Recognizing pests in the lawn

Grubs are the larvae of various types of beetles. The grubs can be recognized by their milky white, worm-shaped body that curls up like the letter 'C'. In the lawn, you can recognize grubs by yellow spots in the grass. The beetle larvae gnaw at the roots of the grass, causing the grass to die.

Leatherjackets look like grey-brown, fat worms of 1 to 5 cm in size. There is no clear head to be distinguished. Damage by leatherjackets is caused by them eating the green parts of the grass. This causes bald spots in the grass.

Wireworms are the larvae of click beetles. When the wireworms are still young, they mainly eat dead organic material. Large wireworms target the underground roots of plants. To combat wireworms, you can use Carpo nematodes. However, repeat treatments will be necessary, as the nematodes will not completely combat the wireworms with the first treatment.

Mole crickets ( Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa ) have declined sharply in numbers and are now on the Red List as a vulnerable species. They are protected by law. We would therefore not advise combating them.

Ants play a useful role in the garden: they clean up natural waste and aerate the soil by creating tunnels, which allows water and oxygen to flow well to the roots of the plants. Still really a nuisance from ants? Then read tips to prevent ants in our blog.

Grass flies ( Thaumatomyia notata ) are small, yellow flies with black stripes on their backs. They often appear in large numbers in the summer and are attracted to grass. Despite their presence, grass flies do not cause damage to the lawn because the adults feed on nectar and pollen instead of grass. They also do not sting or bite.