Lawn Pests That Can Be Dangerous

 

Many people consider a healthy lawn to be a key component of a happy home. It is the place their kids can play, their pets can run, and their friends can gather during celebrations. A healthy lawn - particularly one adorned with flowers, shrubs, and trees - can provide a beautiful backdrop to many of a family’s unforgettable moments while making their house feel all the more like a home.

Lawn Pests That Can Be Dangerous

Any homeowner can tell you that the proper lawn care systems are vital to maintaining a healthy lawn. The systems can sometimes involve local pollinators and other helpful bugs that keep the lawn and its ornamentation thriving.

But that doesn’t mean that every creeping crawler in your lawn is a welcome guest. And, in some cases, they can be downright dangerous. In these serious instances, it’s best to know what you’re up against and the specific dangers they present.

 

Ants

Ants are among the most common lawn pests, hands down. And though they’re not always dangerous, they are always a problem. That problem takes on the label of danger when ants move from the lawn to the house and get into a family’s food supply. This might seem more inconvenient than dangerous, but a 2018 study found that ants can harbor disease, meaning they can pass it to humans who eat the food the ants have been in.

These common pests present another form of danger when they’re not the common black ant, but the dreaded fire ant. Fire ants possess a bite that both stings and burns. Even worse, they attack in clusters so their victims also feel their bite over and over. Some people have a particularly aggressive reaction that can land them in the hospital worse.

 

Moles and Other Digging Rodents

Forget the cute little critters in cartoons; moles present a serious problem for homeowners. These animals can become aggressive when cornered, whether by a well-meaning adult, a curious child, or an excited pet. 

Even when the animal chooses to flee into their burrow, they are a danger to people and pets alike. Burrow openings are often hard to see and present a tripping hazard. Serious falls can result in twisted, sprained, or even broken ankles.

Wasps

Wasps are perhaps one of the most high-profile pests on this list, largely due to their stingers. They’re somewhat helpful as their diet consists of smaller insects that may eat your plants. But their potential to do harm when threatened is too great to ignore. 

Bees carry similar dangers, particularly for people who are allergic. But wasps and bees are pollinators and are vital to their ecosystem if we want plants to reproduce. Wasps offer no such help and are considered far less desirable as a result.

Wasps may be solitary, in which case they will not swarm as they are not connected closely with other wasps. Social wasps, on the other hand, are part of a larger nest. When they feel threatened, other members of the nest will join in their defense, leading to a swarm.

Venomous Spiders

Like bees and, to a lesser extent, wasps, spiders do offer some benefits to a healthy lawn. They will eat smaller pests and keep down the number of other bugs near the home. But venomous spiders counter any good they might do with a bite that can hurt, if not send someone to the hospital.

Mosquitos

When most people think of mosquitos, they either think of balmy summer nights on the beach or they think about camping in the deep woods. But these tiny vampires are just as common among the foliage of the average lawn.

Not only do their bites itch and carry the potential for an allergic reaction, but they can spread disease as well. Zika, malaria, West Nile virus, and dengue. They cannot transmit other bloodborne diseases like HIV, thankfully. But that only makes them marginally less dangerous when they decide to take a bite.

Tackle Pests Today

If these unwanted garden guests are regulars in your lawn, call us today. Lawnscape is dedicated to pest control in Southern California and we want to be there for your lawn, your family, and you.