A Guide to Common Lawn Pests in Virginia
Is your beautiful, green lawn suddenly developing dead, brown patches that you can't explain? Even the healthiest lawn can fall victim to damaging insects. These hidden pests often feed on grass roots or blades, causing widespread damage before you even know they're there.
This guide will help you identify and understand the most common lawn pests we see in Central Virginia. Knowing what to look for is the first step in taking your lawn back.
Pest control is a key part of an overall lawn health plan. To learn how a healthy lawn can naturally fight off pests, be sure to visit our main
The #1 Culprit: Grubs (White Grubs)
If your lawn has large, irregular brown patches that feel spongy underfoot, you likely have grubs.
What They Are: Grubs are the C-shaped, white larvae of various beetles, including the Japanese Beetle. They live in the soil and are voracious eaters.
The Damage: Grubs cause damage by eating the roots of your grass. With its root system destroyed, the grass can no longer absorb water or nutrients, so it wilts and dies, even if you water it.
How to Identify: The dead patches will peel back like a piece of carpet because there are no roots to hold the turf to the soil. You will often see an increase in birds, moles, or raccoons digging in your yard, as they are feeding on the grubs.
Treatment: A preventative insecticide applied in early summer is the best defense. If you already have an infestation, a "curative" (fast-acting) insecticide will be needed to stop them.
The Heat-Lover: Chinch Bugs
If you have dead patches in the hottest, sunniest parts of your lawn (often next to a driveway or sidewalk), you may have chinch bugs.
What They Are: Tiny, black-and-white insects (about 1/5 of an inch) that thrive in heat and drought.
The Damage: Chinch bugs don't eat the roots. Instead, they suck the moisture and sap directly from the grass blades and inject a toxin that causes the grass to turn yellow, then brown, and die. The damage looks very similar to drought stress.
How to Identify: The damage will appear as spreading, circular, or irregular patches of "drought-stricken" grass. Get on your hands and knees, part the grass at the edge of the dead patch, and look for the tiny insects scurrying near the soil.
Treatment: Chinch bugs require a targeted liquid insecticide. Because they love drought-stressed lawns, a proper watering schedule is a key part of preventing them.
The Fast-Mover: Armyworms
If you notice patches of your lawn that look like they've been mowed down to the dirt overnight, you could have armyworms.
What They Are: These are not actually worms but are the larval caterpillar stage of a moth. They are known for traveling in large "armies," eating everything in their path.
The Damage: Unlike grubs, armyworms eat the actual grass blades. A heavy infestation can "mow" a section of your lawn down to the soil in just a few days. They are most active in the late summer and early fall.
How to Identify: Look for circular bare spots or patches of grass that are suddenly very short. You can often see the caterpillars themselves in the early morning or late evening.
Treatment: You must act quickly. A liquid insecticide is the most effective way to stop them before they consume your entire lawn.
The Best Defense is a Healthy Lawn
The single best way to prevent pests is to maintain a thick, healthy, and properly-maintained lawn. Pests almost always target lawns that are already weak or stressed from:
Drought (improper watering)
Being cut too short (improper mowing)
Lack of nutrients (improper fertilization)
A dense, healthy turf is much more resilient and can often recover from minor pest activity without you ever noticing.
Let the Pros Handle It
Trying to identify a pest infestation can be frustrating, and applying the correct chemical treatment at the right time can be difficult and hazardous if done incorrectly.
If you're in the Central Virginia area and suspect you have a pest problem, Mr. B's Lawn & Garden Care can help. We can quickly identify the culprit and apply a professional-grade, targeted treatment to save your lawn.