Pest identification guide

Lawn and Garden Pests in South Florida: Identification Guide

Chinch bugs, sod webworms, mole crickets and whiteflies: how to spot lawn and hedge pests in South Florida. An identification guide only.

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Brown patches aren't always drought. South Florida lawns and hedges face insect pests nearly year-round. Identifying the right one, often with a quick soap flush or a look at the soil, is the first step before deciding what to do. Pro-Spray doesn't treat lawns or plants.

Lawn Pests

Hedges, Palms and Shrubs

Whitefliesficus hedge leaf drop, white wax spirals and sooty moldID only

Lawn and hedge pests through the South Florida year

Each of these pests has its season. Chinch bugs do the most damage in hot, dry weather from spring through summer, usually starting in the sunniest parts of a St. Augustinegrass lawn, along driveways, sidewalks and curbs. Tropical sod webworms and fall armyworms build up from late summer into fall, when you may see small moths fly up as you walk across the grass in the evening. Mole crickets fly and lay eggs in spring, and the young ones tunnel and feed through late spring and summer, leaving sandy soil soft and lumpy. White grubs feed on roots underground, and the damage often shows from late summer into fall. Whiteflies can be found on ficus hedges and many landscape plants all year, with the heaviest buildups in warm months. Drought stress, too much water and mowing too low can look a lot like insect damage, so checking for the insect itself matters.

Which one is it?

Chinch bugs	Yellow patches that turn brown and keep spreading	Hot, sunny spots near pavement	Part the grass at the edge of a patch and look for tiny black-and-white bugs
Sod webworms	Chewed, ragged blades and thin spots	Open, sunny turf	A soap flush brings the caterpillars to the surface
Armyworms	Grass browned fast across a large area	Edges of the lawn, then moving across	Look for striped caterpillars in the morning or evening
Mole crickets	Soft, spongy turf with raised tunnels	Sandy soil	A soap flush makes the crickets come up
White grubs	Wilting turf that lifts like a loose rug	Anywhere, often in patches	Cut and lift a square of sod and look for C-shaped larvae
Whiteflies	Leaf drop, sticky leaves, black sooty mold	Ficus hedges and shrubs	Shake a branch and watch for a small white cloud

About Lawn and Plant Treatment

These pages are identification guides only. Pro-Spray doesn't treat lawns, shrubs or plants for plant pests. For turf or plant damage, contact a licensed lawn and ornamental provider or your UF/IFAS county Extension office, which can also help identify a sample.

Bugs getting inside your home? See our household pest library.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Pro-Spray treat lawn pests?

No. Pro-Spray doesn't treat lawns or plants for plant pests. For chinch bugs, webworms, grubs or whiteflies, contact a licensed lawn and ornamental provider or your UF/IFAS county Extension office.

Is it chinch bugs or drought?

Drought stress usually shows up evenly across dry areas and recovers after watering. Chinch bug patches keep spreading outward even with water, and you can find the bugs at the edge where yellow grass meets healthy grass. Adult chinch bugs are about a sixth of an inch long and black with white wings folded flat on the back, and the young are smaller and reddish with a pale band.

What is a soap flush?

It's a simple check for insects that hide in the grass. Mix a little dish soap into a couple of gallons of water and pour it over about 4 square feet (a 2-by-2-foot patch) of turf at the edge of the damage. Caterpillars and mole crickets come up to the surface within a few minutes.

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Questions about a pest in or around your home? Call or text us.