Several insects and related pests are common in Florida lawns. Southern chinch bugs, spittlebugs, grass scales, and bermudagrass mites live on the plant foliage and suck plant juices. Other pests, including sod webworms, grass loopers, and armyworms eat grass leaves. Mole crickets, white grubs, and billbugs live in the soil and damage grass roots. Additional insects and related pests such as fleas, millipedes, chiggers, sowbugs, and snails do not damage the lawn but may become nuisances by biting people or crawling into houses, garages, and swimming pools. One group of insects often confused with these pests is actually beneficial. This group includes big-eyed bugs, anthocorids, and nabids that resemble chinch bugs, but actually feed on chinch bug eggs and nymphs. Earwigs, ground beetles, and spiders search through the grass and feed on chinch bugs, webworms, and several other lawn pests. The presence of these beneficial organisms will often prevent the insect pests from reaching damaging levels. It is necessary that a small population of pests be present to maintain these beneficial organisms. Preventative treatments (pesticide applications made every 4 to 8 weeks) may reduce these beneficial organisms and actually contribute to a persistent chinch bug, sod webworm, or other pest problem. Consequently, pesticides should be applied only when damage is apparent.
For more information on
insect management, refer to the Florida Lawn Handbook.