Four common lawn pests in Sydney and how to beat them

Any homeowner  has experienced their lawn being ravaged by insect pests. It’s a hopeless feeling when your lawn is dying and you’ve got no idea why? In this guide we’ll show you some of the most common garden pests and you how you can beat them. 

Indicators that your lawn has a pest problem. Sydney lawn mowing is another service to maintain quality lawns without doing a thing.

• Foliage openings
• Yellow or brown lawn
• Wilted flowers/leaves
• Leaves folded
• Slime routes
• Holes in your grass

No matter who you are, your lawn will eventually experience a variety of pests. They’re only doing what’s natural to them, things you can do to reduce their attacks is to make sure of soil quality and consistent fertilizing. 

Prevent curl grubs on your lawn

Curl grubs are a white grub with a dark, brown mask. They coil into form ‘C,’ making them easy to recognize.

This isn’t a grub in your flower beds or grass. 

Signs you’ve got curl grubs

Have you ever been irritated by dead lawns amid regular watering? Discolored and toxic grass areas are possibly producing curl grubs. This can be incredibly frustrating, particularly when our lawns are such a huge attraction.

Dig a hole in your lawn and in the dirt see how many curl grubs are under your soul.  Start digging up several areas in various places to grasp the level of infestation. If there are loads, you have a crisis.

How to deter curl grubs

Neem oil will interrupt the growth and development of curl grub. When swallowed, they avoid eating and die. Neem oil is good for helpful insects since they don’t eat plants you’ll possibly spray on. Add neem oil and spray over lawns, garden beds, and pot plants.

Place nematodes. These worms carry bacteria that eat curl grubs and other pests. Nematodes are natural and don’t contain any chemicals, they’re perfectly safe for beneficial insects as well as people and animals. Curl grub beetles are the opposite of all your lawn, they thrive in sandy soil or unhealthy soil. Keep the grass healthy and lush, using daily deep irrigation and natural grass fertilizers.

Deterring aphids from your lawn

Aphids are a common garden insect. You’ve probably seen their small transparent green bodies on plants in your backyard.

Signs you might have an Aphid problem

• Yellow grass
• Curling leaves
• Deformed flowers
• Stunted and distorted fruit
• Leaves and stems have sticky substances

Aphids can be terrible for any lawn in Sydney. Lawn maintenance can be difficult and aphids can be your problem the entire time without you even realising it. Aphids are drawn to roses more than anything and the will attack the rest of your plants in the garden. They can live under most circumstances and spread very easily, so it’s crucial to stop them as soon as you spot them.

Deterring Aphids

Hosing aphids down with a strong spurt of water is a good idea, although it’s only temporary.

You can add detergent with water. Spray or scrub plants and reapply for 2 weeks every 2-3 days.

Neem oil is common in killing aphids. Be extra careful when you apply it.

Growing companion plants such as garlic or chives can deter aphids and keep them off your lawn in Sydney.

HORNWORMS

Hornworms are a tall, pale green caterpillar that gradually becomes a moth. Though big, they can easily camouflage among the leaves. They destroy the plant by preventing it from receiving sunlight so it can’t execute photosynthesis. In rare cases it will feed on the fruit.

Signs of hornworms in your lawn

• Browny lawns
• Chewed and spotty leaves
• Dark liquid on the grass or leaves
• Deter hornworms from your lawn

In the spring collect caterpillars as they love to feast on hornworms.  When host plant hornworms are killed, they quickly die. 

Consistently check your lawn and plants and remove the hornworms you might find.

Check for late spring moths to stop placing larvae on your plants again.

Keeping funnel ants off your lawn

Funnel ants will easily take over your yard, making tiny funnel-shaped colonies in your turf. The ants are tan-brownish and can grow to 5 mm long. Funnel ants create vast underground tunnels, fracturing the soil system contributing to poor soil. After the storm, you’ll see their mounds pop up as they excavate the earth to dry their nests. This leaves your lawn unsightly, and in certain situations, you can need to level and re-turf your yard. They’re a stubborn bug that’s impossible to get rid of, but you should take certain steps to keep them under control.

Funnel ant control and prevention Tips:

• Funnel ants hate wide leaf grass forms. Choose various lawn styles.
• Put pesticides down pipes in their nests.
• Since the ants enjoy living in stressful soil, keep your lawn and soil safe.

In conclusion it can be difficult to keep your lawn pest free, being able to prevent the major problems for your lawn will mean that it will stay lush and green. Maintaining healthy soil is the first step to a healthy lawn and something we can all achieve. Lawn maintenance in Sydney is highly effective at preventing lawn pests and keeping it green and healthy.