Pest Control
Many insects, those above and below the ground, present problems for lawns and landscape plants. Before using pesticides to control insects on trees and shrubs, be sure to identify the insect causing the problem.
If you see holes in leaves but do not see the insects causing those holes, spraying an insecticide will usually not be useful. Most insecticides must come in contact with the insects. Not all pesticides are effective for all life stages of a particular insect.
Trust the pros at Indy Cutters Lawn Care Inc. We'll assess your needs and deliver the right treatment to fight these harmful pests.
Here are a few of the pests that cause problems here in Central Indiana.
Japanese Beetle & Grub
The Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica Newman) is a highly destructive plant pest of foreign origin. The adult beetles eat the leaves and flowers of over 300 plants by eating the tissue between the veins, a type of feeding called skeletonizing. The larvae, called white grubs, feed on plant roots and organic matter in the soil, especially under turfgrass. This feeding may result in dead patches of turf that can be picked up like a loose carpet.
Cutworms
Cutworms are large, hairless surface feeding moth larvae which can destroy patches of turf. Cutworms feed at night and damage the turf by snipping plants off at ground level, hiding in thatch by day. Birds feeding extensively in a turf area may indicate a high population of cutworms.
Sod webworms
There are several species of caterpillars called sod webworms that can be highly destructive pests of Indianapolis lawns. They may also become important pests of grass covered parks, cemeteries, golf courses. They have even been noted to cause damage in small grain crops such as corn, wheat and oats. Damage to grass is caused by the feeding of the larval or "worm" stage.
