I HAVE A LOT OF BIRDS PECKING HOLES IN MY LAWN, WHAT IS GOING ON?

Birds will often flock to lawns infested with European crane flies to feed on the larvae. Adult European crane flies lay eggs in lawns in the fall. Eggs hatch by late October and larvae feed all winter and into the spring.

Crane fly larvae feed primarily on the crowns of grass. Damage by feeding larvae may become especially noticeable in the early spring when they get larger. Crane fly infestations usually occur in areas of lawns that remain continuously wet, creating a hospitable environment for the eggs to hatch and the larvae to mature.

I SEE LOTS OF LARGE MOSQUITO-LIKE BUGS FLYING AROUND MY YARD IN THE LATE SUMMER AND FALL; WHAT ARE THEY?

These are adult European crane flies which emerge from the soil of lawns and pastures in late August to mid-September. The females lay eggs in the grass at this time. Adult crane flies do not feed on lawns, so it's not advisable to treat them now. It's better to wait until all eggs have hatched and adults have finished egg laying. Treatment should take place either in late fall or early spring.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I SUSPECT MY LAWN HAS CRANE FLY?

You can cut out a 4”x 4”x 1” deep plug of turf in areas where you suspect a problem and inspect the soil for larvae. If you find one or more larvae in a square, treatment with an appropriate insecticide is warranted.

This is best done in the late winter or spring when larvae are large enough to see. If this is something you don’t feel like tackling yourself, we can come out and do an evaluation of your lawn and make recommendations.

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