During those summer months, when you should be enjoying your lovely outdoor areas, pests can strike and quickly turn your yard into their playground. They’re attracted to your plants, flowers, and even you. Once they’ve infiltrated your yard, it can be tough to get rid of them. But with these 9 tell-tale signs, you’ll be able to identify a pest problem before it gets out of hand and start taking the necessary steps to reclaim your outdoor space.
1. Discolored Lawn
The color of your lawn is the first surefire way of knowing if you’ve got pests. Pests love to hide in your grass, especially if it’s freshly cut or has a lovely thick layer of thatch. But it’s not just the hiding aspect that poses a threat to your lawn—pests also love to feast on it. If you notice that your lawn is becoming discolored in areas, whether that’s a tell-tale brown or yellow, then your lawn may be dying as a result of pests. Keep an eye on the signs that your lawn needs urgent repairs because the faster you respond to the problem, the easier it will be to tackle it.
2. Molehills
The common mole can be a real pest problem. You might consider pests to be more of the insect variant, but moles can cause real trouble in your yard and therefore fall under the same category. The way they tunnel under your lawn and dig upwards can wreak havoc on your yard. If your yard is plagued by unsightly dirt mounds, it’s a strong indication that moles have taken up residence. Moles tunnel through your lawn leaving shallow trails or cracks across your grass. If you notice this in your lawn, you may well have a vole problem.
3. Holes in Leaves
If you notice holes in your leaves, it’s quite certainly a pest issue. Different pests cause different holes, so take a closer look at the damage to identify the culprit. Japanese beetles are most commonly known for skeletonizing leaves, while slugs and snails will leave large holes and also slimy trails. Grasshoppers and caterpillars are also destructive pests that may be causing the holes in your leaves.
4. Yellow or Brown Spots on Leaves
If you’re finding it hard to determine the culprit of your holey leaves, try visiting your yard at night with a flashlight as snails and slugs tend to carry out their damage under the cover of darkness. While you may be planting disease-resistant plants in your yard, if you notice yellow or brown spots on your leaves you may have a spider mite problem. Spider mites bite into leaves and suck the sap out, which causes the discolored spots.
5. Trails
There are two types of trails to look out for in your yard. One belongs to the common slug or snail which can quickly cause damage to a wide variety of yard plants by eating them. They secrete a slimy trail everywhere they go, so if you begin to notice shiny mucous trails around your yard, chances are you’ll need to protect your plants. Another trail is from a mouse-looking rodent, the vole.
6. Abundance of Birds or Ladybugs
If you notice an abundance of birds in your yard then they may be visiting to feast on a pest problem. While pests can cause holes in your leaves, birds can cause holes in your lawn and if you notice more holes than normal, that’s another sign that they’re digging for something underneath. Ladybugs may also be descending upon your yard because they love to eat aphids. Ladybugs themselves aren’t an issue as they’re natural predators to these pests, but seeing them is a great red (and black-spotted) warning sign that you’ve got unwanted yard visitors.
7. Drench Test
A surefire way of checking what’s hiding in your lawn is to perform a drench test. Simply put, you pour soapy water over an area of your grass and wait to see what pests float to the top of the solution. Depending on how many pests you find in your drench test, you’ll have a clearer idea of how infested your yard really is.
8. Bites or Stings
If you notice you’re getting bitten when you walk around your yard, there’s a strong chance that your yard has an infestation. There’s a wide range of pests that love to, unfortunately, feed on blood. Mosquitoes, mites, ticks, ants, and fleas could all potentially be hiding in your lawn waiting to bite or sting you. If you begin to notice any new bite or sting marks, or an increase in either, it’s a tell-tale sign that you’ve got a pest problem.
9. Sweet or Sooty Residue on Plants
Aphids secrete a sticky, sugary substance called honeydew that attracts ants and causes mold growth. If you notice a stickiness to your plants, aphids may be the culprits. Mealybugs, whitefly, or mites also have a tendency to leave sticky solutions on your plants in their wake. When it comes to sooty residue, that’s the mold that occurs as a coating from the sticky solution, which will weaken plant growth and eventually destroy your plants if left untreated.
