Hey everyone! I recently moved into a house with pretty basic front and back lawns. While tidying up some borders, I discovered a bunch of these new worms, which I found out are leather jackets. After mowing, I was inundated with crane flies, which confirmed my suspicion. While I know they're harmless, I can't shake off the creepy feeling, and I'm worried that a big population of leather jackets might be causing some issues with my grass. I'd really appreciate any advice on managing this situation. Thanks for reading!
3 Answers
You might want to try nematodes; they can really help with leather jackets! Just a heads up, they work best if you apply them around September to early October, so get on that if you can. But be careful—some people are worried about the effects on bees. I have nematodes but haven’t used them yet because I’ve heard mixed things, so think it through before you go for it!
Years ago, there was a specific ingredient in ant powder that effectively dealt with leather jackets. You could look into that; maybe some of it is still safe to use. Just make sure to check if it’s still available or if it’s been banned. Better to be safe than sorry!
It's that time of year for crane flies! Even when we lived in a flat without a garden, we'd spot them buzzing around. While I totally get that you don’t like them, they’re actually part of the ecosystem. They won't stick around for too long, plus they’re harmless. Just remember that we're facing a decline in insect populations overall, which affects other wildlife that depends on them for food. So, take it easy and let nature run its course!
If you're concerned about bees, it's definitely a good idea to do more research first. Better to prioritize keeping our pollinators safe while figuring out a solution for your lawn!