Slugs are a significant problem in non-arid climates, as they thrive in hot and humid environments. Many people underestimate the damage that these slimy nuisances can cause. If a growing number of slugs raise concerns, contact East Coast Sprayers for lawn pest services in Palm Beach.   

Combat slug infestations with lawn pest services in Palm Beach

Why Slugs Are a Lawn Pest   

You’ll most likely find them in areas covered in greenery. Bushes, shrubs, and flowers are all food sources for hungry slugs. No matter the plant they choose to eat, they can severely damage it in the process. If you don’t treat your slugs quickly, you may need lawn care services as well.   

Distinguishing slug damage from other critters can prove to be a difficult assignment for those untrained. Here are a few common signs that your garden or landscaping is under the affliction of slugs or snails:   

  • Large, ragged holes in leaves or flowers   
  • Springtime damage   
  • Slime trails in grass or mulch   
  • Plants with only the stems remaining   
  • Holes chewed into vegetables    

When they aren’t consuming your vegetation, you may find slime trails across your tiles or carpeting. If this happens, you’re likely to ask how they came into your Palm Beach home and will they affect your health?   

How and Why Slugs Enter Homes   

Slugs are looking for the same things spiders, cockroaches, and other infestations look for food, water, and a break from the elements. Common household attractants include pet food and pantries.   

Slugs can enter your household in a variety of ways, such as:   

  • Entering through gaps, tiny holes, pipes, or vents   
  • Squeezed through a crack in one of your doors or windows   
  • You or a pet could trap them in   

Professional Slug Removal Services   

Before we take action, we will thoroughly inspect your property. We’ll begin where you’ve already seen them and then check potential hiding places. After seeing the scope of the problem, we’ll start to treat your infestation.    

If slugs are hanging out in your garden or flowerbeds, we’ll spray for them. Our professional-grade sprays will quickly and effectively end your troublesome slug invasion. Along with slugs, we offer a solution for many lawn invaders.  

For indoor slugs, the tactics are very different. Since slugs are nocturnal, you’ll only notice their presence from hardened slime trails in the morning after they’ve retreated. For this reason, you may not be able to find them unless you really look.  

If it’s possible to plug their entry, that will help tremendously. After, the careful placement of traps in the seemingly high-traffic areas should take care of them. Once the slimy critter crawls inside, it has no chance of escape.   

Lawn Pest Services in Palm Beach

Are You Looking for Lawn Pest Services in Palm Beach?   

Since slugs are a major problem, you must act quickly. We can put an end to the infestation before it swells into a larger problem. Contact us today for all you’re your lawn care and pest removal needs! 

Chinch bugs may be tiny, but they’re responsible for millions of dollars in lawn damage annually. If these grass-killing insects are threatening to take over your commercial property, you should reach out to the team of experts at East Coast Sprayers. With their personalized lawn spraying treatments in West Palm Beach, FL, you can finally say goodbye to all of your turf troubles. 

Lawn Spraying West Palm Beach FL

 

What Is a Southern Chinch Bug?

Unlike other insects, the Southern Chinch Bug (Blissus insularis Barber) undergoes incomplete metamorphosis. This means that it goes through gradual changes throughout its three life stages – egg, nymph, and adult.  

What Does It Look Like?

Depending on its host plant and environmental conditions, a female chinch bug can produce up to 300 eggs within the course of its life with an average of four eggs per day. Its oval-shaped eggs measure about 1 mm in length and are usually deposited in the thatch layer, on the surfaces of leaves, and within the leaf sheath.  

These eggs hatch into yellow larvae before they morph as nymphs. Although nymphs look a lot like adults, they’re smaller, they have bright red or orange bodies with white bands on their abdomens, and they don’t have wings.  

On the other hand, adult southern chinch bugs are flying insects with white patches on their wings and measure about 0.2 inches (4.7 mm) long. While those that have long and full-length wings are called macropterous, those that have short and reduced wings are called brachypterous. Depending on the temperature and food supply, adult chinch bug lifespans can range between ten to as many as 70 days.  

Are They Hardy Species?

If you think that southern chinch bug colonies die off with seasonal changes, think again. These are hardy creatures that can manage to survive cool weather. Since South Florida’s winter weather is extremely milk, these bugs won’t stop populating and recolonizing as they spread across your entire lawn. 

What Does It Feed On?

Although these insects love to feast on St. Augustine grass, they also feed on other turfgrasses including the following:  

  • Bahiagrass 
  • Bermudagrass 
  • Kentucky bluegrass 
  • Fescues 
  • Perennial ryegrass 
  • Crabgrass 
  • Zoysiagrass 
  • Centipedegrass. 

Both juvenile and mature southern chinch bugs live in the thatch and feed on grass stems, stolons, and crowns by piercing these parts with their needle-like mouthparts and sucking the plant juices. To facilitate easy feeding, their bodies automatically release enzymes that continue to cause damage to the grass even after feeding.  

Furthermore, these insects tend to feed in clusters or groups. Once they exhaust a food supply in one area, they move in a mass migration to another spot within the lawn area. 

What Are the Signs of a Southern Chinch Bug Lawn Infestation?

You may be dealing with a southern chinch bug infestation if your lawn displays circular, sunken patches of yellowish-brown grass. In most cases, these infected areas occur first along the water-stressed edges of the lawn or areas where the grass is growing in full sunlight.  

When the infestation is at its worst, you’ll see these insects running over the grass blades. In South Florida, severe lawn damage typically becomes more evident in the months of March through November. 

Lawn Spraying West Palm Beach FL

Are You In Need of Pest Control Lawn Spraying Treatment in West Palm Beach, FL?

If left unchecked, southern chinch bug colonies will continue to multiply until they kill your once-healthy lawn. Luckily, the lawn care professionals at East Coast Sprayers can help you eliminate these pests and bring your dying lawn back to life. Contact us today to schedule an inspection. 

It seems like the rain is never going to stop here in Palm Beach County. While we are heading into hurricane season, the rainfall our area gets during this time can wreak serious havoc on your lawn. Here are some rainy season issues we are seeing right now and some helpful tips to keep your lawn in pristine condition through the summer.

 

Heavy Rain Brings Fungus

 

As the moisture continues to rise, you may be noticing patches of dead-looking grass in your lawn. Fungus thrives on moisture and the more rain we get here in Palm Beach County, the more susceptible your lawn is to fungus. Some of the common fungus breakouts we are seeing now are gray leaf spot and brown patch fungus. Gray leaf spot favors conditions of high humidity and moisture, and it spreads through your lawn during heavy rainfall. Brown patch fungus is prevalent during times of prolonged wetness and can develop quickly, popping up overnight. Keep a close eye on your lawn during the summer and call East Coast Sprayers at the first sign of fungus!

 

Turn off the Irrigation

 

While your irrigation system is a benefit to your landscape (and a no-brainer for the South Florida homeowner), the automated setup can be easy to forget. When heavy rainfall is expected in our area, remember to turn off your sprinklers for a few days. Over saturation of your lawn can cause fungal disease, such as gray leaf spot and brown patch fungus, and ultimately drown your landscape.

 

Call the Professionals at East Coast Sprayers

 

If you are experiencing issues with fungus, you should always call an expert. The licensed professionals at East Coast Sprayers can diagnose your rain-induced fungus issues and custom-tailor a treatment plan specifically for your lawn. Contact us today for a free estimate and let us help you get your lawn healthy again!

The overwhelming heat and humidity of summer is starting to leave as fall is settling in to Palm Beach County. You’ve been breaking your back all summer; mowing weekly, fertilizing regularly and watering your lawn to keep the heat from burning it up. With fall on its way, East Coast Sprayers is here to help make your lawn care needs simpler and let you get back to enjoying your South Florida lifestyle.

 

Lightly Fertilize

 

Throughout the rest of the county, fertilizing in the fall would be considered a big no-no. But in South Florida, we have our own set of rules to go along with our unique weather. Fertilizing in the fall will keep your lawn lush and green year round, so don’t stop even though the weather is getting cooler. Lightly fertilize your entire lawn to make sure you get the best from your fall lawn prep.

 

Reduce Mowing

 

As soon as you notice a slight dip in the temperatures, reduce your mowing schedule. Even though we have year round sun here in South Florida, your grass doesn’t grow as fast once the seasons change into fall and winter. Cutting too often and too low will cause unnecessary damage, so make sure to adjust your mower blades and limit your mowing to every other week.

 

Listen to Your Lawn

 

Don’t ignore the signs your lawn is giving you. If the blades of your grass change in color, it needs water. If everything looks fine, let it be. Over-watering in the fall can cause irreversible effects… So walk on it, feel it, touch it. Listen to your grass and change your watering schedule as needed. If you rely on an irrigation system, make sure to adjust for the season so you can continue to maintain a beautiful lawn. 

 

Fall Lawn Care Help

 

If you’re struggling with your landscape through the changing seasons, the professionals at East Coast Sprayers are always here to lend a helping hand. We will make sure to give your lawn the right amount of fertilization, as well as guide you through new watering and mowing habits for the season. Don’t hesitate to contact us, we will give you a free estimate to help keep your lawn lush all year round!