Having a perfect lawn or garden is an endless struggle. It is a fight against weather conditions, storms and of course pests. It seems something is trying to screw it up for you as soon as things go your way. You can't control what nature throws at you, but you can set the conditions so you're ready for anything. For example, pests can wreak havoc in your garden and you can only catch up for so long. When you see the signs of pest damage, you can fix them and even take preventive measures to prevent them from returning.
In this article, I'll go over some of the pests you should look out for and what you can do about them.
Maggots
These are green lawn enemies number 1. They are the larvae of beetles, mainly Japanese beetles, an invasive species. In both stages, larvae and adults can destroy most of your yard and garden. As larvae, they eat the roots of the grass. You will see dead grass around the yard and this is a sure sign that maggots are eating underneath. Or you have crows who know the maggots are underneath and tear up your lawn that is rooting for them, making it a double-edged sword. You're glad the crows eat them, but the damage is done anyway.
When they grow up, they eat the leaves of your trees, bushes and plants as soon as they change. The best way to prevent them from destroying your lawn is to put nematodes in your soil. They are microscopic worms that like to eat larvae and other insects that damage your lawn. It is a very environmentally friendly way to deal with pests when using an insecticide.
Stink bugs
In recent years there has been a massive explosion of stink bugs in almost every region in North America and even in Europe. They love to eat delicate plants like flowers and vegetables that you grow in your garden. Because they suck the juice and water from the plants, your lawn is spared, but any ornamental or vegetable plant is likely to be ruined. If you have an herb garden or tomatoes, you need to look for them.
If you have many of them nearby, not only will you know that something is wrong with the damage to your plants, but you will surely smell them. They have a pungent smell to keep predators away and are unmistakable when they are in large numbers in your garden. You cannot use insecticide to keep them away from your garden. They are impermeable to most of them, so you only add harsh chemicals to your environment for no reason. Instead, add useful insects to keep them out like a samurai wasp.
Sources:
Lawn starter
Michigan State College of Agriculture
Essential house and garden
prevention
The guard
