A Quick Guide to Lawn Pest Control in West Palm Beach

Lawn pest control can be tricky. You have to know the right products to use on the right pests, and what happens when you don’t know what lawn pests are in your yard? And then once you identify them, then what do you do?

Are you looking for lawn pest control in West Palm Beach? You can contact Native Pest Management if you'd like a licensed professional to handle things for you. If you'd prefer to do things yourself, check out this quick guide to help keep your property protected from lawn pests.  

Common Types Of Lawn Pests Found Around West Palm Beach

What are lawn pests? There are two common types of lawn pests. The first group consists of lawn-damaging pests. The second group consists of pests that generally live in the yard and find all they need outdoors.

What lawn pests are in West Palm Beach? The most common pests we deal with are chinch bugs, mole crickets, grubs, mealybugs, aphids, white flies, and armyworms. Each pest is unique in its own way.

Mole Crickets: These little insects can do a number on your lawn. They hide from view, so you'll have to bring them to the surface. We recommend pouring a soapy water solution on the soil. Mix a squeeze of dish soap into a small bucket and pour it on a marked spot in your yard. If you have mole crickets, they'll come to the surface. 

Chinch Bugs: These insects are super tiny, but the damage they cause to your lawn is easy to see. You can bring these insects to the surfaces by using an empty, plastic coffee container with the bottom cut out. Wedge the hollow tube on the ground at the edge of where the damage is occurring and fill it with water. If you have chinch bugs, you'll see them float to the surface and displace the water as they wiggle. 

Grubs: These pests are beetle larvae. The most common grubs in West Palm Beach are white grubs, which are the larvae of Japanese beetles. When you have a grub problem, you won't see them. They're hidden in the ground. What you'll see is damaged grass above where the grubs are feeding on grass roots.

Armyworms: These pests are moth larvae. They're often called armyworms because they march across a lawn like an army, eating the tips of the grass, turning a beautiful lawn into a jagged mess. If not treated, they'll start to make a lawn look patchy.    

Aphids: These tiny insects are frustrating to deal with in landscaping. They feed on plant sap and leave behind honeydew, which is a sweet food source for other pests. These tiny insects are often found on the undersides of plant leaves and they come in a variety of colors, such as green, black, red, yellow, brown, and gray.

Whiteflies: These insects are similar to aphids. They suck plant sap and leave honeydew for other pests to eat. A white fly is a tiny, white, heart-shaped insect that is about 1/16 of an inch in length. If you see lots of tiny waxy white moth-like insects on your plants, you've found white flies.

Mealybugs: We have one more plant-damaging, honeydew-leaving insect to mention. It is the mealybug. A mealybug is about ? of an inch long. If you have these pests on your plants, you'll likely see what you might describe as white powdered cotton, which is actually wax-covered egg masses.   

It is helpful to know what pests you're dealing with if you want to do the hard work of applying lawn pest control. Use these descriptions and discovery methods to help you get on the right track. Remember that Native Pest Management is available to assist you by applying lawn treatments or grub treatments for lawn care in West Palm Beach.  

Comprehensive Guide To Preventing Lawn Pests In West Palm Beach

Each one of the pests we mentioned above will require a unique control method when they take root in your yard. When it comes to lawn pest control, it is best to contact a licensed professional. But you have many options for preventing these pests from damaging your lawn or landscaping. Here are our best tips:

1. Mow your grass regularly and maintain the right height. Four inches is about the right height to help your grass outcompete weeds and guard against pest problems.
2. Test the pH of your soil and apply an appropriate fertilizer for strong turf-grass growth. Healthy grass is resistant to pests.
3. Apply just the right amount of water for the kind of grass in your yard. You don't want too much or too little. If you water too much, you encourage fungus and plant disease. If you water too little, your grass will get dry and unhealthy, which will attract certain pests.
4. Apply aeration to deal with compacted soil. Doing so helps to maintain healthy grass and resists chinch bugs and other pests that attack the tops of your grass blades.
5. Remove thatch. Thatch is a breeding ground for lawn pests. You can do this with a rake, by hand, or with a machine. 
6. Overseed your lawn to fill it in and keep it dense. A dense lawn is resistant to pests and diseases.
7. Consider planting certain plants that attract beneficial organisms that feed on lawn pests, such as nematodes, ladybugs, and birds.
8. Remove organic debris from your lawn, such as palm fronds, leaves, and branches. These materials create a beneficial environment for pests underneath.
9. Keep your landscape plants dry in the evening and at night. Clean out clogged gutters and water your plants in the early morning.
10. Address lawn weeds to reduce nectar as a food source for many lawn pests, including fire ants.

Along with deterring pests from living on your property, targeted pest maintenance can also help keep them from taking root. Follow these easy tips to keep lawn pests away:

• Inspect your plants and use a spray of water to knock aphids, whiteflies, and mealybugs off. 
• Pluck aphids and mealybugs off your plants.
• Use sticky traps in your landscaping to strategically collect plant-damaging insects and track activity.
• Apply reflective mulch to deter whiteflies from your plans. 
• Refrain from over-fertilizing your landscaping and garden.

If you roll your sleeves up and stay on top of yard and landscape maintenance, you can significantly reduce your chances of having trouble with lawn pests. On top of these prevention steps, you can also deter lawn pests with routine lawn pest control. 

Professional lawn pest control is the fastest and easiest approach to prevent lawn pests, so that you no longer have to worry about doing the work yourself or the pest issue continuing in the future. And with Native Pest Management’s help, you’ll never have to worry about DIY solutions again! 

Lawn Pest Control in West Palm Beach

Native Pest Management’s lawn pest control will keep all kinds of lawn pests off of your lawn, whether you’re dealing with a minor whitefly issue or a major chinch bug infestation. Our 3,000+ five star reviews can vouch that we are experts when it comes to lawn pest infestations. 

Let us help restore your peace of mind that lawn pests can take away, so that your lawn can be green and healthy. Schedule your free lawn inspection today!