5 Bugs You Should Never Ignore In Your Yard—And What To Do If You Spot Them

The list of insect pests plaguing the South seems endless. We deal with bugs that destroy seedlings, nibble on tomatoes, deform hydrangeas, and defoliate trees. Then there are the insects that sting us and bite us. But whether we like them or not, most insects do serve a purpose and even help us out on occasion. Wasps keep garden pests under control by preying on them. Caterpillars make an excellent meal for baby birds. Aphids may be annoying, but beneficial insects will fly in to feed on them, then stick around to pick off other bugs.

However, there are certain insects we really don’t want around. These bad bugs carry diseases, ruin crops, or harm native wildlife. Here are five bugs you should never ignore in your yard and what to do if you find them.

Ticks

Ticks come first on the list of insects you shouldn’t ignore. A bite from one disease-carrying tick could land you at the doctor’s office. And while not all ticks carry disease, cases of Lyme, babesiosis (a parasitic blood infection), and southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI) are rising. The bite of some tick species can also cause a serious red-meat allergy.

Ticks like to hang out on tall grasses or at the edge of the woods waiting for someone to brush past, so reducing habitat is essential to protecting yourself. Keep the lawn mowed and trim back vegetation in areas where your family spends time. You can also create a 3-foot-wide moat of gravel, wood chips, or mulch between the woods and your patio or play areas. Use repellent and wear long socks, pants, and sleeves if you find ticks in the yard. Check yourself for ticks every time you venture outdoors, and call your doctor if you experience symptoms after a tick bite.

Unfortunately, sprays and bait boxes don’t always eliminate ticks. Do what you can to discourage deer, mice, and other mammals from entering your yard.

Fleas

Fleas can become a problem in your yard even if you are religious about using flea prevention products on your pets. Any wild animal that passes through can deposit these biting insects on your lawn. Fleas will plague you and your animals with itchy bites, then hitch a ride indoors to infest your home. Once they do get indoors, fleas are really hard to get rid of. And they can transmit diseases. In the South, fleas can carry typhus, cat-scratch disease, and tapeworms (though you have to accidentally swallow a flea to be infected). Typhus infections are most common in Texas.

If fleas infest your yard, remove anything that attracts wild animals, like brush piles and pet food. Then get your property treated by a pest control company.

Japanese Beetles

While some insect pests play a role in our ecosystem, the Japanese beetle is not among them. These invasive, jewel-colored beetles are a serious problem for farmers. Japanese beetles also skeletonize the foliage of roses, hollyhocks, and ornamental trees. When Japanese beetles feed on plants, they release a scent that attracts even more beetles. This is why you may see massive clusters of these insects in your rose garden. On top of that, the immature grubs chew through grass roots and create dead patches in your lawn.

Japanese beetles usually appear in late spring or summer. If you find this invasive beetle on your plants, you should take action. Don’t smash or try to trap the beetles, which can attract more of them. Instead, pick them off and dunk them in a bucket of soapy water. Lawns can be treated for grubs if the damage becomes severe.

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes aren’t going to let you ignore them. In the South, they annoy us for much of the year. Some people have a stronger reaction to the bites, but they are incredibly irritating to all. In the U.S., mosquitoes can carry diseases that can cause encephalitis—West Nile virus is just one of them. Mosquitoes are everywhere and will travel up to a mile to find a meal, so spraying your yard only does so much.

Mosquitoes lay eggs in water. Make your yard less friendly to mosquitoes by dumping out water that collects on plant pots, toys, and tarps after every rain. Check your gutters to make sure water is freely draining away. Use mosquito dunks if you have standing water on your property. Mow the lawn frequently and trim back shrubs and groundcovers where mosquitoes like to rest. Set up “buckets of doom” around your property to reduce the mosquito population, following these instructions.

Fire Ants

Fire ant stings cause painful blisters that can last for days. Some people have an allergic reaction to the venom. Fire ants also kill chicks of ground-nesting birds and plague pets and livestock. The big red ones, known as the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta), are invasive ants that arrived from South America decades ago. They make big mounds and swarm people when disturbed. Young children should not be playing in a yard full of fire ant mounds.

Fire ants can be difficult to eradicate because they often reappear or move around. If you find fire ants on your property, place baits near the mounds as long as ants are active. You may want faster results if you have children or pets. In that case, use a drench to kill fire ant mounds. Fire ants are attracted to grease, so clean up any spills around your trash cans.