Approximately 81% of Americans have a house with a lawn, and a well-maintained lawn is a source of pride for many homeowners. But hidden beneath the grass can be a host of sneaky creatures causing unseen damage.
These pests can wreak havoc on your lawn, leading to dead patches, uneven surfaces, and weakened grass. Identifying the culprits is the first step in protecting your green space. Here are seven sneaky creatures that are secretly destroying your lawn
Sod Webworms
Sod webworms are the larvae of small moths that are active at night. These caterpillars create silk-lined tunnels in the thatch layer of lawns and emerge at night to feed on grass blades.
The damage caused by sod webworms typically appears as small, irregular brown patches that can coalesce into larger areas over time, particularly in sunny parts of the lawn. Sod webworms can quickly thin out the turf if left unchecked, creating an unsightly and unhealthy lawn. An increase in bird activity often indicates their presence, as birds feed on these larvae.
Raccoons
Raccoons are adept at rolling up or flipping sod in their relentless search for grubs. The best time to deal with grubs is in May or June, but if you’re already facing raccoon damage, repair the affected areas daily.
These clever creatures are hard to deter; sprinklers, netting, and sprays might offer temporary relief, but the ultimate solution is to eliminate the grubs. This proactive approach will encourage raccoons to find a new hunting ground.
Grubs
Grubs are the larvae of beetles like Japanese beetles, June bugs, and chafer beetles. These small, white, C-shaped pests live just beneath the soil’s surface and feed voraciously on grass roots. This feeding weakens the grass, causing it to turn brown and die off in patches.
A lawn infested with grubs may feel soft or spongy underfoot, and you might be able to pull up sections of grass like a loose carpet due to the lack of healthy roots anchoring it to the soil. Grubs are particularly destructive because they can go unnoticed until significant damage is done. Left untreated, they can attract other pests like skunks and raccoons that dig up lawns searching for them, compounding the damage.
Moles
Moles are small, burrowing mammals that create a network of tunnels beneath the surface of your lawn. Although moles primarily feed on insects like earthworms, grubs, and other soil-dwelling pests, their burrowing habits can be highly destructive to lawns. Their tunnels disturb the soil and uproot grass, leaving unsightly raised ridges and mounds across the yard.
These ridges spoil the appearance of your lawn and make it uneven and difficult to mow. While moles can sometimes help control insect populations, their benefits are often outweighed by the physical damage they cause to turf and root systems.
Voles
Voles, often mistaken for mice, are small rodents that live in grassy and garden areas. They create shallow runways and tunnels just beneath the surface of the grass, especially during the winter months when they are protected by snow cover. Unlike moles, voles feed directly on grass stems, blades, and roots, leading to visible lines of dead or damaged grass that snake across your lawn.
These creatures can also damage trees and shrubs by gnawing on bark and roots. Vole damage is often extensive because they reproduce quickly and can establish large colonies that feed on lawns and gardens, leaving behind an unsightly and damaged landscape.
Chinch Bugs
Chinch bugs are tiny, sap-sucking insects that can cause significant damage to lawns, especially in hot and dry conditions. These pests feed by inserting their needle-like mouthparts into grass blades and sucking out the juices, injecting toxins that cause the grass to turn yellow and die.
The damage often appears as irregular, expanding patches of dead grass that may resemble drought stress but do not respond to watering. Chinch bugs are particularly troublesome in lawns with dense, thatchy grass, where they can hide and reproduce quickly. A severe chinch bug infestation can kill large sections of the lawn if not treated promptly.
Armyworms
Armyworms are caterpillars that emerge in large numbers and rapidly consume grass blades and other plants. These pests are most active in late summer and early fall, and their feeding can cause widespread and sudden damage. They are called “armyworms” because they move in large groups, like an army, devouring everything in their path.
An armyworm infestation can turn a healthy lawn into a barren wasteland in just a few days. The damage typically starts as small patches of chewed grass that quickly expand as the caterpillars continue to feed, leaving behind areas that look scorched or drought-stricken.
