Common insect pests found in New Jersey New Jersey lawns are home to a variety of turfgrass insects, few that are harmful, but many more are beneficial. A healthy lawn can tolerate some feeding by harmful insects, but when the number of these harmful pests reach a critical threshold, the turfgrass can be damaged to such an extent that repair will be necessary . The open spaces the pests create in turf can be ugly, vulnerable to erosion, and invaded by weeds. Those insects that are most likely to cause damage in New Jersey lawns include the following: Grubs Cutworms Sod Webworms Chinchbugs Bluegrass Billbugs Insects and Your Lawn Go Hand-in-hand
Insects have gotten a bad rap over the years and it seems like whenever we see one of the little crawly things we run for a can of bug spray and kill everything that moves in the lawn. True, some insects can do some substantial damage to the lawn, but unless you see that type of problem, it is better to let Mother Nature run the show. Often, in our attempt to eradicate the little critters we also remove all the beneficial insects that do more good than the insects we're trying to remove.
Of course, if you really have a bad infestation of say fleas and ticks, or perhaps grubs are turning your lawn into Swiss cheese, go ahead and treat. But don't just treat a lawn with insecticides just to be on the safe side. When problems occur, take care of them then. If you apply treatments yourself, be sure to read and UNDERSTAND directions packaged with the product. Many insecticides can be harmful to humans, deadly to pets and wildlife. So please,read the directions carefully BEFORE applying any chemical to your lawn or landscape.