Triple D Grounds – Brevard County Commercial Lawn Care | 321-253-3478

Brown Patch is most common to Bermuda and St. Augustine grass throughout Florida.   Brown patch commonly starts as a small spot and can quickly spread outwards in a circular or horseshoe pattern up to a couple of feet wide. Often times, while expanding outwards, the inside of the circle will recover, leaving the brown areas resembling a smoke-ring, or multiple smoke rings as it expands.

Grubs (larvae of scarab beetles) are sporadic problems of turfgrass in Florida, but often causes damage beachside and along intercoastal waterway areas. At least five common types occur in Florida. Read more »

Mole cricket species (tawny, southern, and short-winged; Scapteriscus spp.) are significant pests in Florida.  Mole Crickets can harm Bahia and sometimes Bermuda grasses.

They are herbivorous and consume all parts of the grass plant. The southern mole cricket is a predator and scavenger. All three species tunnel through the surface layer of the soil, causing considerable damage to the grass roots. The tunneling also loosens the soil so that the grass is often uprooted and dries out.  Mole crickets are often found near and along bodies of fresh water.  Bahiagrass lawns that are adjacent to a retention pond are very susceptible. 

Identification:  Mole Crickets can be identified by the trails they leave.  You can also perform a soap flush in an area you suspect mole cricket damage.   If the soil is especially dry, try applying more fresh water to flush them out.

The sod webworm, Herpetogramma phaeopteralis, larvae are gray-green, and have brown spots on each segment. Mature larvae can be about 3/4 to 1 inch in length. Larvae remain curled up in the soil during the day and feed at night. Newly hatched larvae skeletonize the grass blades, while older larvae chew on grass blades near the soil surface.  This pest is most active from April through November, but may occur year-round in southern Florida. Three generations occur in northern Florida and four generations in southern Florida.

Larvae progress through seven or eight instars. They pupate on the soil surface and emerge as adult moths in seven days. The life cycle from egg to adult requires five to six weeks at 78°F and 12 weeks at 72°F.

Identification:  Damage begins in small patches of short-clipped grass, about 1 to 3 inches in diameter. The grass may look ragged, and irregularly-shaped, larger brown patches may form. Small, green frass can be seen on the ground.  Look for a high density of small moths hovering over your lawn, especially in shaded areas or right before dusk.  Sod webworm adults are small, tan to gray moths with a wingspan of 3/4 to 1 inch. They do not cause damage. Moths hide in shrubs and other sheltered areas during the day, begin flying at dusk, and lay clusters of 6-15 eggs on grass at night. Eggs hatch about a week later.  You can also use a soap flush to look for populations of larvae.

Chinch bugs, Blissus insularis, suck the juices from St. Augustine grass at or just below the soil level. Injured plants look stunted, yellowed, wilted, or dead. Yellowish to burnt-brownish patches are often first noticed along sidewalks or in poorly-irrigated areas.  Chinch bug adults are about 1/5 inch long, black with white patches on wings, which are folded over the back.  Young nymphs are reddish-orange with a white band across the back.  Body color darkens and becomes black as nymphs reach adult size.  Activity is reduced in winter in northern Florida, but all stages are present year-round in most of the state, with most activity occuring in late spring and early summer. 

Identification:  Look for yellowing or declining grass.  Chinch bugs work in ‘packs’, flying into an area and consuming the grass from one spot out.  In a damaged area, collect some thatch, clippings and soil (enough to fill the cup of your hand) from the outskirts of a damaged area and sprinkle over a piece of white paper.  Spread the debris out, and watch closely.  You will be able to see the chinch bugs crawling over the white surface if they are present.

The Royal Palm (Roystonea spp.) prefers full sun and is best suited to well-drained acidic soils.  Growth can be rapid in moist, fertilized conditions with heights reaching 50-80 ft.

The Royal palm is sucseptible to palm skeletonizer, the palm weevil, scales, the royal palm bug, and sometimes butt rot.

The Queen Palm (Syagrus Romanzoffiana) is a full sun palm and requires soils with a higher acidic value and good drainage.  Pruning should be done periodically but should be kept at a minimum to ensure full sun photosynthesis to prevent growth decline.  Typical height is from 25-50 ft.

The Queen Palm is susceptible to scale, palm leaf skeletonizer and butt rot, but  is somewhat resistant to most forms of yellowing disease.

Canary Island Date Palms (Phoenix canariensis) need full sun. They tolerate a variety of moist, well-drained soils.  Heights can reach 40-60 ft.

They are susceptible to a variety of diseases and insect damage including palm weevil, palm skeletonizer, scales, yellow spot, etc. but over all, are very hardy and typically are not impacted by damage as easily as some other varieties of palm.

The Sabal Palm (sabal palmetto, or cabbage palm) is indigenous to Florida and throughout the US.  It is the most common species of palm in Central Florida and is quick to adapt to various conditions, including colder climates.  It can grow to 40-50 ft.

The Sabal Palm is susceptible to the palm weevil, scale, and the cabbage palm caterpillar.