5 Most Common Lawn Insects in Oklahoma

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grub damage to lawn

Nobody wants dead grass spots and dirt mounds scattered throughout their lawn. These results are from different lawn pests infesting the roots of your grass. Moles, gophers, and turf-damaging insects can be destructive and a real nuisance to your lawn, costing you time and money to repair if they are left untreated.

Lucky for you, our pest control exterminators at Nutri-Green can get rid of the insects and help your lawn become consistently green again! Our experts will quickly respond to your home, identify the issue, and treat those turf-eating monsters all in one trip. Let us set your mind at ease so you can get back to enjoying your lawn the way it’s intended.

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The 5 Most Common Insects Infesting Your Lawn

Many common lawn insects are damaging to your lawn—on top of that, they are a nuisance to deal with. Nutri-Green will protect your lawn from turf-damaging insects like armyworms, grubs, mole crickets, ants, spiders, wasps, and more. We can help get rid of the pests, along with repairing the inconsistency of your lawn. Here are 5 of the most common lawn insects to watch out for.

1. Grub Worms

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grub

Grub worm populations are specifically severe here in Oklahoma. They cause severe damage to turf and are the larvae of several species of beetles. Most common between the months of April and October, they lay about 50 eggs per mating cycle. These eggs hatch in 3-4 weeks, move into the soil, and begin feeding on the roots of plants. their life cycle is destructive and ranges from 1 to 3 years depending on the species. It appears that many species in Oklahoma have 2-year life cycles. It's important to contact a professional as soon as you notice grubs, as it may be sign of another infestation: moles and gophers. If you suspect a grub problem in your lawn, contact Nutri-Green today! A trained pest control expert will quickly visit your home, identify signs of grub activity, and apply a treatment all in the same trip, stopping these root-eating monsters (and the rodents that may come with them!).

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2. Armyworms and Cutworms (Better Known as Caterpillars!)

 There are many species of caterpillars found in Oklahoma, but the most common are armyworms and cutworms. Generally, the damage they cause works across the lawn like a tide. Larvae feed at night on the leaves, and they may cut off plants near the soil line. During the day, they are found hiding in holes, under debris, or under thatch near the surface of the soil. These caterpillars overwinter as eggs, larvae, or pupae, and they damage turf by chewing on grass blades from late February to early October.

3. Billbugs

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Adult billbugs chew holes in grass stems to create an egg-laying site. Larvae begin to tunnel within the stem upon hatching, then burrow into the crown or exit and infest another stem. Older larvae will feed on the crown and can kill plants. Damage is often mistaken for disease (spring dead spot) or winter kill. Billbugs overwinter primarily as adults, but some larvae also overwinter. Adults become active in spring and wander to find suitable host plants where they mate and begin to lay eggs. Females lay from 2-5 eggs per day, and some eggs are probably laid all summer continuously.

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4. Mole Crickets

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mole

Mole crickets damage well-watered lawns by dislodging plants or seedlings as they burrow beneath the soil surface. Mounds of dirt are pushed above the turf, and the damaged area is easily scalped. Mole crickets in turf generally reveal their presence by surface tunneling, but tunnels of small immature crickets are inconspicuous and nearly formless. Some species mature in about 1 year while other species probably have a 2- or 3-year life cycle. They are active above ground in April and May for mating and to some extent in September and October.

5. Bermudagrass & Zoysiagrass Mites

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mites

Mites are very small and cannot be seen with the naked eye. Damage mites may be first noticed in early spring as the grass breaks dormancy. The damage may become more severe later in the growing season. Damaged grass has extremely shortened internodes, which produces tufted growth, or a witches-broom effect. Infested leaves may have pale white or yellow streaks, and plants are stunted. There is almost no green regrowth, and the turf is a mass of large knots that often die, leaving brown areas on the lawn. The turf usually thins, allowing weed development. Adult mites infest protected tissues of the grass plant (primarily under the leaf sheath). Eggs are deposited in these areas. The life cycle, from egg to adult, is completed in 5 to 7 days, and there can be many generations per year. Bermudagrass and zoysiagrass mites are active primarily in late spring and summer. Zoysiagrass mite is more damaging to its host than is bermudagrass mite because zoysiagrass is slower growing.

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What Do I Do When There Are Insects In My Lawn?

The best thing to do if you see an insect infestation in your yard is to call a pest control exterminator! While you may think DIY-treatment will work, the pest will always come back. Time is of the essence when it comes to lawn pests, especially since more than likely you find out you have them by seeing the damage on your lawn! Nutri-Green not only will treat your lawn pests and eradicate them for good, but they will also bring your yard back to health with our lawn care program.

Call today to get a free inspection today!

Pest Control Experts You Can Trust

We take the faith you put in us seriously. We understand outsourcing the care of your home is serious and requires trust. Our professional pest control experts work hard to provide you with results to get rid of your pests that you’ll be proud of. To make sure of that, we offer pre-service notifications, flexible scheduling, clear technician-to-customer communication, in addition to the industry-leading, lawn care services you can expect.

Here at Nutri-Green, we employ the best. We carefully select friendly, trustworthy, and highly motivated individuals you should anticipate to work with. Our team is some of the most knowledgeable in the industry. Each of our technicians goes through a rigorous certification process, both through the Oklahoma State Department of Agriculture and our own Nutri-Green University training. Once trained, tested, and certified they possess the knowledge required to create the most beautiful, lush, green lawns that are pest-free in the Greater Tulsa area. 

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Areas We Service in Oklahoma

Are you wondering if we offer our lawn pest services in your area? Nutri-Green services areas in and around the greater Tulsa metro area for our lawn pest services. This includes Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Owasso, Verdigris, Sand Springs, Jenks, Bixby, Sapulpa, Glenpool, Kiefer, Okmulgee, and more! If you don’t see your location, check here for an entire list of all the areas we service!

With Nutri-Green, You'll Be Pest-Free Guaranteed!

If a problem occurs and you are not satisfied with our service, we will promptly address the problem with you by re-treating your lawn at no additional cost to you. If we still are not able to satisfy your needs, we will refund the cost of your last treatment and cancel services. Your satisfaction is our most important goal, so we will do anything to make it right!

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