of the many species that can cause trouble, but we find them quite often in Tampa.
- Chinch bugs: These are exclusive to one of Florida’s main lawn types, St. Augustine grass. They can be common in both Fall and Summer, but they tend to thrive in the drier months of the later seasons. Easily identified by the very notable circular patches of dead grass they leave around a lawn, chinch bugs can be very difficult to rid from your Tampa lawn. Some pesticides can work with on them, but it’s important that such substances be applied at the right time and intervals in order to avoid damaging other benign creatures of the lawn.
- Spittlebugs: Spittlebugs, otherwise known as froghoppers, are familiar locally and tend to thrive in centipedegrass. They tend to be identifiable by a goo-like foam that covers the ground around them for protection. Spittlebugs are basically harmless to both you and your lawn in all but the most extreme of circumstances.
- Sod webworms: Common in the autumn and active at night, sod webworms can damage your lawn under the cover of darkness. Sod webworms feed exclusively on turfgrass, which they burrow into. Although this damage is actually largely superficial (the grass is not being destroyed at root but merely fed on in the leaves), a sod webworm invasion can turn a lawn to brown very quickly in drought or low rain situations. If you suspect you have an issue, try first leaving your lawn at a slightly higher level.
These three are the main culprits of Fall related lawn nuisances in the Tampa area. If you suspect you have an ongoing problem with any of these, be sure to contact the Tampa Lawn Care experts at Apex Pest Control at 866-675-4070, or contact us through this website. We offer no cost inspections and quotes, and can solve any pest related concern you may have.
