Service Choice, Author at Service Choice

Can Chinch Bugs Be Transferred by Lawnmowers?

South Florida homeowners are all too familiar with the chinch bug, a small pest that can cause major damage to your lawn. These pesky, persistent bugs feed on turf grasses and leave behind brown, dead patches as they go—but can they spread when you mow the lawn? Read on to learn all about how these hungry pests move when you mow your grass, and what you can do to prevent a chinch bug infestation from ruining your yard.

Can You Spread Chinch Bugs When You Mow the Lawn?

While mowing your grass is critical when it comes to maintaining a healthy, pest-free lawn, it’s a task that can come with an unfortunate downside. If you have chinch bugs in your yard, it’s completely possible to spread them as you mow your grass. These pesky critters can hitch a ride on the blades of your mower and hop off to other areas of your lawn.

While transfer by lawnmowers isn’t the most common way chinch bugs spread, it still happens. If you have a chinch bug problem in your yard, mowing over the bugs can do more harm than good. It’s best to reach out to your local chinch bug control experts to remove the problem once and for all—and preserve your grass in the process.

Tackling a Chinch Bug Infestation

If you’ve noticed dead, brown patches of grass in your lawn, you might have a chinch bug infestation. It’s important to contact your local pest control pros to perform an inspection and make sure the pest you’re dealing with is a chinch bug since misidentification can lead to the wrong treatment methods.

If your pest control expert finds chinch bugs in your yard, they’ll create and implement a customized treatment plan that tackles these pests quickly and effectively, saving you the time and expense of completely replacing your turf.

Preventing a Chinch Bug Infestation

Once your chinch bug control expert has eliminated these nuisance pests from your yard, it’s important to follow routine lawn maintenance practices to make sure they don’t come back. Some simple ways to keep chinch bugs from settling in your grass include:

Raking your grass regularly to aerate the lawn, improve airflow, and minimize thatch.
Mowing your grass to an appropriate height (typically three to four inches) to promote healthy root growth.
Fertilizing from season to season with appropriate products.
Watering your lawn regularly at a rate of between one to 1.5 inches each week.

Call Service Choice of Oakland Park at the First Sign of Chinch Bugs

Chinch bugs can destroy your yard in a matter of weeks, so it’s critical to detect and eliminate these pesky creatures at the earliest to protect your lawn’s health. At Service Choice of Oakland Park, we understand the importance of a healthy lawn, and our team of pest control experts is always ready to help. Whether it is chinch bugs or any other garden pests, we have the know-how and expertise to prevent them from damaging your yard. So, don’t let chinch bugs take over your beautiful lawn. Call us today at (954) 568-9955, and we’ll take care of everything for you.

DIY-ing Pest Control – Is It Worth It?

Pest control can feel like a year-round job for South Florida homeowners. While DIY pest control may seem like an easy and cost-effective route, but in the long run, it’s rarely worth it. Pest infestations—whether indoors or outdoors—can become a complex and challenging issue to tackle. Using over-the-counter products may temporarily eliminate the problem, but they seldom eradicate the root of the issue.

A professional pest control service will not only eliminate the current infestation but prevent them from happening again. Read on to learn all about why DIY pest control is a bad idea, and what you should do instead.

1. You’re Unlikely to Solve the Problem.

Whether you’re dealing with indoor or outdoor pests—or both—taking matters into your own hands with DIY products might seem like a quick and easy solution. The reality is that many of these retail sprays, poisons, and traps only provide a temporary fix to a larger problem.

While they may seem to rid your home of the creepy crawlies at the moment, they don’t address the root cause of the infestation. It’s not uncommon for these pests to return in even greater numbers. Instead of relying on DIY products, consider using the services of a professional pest control company to ensure a long-lasting solution.

2. You’re Often Dealing With Hazardous Chemicals.

DIY can pose a significant hazard to your family’s health and safety. Without proper knowledge, you may not be using the correct substance or method, leading to dangerous chemicals being sprayed inside your home.

EPA studies reveal the impact of using pesticides on the air quality when used indoors. Breathing in or ingesting these chemicals can have severe health consequences, so it’s important to hire a professional pest control service that follows all necessary safety measures. Protect your family’s health and safety by leaving pest control to the experts.

3. You Could Get Hurt.

While there are obvious risks that come when you deal with harmful chemicals found in DIY pest control products, it isn’t just the products you have to be aware of. Sometimes, the pests themselves can pose a threat to your health. For instance, if you’re trying to remove a wasp or yellow jacket nest on your own, there’s a great risk of being chased by a swarm and getting stung. Instead of risking your safety, leave pest control to the experts.

4. You Could Use the Wrong Product.

Using the wrong product can have serious consequences not only for the pests you’re trying to eliminate but for your home and family as well. Identifying the pest correctly can also prove to be a challenge. You may think you know what you’re dealing with, but without proper training, you may be misidentifying the pest and using a product that is ineffective. Don’t take the risk when it comes to pest control, consult with a professional to ensure the safety and effectiveness of your pest control methods.

Protect Your Health and Safety—and Your Property—by Leaving Pest Control to the Experts

Whether you’re dealing with indoor pests, outdoor pests, or both, never resort to DIY methods to take care of the problem. Save time, money, and hassle—and protect your family—by calling the pest control experts at Service Choice of Ft. Lauderdale. No matter what pest you’re dealing with, we’ll take care of the problem quickly and effectively. Call us today at (954) 568-9955 for your free pest evaluation!

What Time of Year Is Best to Treat Chinch Bugs?

Chinch bugs are a pervasive pest that frequently causes trouble for South Florida homeowners, and they can quickly do extensive damage to your meticulously manicured lawn. These pests decimate healthy grass, extracting the juices from the blades and causing unsightly brown patches in your yard. The good news is that there are ways to control chinch bugs, especially if you catch an infestation at the right time. Read on to learn when and how to treat chinch bugs, as well as some of the common signs of infestation.

The Best Time of Year to Treat Chinch Bugs

There’s never a good time to have chinch bugs, but staying vigilant and catching an infestation early can protect the health of your lawn. Summer is peak season for pesky chinch bugs, and it’s important to take action and treat your lawn in the summer before their populations get out of control.

By investing in professional chinch bug prevention treatments on your lawn early in the summer, you can reduce the number of immature bugs before they have a chance to reproduce and cause further damage. And if you do happen to have a heavy infestation, don’t worry! A second treatment 2-3 weeks later can do wonders for your lawn and keep those chinch bugs at bay.

How Can I Tell If Chinch Bugs Are in My Lawn?

Noticing areas of dry-looking grass? It’s a good sign chinch bugs have taken up residence on your lawn. You’ll have to look up close and part the blades of grass, and you should be able to spot chinch bugs as they move around. The best place to look for these nuisance pests is where damaged parts of the lawn meet green, healthy grass.

If you’re not sure if you have a chinch bug problem on your hands, it’s best to call the pest control experts at Service Choice to determine what pest you’re dealing with before it can do any more damage to your beautiful lawn.

What Should I Do If I Have a Chinch Bug Infestation?

If you have a chinch bug infestation—even a light one—it’s best to call in professional pest control experts, like the ones at Service Choice, to remove the problem once and for all. DIY methods rarely work on resilient chinch bugs. Rather than spending time, money, and energy on chinch bug control methods that won’t work, rely on our guaranteed solutions to protect the health of your grass.

Call Service Choice for Fast, Effective Chinch Bug Control

While tiny in size, chinch bugs pack a major punch and leave many South Florida homeowners frustrated with the damage they can do to their lawns. At the first sign of a chinch bug problem, call the pest control experts at Service Choice of South Florida right away. We’ll create a customized chinch bug treatment plan, so you can nip an infestation in the bud before it gets out of control. Call us today at (954) 568-9955 for your free consultation!

How Do I Know if My Yard Has a Disease?

Living in Florida definitely has its perks, but unfortunately, one downside is the constant threat of lawn diseases. Despite taking all the right measures to ensure a healthy lawn—fertilizing, watering, and mowing regularly—Florida’s unique climate can still provide a breeding ground for several common lawn diseases.

These diseases can come in many different forms and can be challenging to treat; from brown patch fungus to grey leaf spot, it’s important to keep an eye out for any signs of disease and take action right away. By being proactive and observant, you can maintain a beautiful, healthy lawn. Here are some of the most common lawn diseases to look out for.

Brown Patch Fungus

Seeing brown patches in your yard? Your grass may be suffering from brown patch fungus, one of the most common lawn diseases affecting Florida landscapes. This lawn disease commonly occurs during the cooler months from November to May, when temperatures are below 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re mindful of the moisture your lawn is getting, you can often prevent brown patch fungus before it sets in.

If you spot small patches—around one foot in diameter—of grass that turn yellow and then reddish-brown, you’re likely dealing with brown patch fungus. These patches will expand as the disease spreads.

Helminthosporium Leaf Spot

Helminthosporium leaf spot is a fungus that can affect all types of warm-season turfgrass, but Bermuda grass tends to be hit the hardest. Be on the lookout for its telltale signs during mild, wet periods in the fall and winter. What’s interesting about this disease is that at any time of the year, you can find at least one species of the Helminthosporium fungus thriving.

How do you know if your lawn is fighting this fungus? Keep a watchful eye on your grass for any signs of leaf spot disease. Though the symptoms can vary greatly depending on the pathogen and host pair, they often include small brown or purple-colored spots on the grass blades. In more severe cases, the infected blades may turn a reddish-brown or purple color, which can give your lawn an overall strange appearance.

Grey Leaf Spot

If you have St. Augustine grass, you may have heard of a grey leaf spot. This pesky fungal disease typically appears from late spring to early fall, especially during rainy periods. But did you know that overuse of quick-release nitrogen fertilizer and compacted soil can make it worse? These common practices enhance the disease’s severity, making it even more frustrating to deal with. So, if you’re noticing grey leaf spot on your lawn, it’s best to limit your fertilizer use and take steps to improve soil drainage to prevent it from getting worse.

If you’re noticing small, olive-green to brown spots on your plants, it’s possible that you’re dealing with Grey Leaf Spot. These spots can enlarge and form circular to oblong shapes that are often tan to brown and have distinct dark-brown margins. Under humid conditions, spores can be produced in the center of these spots, making them look velvety gray. Over time, the affected area of the lawn may appear thin and almost as though it’s suffering from drought.

Don’t Deal With Lawn Disease on Your Own—Call the Experts at Service Choice

Even the most diligent lawn care regimen can be derailed by a pesky disease. Lawn diseases are difficult to diagnose and even harder to eliminate with DIY methods. Luckily, there’s a solution that can give you peace of mind and a lawn to be proud of. Service Choice West of Palm Beach is ready to tackle even the toughest turf troubles. Call us today at (561) 734-9269 to schedule your free lawn evaluation!