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Before you call 911 on a lawn-threatening pest situation, keep in mind that brown grass is often a result of poor maintenance, site conditions, or summer dormancy rather than an infestation. Be sure your lawn isn't being mowed too short and that it is not suffering from soil compaction, drought, or nutrient deficiencies.
What Causes It
White grubs White grubs chew on grass roots, causing irregular, brown, dead patches in the lawn.
Fast fix: Apply parasitic nematodes (genus Heterorhabditis) to the affected area; then water well.
Prevention: Apply milky disease spores, which parasitize Japanese beetle grubs and survive for several years.
Sod Webworms Sod webworms cause dead spots by severing grass blades and pulling them into the ground to eat. They prefer new lawns.
Fast fix: Apply BTK about two weeks after moths appear, when pests are in their larval stage.
Prevention: If the problem persists, overseed with endophyte-enhanced grass varieties.
