Utah grass makes suburban lawns beautiful and green, even in the midst of a dry desert state. Varieties have to be tough to make it through the Beehive State’s drought-prone summers. The types of grass that typically do the best here include Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, fine fescue, and perennial ryegrass.
But even the hardiest grass varieties are susceptible to lawn pests. The grasses commonly used in Utah attract certain pests, which can create dead patches and make your lawn look unsightly. If you live in Utah, you need to know about these local common lawn pests.
Grubs
Grubs can cause the most damage to Utah grass, creating dead spots throughout. The grubs are beetle larvae, and they feast on the roots of your grass, creating brown spots that can spread throughout your lawn.
If you can’t decide if grubs or poor watering is to blame for dying patches of lawn, place a bowl in the middle of the dead patch while your sprinklers are running. If the bowl fills with a ¼ inch of water every 15 minutes, the grass is getting enough water—so you can likely blame grubs.
Chinch Bugs
Chinch bugs are also common lawn pests in Utah. The chinch bug eats the crown and bottom parts of the blades of grass, sucking and piercing the blades and preventing water from traveling up the blade to nourish the grass. You can suspect these bugs if you spot blades of grass that are shredded and damaged.
Billbugs
Like grubs, billbug larvae feed on the roots of the grass. In addition to the roots, the adult form of these common lawn pests also attacks the stems and leaves. Because both the adult and larvae billbugs feast on Utah grass, they can be especially damaging to your lawn. They can be hard to identify, because the damage they cause looks like common drought damage.
Check for billbugs by pulling on the damaged grass. If billbugs are to blame, the damaged grass will break off at the soil, and you may be able to see powdery excrement. Dig into the roots, and you’ll spot the larvae.
Get Rid of Utah Lawn Pests
Chances are you’ve seen the effects of common lawn pests in your yard. It’s time to call an exterminator to control the investigation and save your grass. Preventive Pest Control can help you identify the lawn pests in your yard and make a plan to exterminate them and prevent their return. Call Preventive Pest Control today.