Turf Pests

Annual Bluegrass

Poa annua

A common turf pest in Middle Tennessee lawns, including areas like Franklin and Brentwood, annual bluegrass (Poa annua) is a light green, tufted grass...

Aphids

Tiny, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new growth, aphids feed by sucking sap from grass and ornamental plants, causing yellowing, stunted growth, ...

Armyworm

These caterpillars are smooth, green to brown with distinct stripes and can quickly defoliate turfgrass, especially in lawns throughout Middle Tenness...

Bagworm

These pests create distinctive spindle-shaped bags covered with twigs and leaves, which they carry as they feed on evergreens and hardwood trees. Bagw...

Banks Grass Mite

Oligonychus pratensis (Banks)

These tiny, spider mite pests (Oligonychus pratensis) cause significant damage to turfgrass by feeding on leaf blades, resulting in a stippled, bronze...

Bermudagrass Mite

Eriophyes cynodoniensis Sayed

Tiny and almost invisible to the naked eye, Bermudagrass mites (Eriophyes cynodoniensis) cause yellowish to bronze discoloration and thinning in Bermu...

Black Cutworm

These nocturnal caterpillars are known for cutting down young grass seedlings near the soil surface, causing irregular brown patches in lawns througho...

Bluegrass Webworm in Ohio

Small moth larvae that create silken webs on Kentucky bluegrass blades, bluegrass webworms (Acronicta insularis) can cause significant turf damage by ...

Boxwood Leaf Miner

This pest targets boxwood shrubs, laying eggs inside the leaves where larvae create blotchy mines, leading to yellowing and browning foliage. Infestat...

Bronze

These small, metallic-colored beetles are notorious turf pests that cause significant damage by feeding on grass roots and stems, leading to thinning ...

Brown Patch

Brown Patch is a common turf disease in Middle Tennessee lawns, including areas like Franklin and Brentwood, caused by the fungus Rhizoctonia solani. ...

Chinch Bug

Tiny and fast-moving, chinch bugs (Blissus spp.) are common turf pests in Middle Tennessee lawns, including areas like Franklin and Brentwood. They da...

Clover

This low-growing weed features trifoliate leaves and small white or pink flowers, often spreading quickly in lawns throughout Middle Tennessee, includ...

Clover Mite

Bryobia praetiosa Koch

Tiny and reddish-brown, clover mites (Bryobia praetiosa) often invade homes in Middle Tennessee during spring and fall, particularly in areas like Fra...

Cutworms & Armyworms

These caterpillars are common turf pests in Middle Tennessee, including areas like Franklin and Brentwood, known for chewing through grass blades and ...

Fire Ants

These aggressive insects build distinctive mounded nests in lawns and gardens, often found in Middle Tennessee areas like Spring Hill and Franklin. Fi...

Florida Wax Scale

Creamy, round spots on stems and leaves

Creamy, round spots on stems and leaves often indicate an infestation of Florida Wax Scale (Ceroplastes floridensis), a common turf pest in Middle Ten...

General Turf Insects –

Principles of Control

Turf insects such as grubs, chinch bugs, and sod webworms commonly damage lawns by feeding on grass roots and blades, leading to thinning, brown patch...

Greenbug Aphid

Small, green to yellowish aphids with a distinctive black head, greenbug aphids (Schizaphis graminum) feed on turfgrass by piercing leaf tissues and s...

Major Turfgrass Insect Pests

Common turfgrass insect pests in Middle Tennessee, including Columbia and Franklin, often appear as small, hard-bodied insects like grubs, billbugs, a...

Fiery Skipper

Numerous turf pests, including grubs, chinch bugs, and sod webworms, can damage lawns by feeding on grass roots or blades, leading to thinning, brown ...

Mole Cricket

Mole crickets are tan to brown insects with cylindrical bodies and large, spade-like front legs adapted for digging. They cause damage by tunneling th...

Ornamental

Ornamental and

Small insects often found in Middle Tennessee lawns, ornamental pests feed on grass blades, causing yellowing and thinning turf. These pests, such as ...

Other Turf Eriophyid Mites

Tiny and often overlooked, eriophyid mites can cause subtle damage to turfgrass by feeding on leaf cells, leading to discoloration and thinning in aff...

Over

Small, burrowing insects known as white grubs can cause significant damage to turfgrass in Middle Tennessee lawns, including areas like Franklin and B...

Rose Blackspot

This fungal disease causes distinctive black spots with fringed edges on rose leaves, leading to yellowing and premature leaf drop. Thriving in warm, ...

Sod Webworm

Spring damage

Small, moth-like larvae known as sod webworms feed on grass blades, causing irregular brown patches and thinning turf in early spring. These pests are...

Spider Mites

Stippled or bronzed leaves

Tiny spider mites, often less than 1 mm long, cause stippled or bronzed leaves by piercing turfgrass blades and sucking out cell contents, leading to ...

Spotted Spurge

This low-growing, mat-forming weed features small, oval leaves with reddish spots and reddish stems that often creep along lawns and garden beds. Spot...

Tea Scale

Armored scale

Small, armored insects with hard, protective shells, tea scale (Armored scale) infest turfgrass by feeding on sap, causing yellowing and thinning of g...

There

Small, dark-colored insects known as turf pests can cause significant damage to lawns in Middle Tennessee by feeding on grass roots and blades, leadin...

Tropical Sod Webworm

Larva and frass in St. Augustinegrass

Small larvae of the Tropical Sod Webworm (genus Herpetogramma) are grayish-green with dark heads and create visible frass in St. Augustinegrass, causi...

White Grub

White grubs are the creamy-white larvae of beetles that feed on grassroots, causing brown patches and weakened turf in lawns throughout Middle Tenness...

Whiteflies

Tiny, winged insects often found on the undersides of leaves, whiteflies feed by sucking plant sap, causing yellowing, wilting, and stunted growth in ...

Winter Grain Mite

Penthaleus major (Duges)

Tiny and reddish-brown, winter grain mites (Penthaleus major) thrive in cool, moist conditions common in Middle Tennessee during late fall and early s...

Yellow-Striped Armyworm

This turf pest, commonly found in Middle Tennessee lawns including areas like Franklin and Brentwood, is identifiable by its distinctive yellow-stripe...