Watch Out for These Insects This Fall

The number of insects wreaking havoc this time of year is decreasing, especially on ornamentals. However, there are some insects still active. One of these is the two-spotted spider mite. This is one pest I would still treat for and use a true miticide. The adult female overwinters and an application now can delay activity next year. With cool evenings, the spruce spider mite may also start showing up again on evergreens.

Another insect you might see some activity from is the fall webworm. Fall webworms are going to enclose branches and leaves with their webbing. Trees have produced enough chlorophyll at this point, so the webworms will not damage them. However, if the aesthetic look of the webbing is not pleasing, you can trim or spray them out. Note: You will need some power to blow through the nest to treat the webworm caterpillars that are feeding inside.

Bagworms have a slight possibility of still being active, but there is a 99% chance they have already pupated. Unless some were very late, you will have to wait until next year to treat for them. Be prepared to treat sometime in June.

Turf-wise, grub damage might start showing up about now. With the fall rains, you expect turf to recover from summer stresses. If areas don’t recover, you may have a grub issue. Animals digging up the turf is another indication that grubs may be present. Bayer’s Dylox is your go-to for quick control this fall. Dylox will give you control in a couple days. You can also use one of the neonicotinoids, either NuFarm’ s Arena, Aloft, Mallet or Bayer’s Merit. They can be effective but will take longer to gain control of the grub population.

Nikki Hendrickson
Sales Representative