How to Control Insect Pests

There are two basic options for dealing with insect pests in your lawn. The first is cultural pest control, which means using integrated methods that are effective but have the lowest possible impact on the environment. The second is chemical pest control that calls for identifying the pest and choosing a chemical designed specifically to fight it.

Integrated pest management (IPM) is the default cultural approach these days, supported by many research universities and the USDA Extension Service. It recommends doing everything you can to improve the health of your grass first, through proper feeding, watering, aerating, and so on. If these methods don’t reduce or eliminate insect pests, chemicals are used, usually in spot applications, to finish the job.

This approach focuses on targeted chemical treatment of specific pests. Often, the most difficult part is identifying the specific insect pests correctly in the first place. For a reliable identification, inspect your grass and soil for insects, capture a few, and take them to a local nursery or cooperative extension office.

Government regulations require that insecticide packages have detailed labels that stipulate proper target pests and dosage. The label should explain clearly the pests that the pesticide controls, the exact dosages to use, and even the grass types that can be treated without harm. Printing accurate information on the label is the manufacturer’s legal obligation; it’s your responsibility to follow these recommendations to ensure that you’re using these powerful insecticides the right way.