Creating an environment hostile to pests includes enlisting the help of beneficial insects. These insects keep undesirable pest populations in check through their feeding, as either predators or parasites. Both the adult and immature stages of predators actively search out and consume prey. Parasites help by depositing eggs in or on the host. When they hatch, the host becomes their food source. What can you do to encourage helpful insects? …
Knowing your local pests and their life cycles is the key to determining whether lawn damage is due to insects. The rest is a matter of keeping your eyes open. Most insects are large enough to be visible, so do not wait for your grass to start dying to find out there is a problem. Look for the Clues The presence of sod webworms may become apparent one evening when…