There are several types of insects that could infest your lawn in Texas. Some of the most common ones are grubs, chinch bugs, and bermudagrass mites! Grubs are white, C-shaped larvae of beetles that feed on the roots of the grass and prevent it from absorbing nutrients properly. Chinch bugs are tiny insects that feed on the juice within the grass blades, causing large patches of dead grass on your lawn. Bermudagrass mites are tiny, white, or translucent mites that feed only on bermudagrass, sucking sap from the stems and resulting in a witch's broom effect.
Grubs are white, C-shaped beetle larvae that feed on the roots of grass.
![A grub on soil near dying grass on a lawn in Dallas, TX.](/files/account/images/blog/blog-grub-in-soil-under-brown-grass.webp)
When the larvae of beetles hatch in the soil beneath your lawn, grubs are born! In the immature phase, they are white with tiny, C-shaped bodies. Once they hatch, they'll quickly begin feeding on the roots of your grass. If the infestation isn't eliminated, it'll eventually cause the roots to detach, creating a spongey feeling when you walk on the affected area that can also pull away from the soil like a carpet. The long-term result is a lawn that can no longer absorb the nutrients it needs to grow and eventually turns brown and dies.
Investing in lawn care services like lawn fertilization, core aeration, and weed control can help your lawn recover from grub damage!
Chinch bugs are small insects that cause large, brown patches to spread across your lawn.
![A large brown patch on a lawn in Dallas, TX, from a chinch bug infestation.](/files/account/images/blog/blog-chinch-bug-lawn-damage-1.webp)
If you find tiny red or black insects feeding on your turf, it might be suffering from a chinch bug infestation! In the immature stages, chinch bugs are small, black insects with red marks on their bodies. As they mature, they transition to dark red and then black with white wings. They cause damage by sucking the sap from the blades of grass and injecting a toxin that inhibits water flow. If the infestation isn't treated, their feeding frenzy will cause brown patches to spread across your lawn. These patches will quickly grow into large sections before ultimately killing the grass. This damage can sometimes resemble drought stress.
Bermudagrass mites are tiny, translucent mites that cause grass to resemble a witch's broom.
![A lawn in Dallas, TX, with the appearance of a witch's broom from bermudagrass mites.](/files/account/images/blog/blog-bermudagrass-mite-damage-on-a-lawn-1.webp)
Stumbling across yellowish sections of grass that look like witches' brooms is an indication of a bermudagrass mite infestation on your lawn! Bermudagrass mites are tiny, elongated mites of a white or even translucent color. As their name suggests, they only feed on bermudagrass. As they feed, they cause the grass blades to die back to the stems, which thins out the turf. When an infestation isn't treated, the end result is yellowish-brown patches of dead grass on your lawn. Sometimes, the grass not only loses its color but swells at the sheath as well, giving it the appearance of a witch's broom.
Encourage an insect-free lawn by calling us to schedule our lawn insect control service.
At Weedex Lawn Care, we are pleased to offer our highly effective lawn insect control service to help keep your lawn free of insects, such as grubs, chinch bugs, and bermudagrass mites. As soon as you notice signs of an infestation, give us a call. Our team of professionals will come out to your property to correctly identify the insect and apply a curative treatment to eliminate the infestation. That way, they don't continue to cause damage, and your lawn can focus on recovering. We offer our lawn insect control service to residential properties in Dallas, TX, as well as other surrounding cities, such as Fort Worth, Arlington, and Plano. Reach out to us today at (972) 727-9207 to sign up.
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