With spring in full swing and summer just a few weeks away, the time of year to enjoy your lawn is now. From picnics and barbecues to kids running through sprinklers and enjoying the sunshine, there’s no better way to spend a summer afternoon than on your home’s beautiful lawn. However, outdoor pests common to Allen, Frisco, McKinney, and Plano can ruin your summer plans along with your yard. Find out the details about how to prevent infestations of these pests to keep your home’s outdoor space beautiful and and functional.

Chinch Bugs

These little black bugs with small, slender bodies and white wings love nothing more than attacking your grass. If you’re seeing patches of dead or dying (yellowing) grass on your lawn, you might have a chinch bug infestation on your hands. To determine if there are chinch bugs on your lawn, cut out of the bottom of a can (such as a coffee can), embed it one inch into your yard on the edge of a dying or yellowing patch, then fill it with water. If there are chinch bugs, they will float to the top of the can. Contact a pest control expert about treating this insect issue.

Fire Ants

fire ant colony can create a mound in your yard up to 18 inches high. These colonies include a queen, winged females and males, workers, young ants. These insects do not attack grass, but they will go after people, causing very painful bites. Additionally, those mounds are really hideous. The best way to treat a fire ant infestation is to call in a professional to use baits and pesticides on your lawn every quarter.

Mosquitoes

Most active between dusk and dawn, mosquitoes are a year-round problem in Texas. From the unsightly swarms to their itchy bites, citronella candles and topical repellents can only do so much to fight off mosquitoes. The most effective way to free your lawn from this nuisance is to have an expert treat breeding grounds, easement, and foliage with a highly effective liquid application every month or so.

Grasshoppers

Collin County is no stranger to grasshopper swarms. In 2014, a dry autumn and spring causes a massive influx in the amount of grasshoppers our region saw that summer. A plush, green lawn is basically a buffet to grasshoppers, along with any gardens or landscaping plants you have on your property. An outdoor pest control specialist can protect your home’s indoor and outdoor environments to maintain their comfort level.