Grub & Insect Control
Insects found in your lawn & Insects found on shrubs, trees & perennials
Tick Control
We offer organic & synthetic tick controls to keep your family and pets healthy while enjoying the sanctity of your outdoor space.
Organic tick control maintenance programs include multiple safe & effective treatments to treat your landscape for tick prevention and elimination. Cedar Oil is the main ingredient however, Neem & Clove may also be included in the mixtures (it depends on the level of tick activity) The follow are a few things you can do to help minimize getting bit by a tick:
• Remove wood piles to reduce harborage for tick hosts.
• When entering infested areas, wear long-sleeved shirts, and long trousers with tight-fitting cuffs.
• Wear light-colored clothing. Ticks are easier to see on a light background.
Addition recommendations from the CDC to help prevent tick bites.
Synthetic tick eradication programs have been proven effective at property tick controls with a longer residual than organic options with equal effectiveness.
We spray throughout a ticks lifecycle. Our program consists of 5 applications:
- Early/mid spring
- Mid/late spring
- Early/mid summer
- Mid/late summer
- Early-Late fall
Although ticks are most commonly found on pets and people throughout the summer months, we prefer to treat all stages of a ticks lifecycle. A few of us here at Costello Landscaping have been infected with Lyme Disease and in our opinion, it’s the best way to stop ticks in their tracks and avoid the serious potential for tick borne illnesses.
Our employees are highly trained to know understand lifecycles of ticks as well as safe and proper treatment techniques. Our applicators are licensed with the state of CT to safely and effectively apply ORGANIC and SYNTHETIC pest controls. Costello technicians are equipped with the latest equipment and take pride in protecting the environment!
Grubs
Grubs are one of the most commonly-encountered insect pests of turf in Connecticut are the larva of Japanese beetles. These white grubs feed on the roots of grasses and other plants and damage can be severe when large numbers are present. Detection of grubs can be difficult when grass is dormant or when rainfall or irrigation keep grass green while grubs are feeding below the ground.
Life cycle of the Japanese Beetle Grub
Most beetles that are turf pests are non-native. Japanese beetles are the most common turf damaging beetle pests found in Connecticut. Some are night flyers and can be attracted to lights, while Japanese beetles are active during the day and may be seen feeding on the leaves of over 300 plants.
The life cycles of turf-damaging beetles determine the timing and selection of grub control products. The immature stages are called grubs, and they overwinter as deep in the soil below frost lines. As temperatures decline in the fall, they stop feeding and move down in the soil. In the spring they begin moving up to the root zone as soil temperatures increase. Feeding on plant roots continues until pupation, which is usually around June. Japanese beetles usually emerge from the soil as adults around July 4th in Connecticut and begin mating immediately. Eggs are laid in the soil, often on sunny slopes and in moist, light soils. Eggs are seldom laid in shady areas. Within two weeks the eggs hatch and the grubs start feeding. Feeding continues through October and may continue longer if soil temperatures remain over 50°. Grubs move deep into the soil as temperatures approach freezing and they remain there until conditions are favorable in the spring.
Grubs can become a chronic problem in certain areas of lawns as eggs are laid in favorable areas from year-to-year. Preferred sites are usually in full sun and have light, moist soils. If this is the case, and if damage has been severe in the past, preventative treatment of these areas may be advisable. It is seldom necessary to treat an entire lawn unless damage has been a problem over extensive areas.
The best time to apply systemic chemical insecticides is before egg hatch or when eggs are being laid, so that the product will be in the grass roots when grubs are smallest in size. Applications should be applied around mid-June through mid-July for best results. All products used for grub control must be watered down to the root zone as soon as possible after application to enable the plant to absorb the insecticide.
Just prior to an insecticide application good time to apply a grub control product may be immediately following a de-thatching or aerification operation. The best way to manage grubs is through sound turf management practices that keep grass in a healthy state. Healthy, dense lawn is better equipped to resist stress of any kind. Mowing at the optimum height, fertilizing and watering correctly, and correcting heavy thatch and compaction will help turf resist grub damage. Also, take a look at the shrubs and trees in your yard and scout for beetle activity - munched foliage.
Additional Lawn Insects
Sod Webworms
Sod Webworms are the most common lawn insect in Connecticut and prefers to focus their attention to bluegrass. The moths lay their eggs in June/July and then again in August. The larvae fed on sod July-September. Two Interesting facts:
- The larvae only feed at night. Walk your property in the early evening with a flash light and inspect the thatch layer. You can identify the larvae by green excrement found near top of the thatch layer and silk tunnels into the thatch layer.
- If you walk your property a notice small moths flying close to the ground, just ahead of you next step - your most likely dealing with Sod Webworms
Chinch Bugs
The chinch bug can be a major insect pest on lawns. Chinch bugs feed on turf through a straw-like mouth part and extracts plant tissues and juices. They inject a toxin into the blades of grass causing it to brown out and die.
Chinch bug damage first appears oin sunny, dry areas on southerly slopes and areas adjacent to driveways, sidewalks - areas the radiate heat. Your lawn may initially appear to be drought stressed, which is a common misdiagnosis and allows damage to progress, often beyond repair. Our licensed lawn technicians can readily identify chinch bug damage and provide a solution to remedy to eliminate the insect.
If you see this lawn issue happening, please give us a call.
Billbugs
Billbugs can be seen crawling across your lawn. The young larvae begins feeding on inside grass stems. As Billbugs mature, they feed on turf crowns and roots.
Costello Landscaping starts scouting for Billbugs by late April. Substantial damage can occur June/July, typically near a driveway or radiant heat source. Their waste appears as sawdust. Treating the young larvae before the real damage is observed will save you hundreds of dollars.
Please give Costello Landscaping a call, we'll put your property on our fertilization schedule.
Tree, shrub & Perennial Insects
When the Lily Leaf Beetle is left unchecked, it quickly devours leaves, leaving only a bare stem in place of a beautiful flower. A few treatments with a botanical insecticide will get rid of them.
To control Sawflies insecticidal soap or neem oil is directly applied to the feeding larvae. Each species of sawfly has its own distinct appearance and habit, and they change their appearance as they develop. Treating affected plants with insecticidal soap, which is safe in the garden and will not harm your beneficial insects or other crops in your landscape.
Bagworms feed on over 50 types of trees and shrubs. We’ll use an insecticide control when the larvae is young.
Aphids can do serious damage in your landscape or garden. Aphids feed by inserting their stylet-like, sucking mouthparts directly into the phloem (a plants food vein) and removes the sap. When high aphid populations develop, plants may become stunted with curling and twisting of the young leaves.
As aphids feed, a sugar-rich, high-pressure liquid, known as “honeydew”, is excreted and honeydew promotes the growth of black sooty mold. Costello Landscaping treats Aphids with insecticidal soaps and oils.
