Even the best-looking turfs can have trouble with

pest control. White grubs are one of the most com-

mon types of pests in lawns. White grubs are the lar-

val form of scarab beetles and lay their eggs in lawn

soil in early summer. Roughly two weeks later, the

eggs hatch into grubs that go to work devouring roots

through the rest of summer into fall. Grubs are dan-

gerous because they are sneaky. You might not even

know they are around until the damage begins ap-

pearing. You may notice large, irregular, brown

patches of turf that can easily be separated from the

soil. Always perform a visual check of your lawn.

Keep reading for more tips on pest control.

Here are some comprehensive approaches to pest

control. Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, is a sci-

entific method of controlling pests that seeks out al-

ternatives to chemical treatments whenever possible.

There are six basic components to IPM which include:

Determining Acceptable Pest Levels

Trying to destroy an entire insect population is often

impossible. Plus, the eradication approach will usu-

ally destroy beneficial insects and/or bacteria that

are necessary for good plant health. The alternative

is to determine what constitutes acceptable pest lev-

els, then take control measures only when those lev-

els have been reached.

Preventative Practices

Choosing plant varieties that are known to grow well

in your area, then taking steps to keep those plants

healthy, will help to stop pests from becoming a

problem in the first place.

Inspection

It’s important to examine lawns and landscape plants

regularly for signs of infestation and damage. It’s also

necessary to know what different types of pests look

like and what kinds of damage they do.

Mechanical Controls

These are considered before chemical controls, and

may include such methods as hand picking, pest bar-

riers and trap settings.

Biological Controls

The idea here is to let nature provide control. For ex-

ample, a beneficial insect might be introduced to the

landscape that will feed on the pests in question.

Chemical Controls

When all else fails, pesticides may be used for

control.

Although insects most often come to mind when dis-

cussing IPM, it can be used to treat plant diseases,

weeds and other pests as well. By utilizing all of the

tactics listed above, IPM can provide an effective, eco-

nomical and ecological means of pest control for any

lawn and landscape.