Diseases / Pests / Weeds

Leather Jackets
Crane fly (Daddy Long Legs) larvae can cause serious damage to the turf.  Adult crane flies are active in late Summer to Autumn, with each female laying about 200-300 eggs on grassed/lawned areas.  These eggs then hatch into larvae (around 14 days) and remain in the soil for about 9 months, before pupating and then hatching into the next season’s crane fly.

The larvae feed on the turf and roots, biting off stems at or just below ground level, resulting in the turf dying back, often in clumps.  This leads to bare patches which are then prone to weed invasion.

Chafer Grubs
The eggs of the chafer beetle hatch and start feeding on the roots of the grass from July until late September.  After this period they burrow deep into the ground and lay dormant under the soil before moving to the surface in Spring, when they emerge as beetles and start the cycle over again.
Chafer Grubs and Leather Jackets cause extensive damage by feeding on plant roots.  Secondary damage is just as destructive, with birds, badgers, foxes and other small mammals searching and pecking for larvae, often ripping up weakened turf.  Moles and badgers are especially attracted to the protein filled larvae.

Red Thread
Red Thread can be seen throughout the Summer months during periods of high humidity.  The occurrence is most evident after periods of wet weather, especially towards the end of the Summer when humidity is high.  The lawn will begin to show small patches of grey-brown turf initially and on closer inspection the grass plant will have small red “needles” protruding from the diseased leaf.

Although weather conditions are the main cause of Red Thread, this can also be seen on lawns stressed due to poor cutting, drought, thatch or lack of feeding.  Several outbreaks may kill the grass, but generally affected turf will recover adequately with the necessary treatments.