Pest control can mean the difference between an aesthetically pleasing lawn and an eyesore in many cases. The proper landscaping can increase your home’s value anywhere from 5.5 to 12.7 percent. On the other hand, a poorly maintained yard can detract from its worth. Here are some ways garden pests could turn your landscape into a nightmare.

One of the scariest-looking pests you can run into is the Mole Cricket. These buggers arrived in Florida in the early 1900s. They look like a cross between a common cricket and a crawfish. Rarely will you see one as they live underground and only come out at night. They are active all year in Florida but do the most damage in Spring and Fall. They burrow through the soil, cutting and eating roots along the way. Their damage will result in brown areas of dying grass. These creatures are a favorite food of birds, raccoons, and armadillos, whose digging for a meal will result in extensive damage. In addition to their tunneling skills, they also can fly long distances.

Chinch Bugs are tiny insects, but don’t let their size fool you. Infestations result in yellow patches of grass that eventually turn brown and die. These bugs also inject toxins into the blades that further help finish them off. The grass destroyed by Chinch Bugs will not grow back on its own. Instead, you will need to re-seed your lawn or place new sod. In the meantime, you are left with an unsightly yard to contend with. Here at Walter Salazar Pest Control, we have practical solutions to rid your lawn of Chinch Bugs and prevent further damage. A better solution would be to let us handle your pest problem.

Imagine what thousands of swarming cicadas can do if Chinch Bugs can wreak havoc. Cicadas, closely related to grasshoppers and locusts, are known for destroying trees, shrubs, and other garden ornamentals. There are two types of cicadas: one that appears annually and one that shows up every 13-17 years. Both will create tiny slits in tree branches, which provides them with a safe place to deposit their eggs. However, the slits can weaken trees and cause branches to decay or even fall off.

The damage doesn’t end there. Upon hatching, young cicada burrow underground. They attach themselves to the tree’s roots until it is time for them to emerge again. They are fond of fruit trees but will also infest other specimens like redbud, oak, or maple. Trees with smaller branches are perfect for a female cicada to lay eggs, making ornamental and very young plants especially vulnerable.

But, Cicadas are not the only insects that pose a threat to ornamentals. In particular, aphids use their long, protruding mouth (or stylet) to pierce plant tissue. The aphid will then deposit saliva, which is sucked back up into the mouth along with plant sap. After feeding, they leave behind a sticky residue known as honeydew, which will attract ants and even the fungi that cause black sooty mold. 

Mole Crickets, Chinch Bugs, cicadas, and aphids are among the most common pests, but they are not the only ones that Florida homeowners must contend with. Leafhoppers, cutworms, slugs, snails, and other insects could also cause severe harm. Biting insects like mosquitoes, gnats, and chiggers could also be present, even in the lushest and greenest lawns. You’ll need professional lawn and ornamental pest control to get maximum enjoyment from your landscape. That’s where we come in, providing you with custom services that will keep your yard in tiptop shape. Don’t let your problem get out of hand-contact us instead.