Lawns will be recovering from
the ravages of the summer heat and lack of rain but another, even more damaging
prospect, lays in wait – birds
and animals rotovating the grass in search of the larvae of leatherjackets and,
more likely, chafer grubs.
Both pests are a favourite food for animals,
particularly birds, badgers and foxes, which turn over the turf and dig down to
find them.
Even after this summer’s heat, the majority of the leatherjackets
and chafer grubs will still be alive waiting to emerge as adults to start the
cycle again. In larvae form they both attack the roots of the grass.
The only effective means of controlling them is to use
beneficial nematodes. They are easy to use; simply mix with water and apply via
a watering can with a coarse rose, garden hose feeder or sprayer. Once watered
on, the microscopic nematodes disperse, hunt down and kill off the targets,
denying the birds and animals any reason to rotovate the lawn further. The
nematodes, and infected pests, are not harmful to wildlife or pets if eaten.
Nemasys Chafer Grub Killer and
Nemasys Leatherjacket Killer are both applied in early autumn, when the larvae
are closer to the surface making them easier to control.
Ian Stephens, lawn care expert
at Lawn Master, the UK’s
leading lawn maintenance and treatment company, comments: "Already this
year we have visited a number of lawns that have been ravaged by chafer grubs
and we have has great success controlling them using nematodes. If you are
unsure how to identify chafer grub or leatherjacket larvae, or the damage is
significant, contact your local lawn expert for treatment advice."
Both products are part of BASF’s Nemasys range of biological pest
controls, which also includes products for slugs, vine weevil, ants and common
fruit and vegetable pests, and are available to purchase via online stockists.
BASF is the only nematode producer to supply
fresh nematodes, rather than dehydrated, and is passionate about doing so as
this ensures the quality of the product remains high and consistently
effective.
