Best general purpose bug treatment?

[mirak]

I'm looking for a good general purpose, preferably granular bug treatment for my yard that won't damage my micro herd.

Primarily looking to control grubs, ants, and chiggers.

Recommendations?

[micvog]

Last year I used this. It worked.

[Billy]

There's not really a general bug treatment. Insects are controlled by understanding their biology, their feeding, and the biology of the plant on which they're feeding. Because grubs are subsurface feeders, they require a different control than ants. Chiggers don't usually harbor in regularly mowed turf. You'll have to break down each problem individually and treat them by themselves. Otherwise, you'll have spent time and money on a treatment that you won't be happy with.

[Green]

Typically, to control both grubs and surface-feeding insects, professionals use 2 AIs. That's why Allectus G was so popular...it contains both Merit and Bifenthrin in one fertilizer/pesticide.

[mirak]

This is more about prevention than anything else. We have a dog so we want to cut down flees, chiggers, ticks, mites, etc.

Here is an "eco" product that uses mint oil and geraniol. Not sure whether it is effective enough to be worth applying. https://www.lowes.com/pd/EcoLogic-Lawn- ... 1000132149

Then there are any number of bifenthrin products. Is bifenthrin relatively safe on soil microbes in limited applications? I only plan to apply to once or twice this summer.

[Billy]

There's nothing (short of a nuclear bomb) that's going to harm soil microbes. In studies where soil columns were sterilized with heat (autoclave) and chemical soil sterilants (methyl bromide), the microbial populations were back at pre-sterilization levels less than one week after seed was planted into those columns. As long as you're growing plants on your soil, you'll have loads of microbes.

That said, the insects that you're targeting will have to be treated according to their biology and life cycle. Chiggers, and ticks don't usually harbor in regularly mowed turf. Treat landscape beds, wooded areas, and tall grass areas (those that grow 8" or taller and only get mowed a couple of times/yr). Treat your dog for fleas, since they can come from anywhere and even live in carpets.

[andy10917]

The soil microbes argument is completely misleading - while the count may recover relatively quickly, it takes far, far, far longer for the pre-existing biodiversity to be re-established.

[mirak]

I've noticed the past few summers when I mow that a lot of tiny little bugs go flying in the vicinity of the grass I'm mowing. This starts when things get hot around mid-June. I assumed these were chiggers. This is why I treat the grass. Is this normal?

Again, thoughts on bifenthrin?

[TimmyG]

I've noticed the past few summers when I mow that a lot of tiny little bugs go flying in the vicinity of the grass I'm mowing. ... I assumed these were chiggers.

Flying chiggers? No. You'd benefit from knowing more about the bugs you think you want to target.

[mirak]

I caught one of the little buggers!! They are actually brown and the size of a small grain of rice. They are winged and fly/jump short distances when disturbed. They are particularly prevalent after it rains.

Here are a top and bottom picture of it captured inside a wine glass.

[mirak]

I should mention that these pictures show up more clearly if you click on them to view full size.

[mirak]

Found them. Leafhoppers. Considered a minor nuisance and rarely doing serious damage to lawns, but they feed if the living grass and they need to go. At least they're not flees or chiggers.

[JCombs]

Found them. Leafhoppers. Considered a minor nuisance and rarely doing serious damage to lawns, but they feed if the living grass and they need to go. At least they're not flees or chiggers.

Looks like Sod webworm, is leafhopper another term used for these? Never heard of leafhoppers

[mirak]

Sod webworm moths are much larger, about 1/2 inch in size, and are more cigar-shaped. Leafhoppers are much smaller and wedge shaped.

For some reason my link to the Colorado State Extension Office article on leafhoppers didn't post. Here it is again. The pictures and description are a dead-on match.

http://extension.colostate.edu/topic-ar ... wns-5-608/

Leafhoppers can be common insects of lawns. They are small insects, typically less than 1/6-inch and are slightly wedge-shaped. Their color is variable but many of the more common turfgrass species are generally light colored or brown. Normally leafhoppers are not noticed, unless one looks very closely at the grass blades. However, the winged adults may be seen when one walks across a lawn or mows. These activities may disturb the insects, causing them to fly, although they usually land only a few feet away. Immature stages can jump short distances but are incapable of flying.

All stages of leafhoppers develop by sucking the sap from plants. Rarely are there any visible effects from leafhopper feeding on leaves, and damage is insignificant. At most, feeding may result in small whitish spots on the leaf.

Leafhoppers cause very little, if any, injury to lawns but do attract attention and may be considered a minor nuisance. Control of leafhoppers can not be justified in regards to concern about the health of the lawn. However, if desired, leafhoppers can easily be controlled by many insecticides that can be applied as sprays to lawns (e.g., lambdacyhalothrin, deltamethrin, permethrin). Turfgrass insecticides that move systemically in the plant (e.g., imidacloprid, clothianidin) will also control leafhoppers.

[RockinMyLawn]

Maybe not a popular product here (have't really checked) but I use Bifen XTS (http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/bifen ... Ak788P8HAQ) from around April - October or 3 times a year or every other month & it really has cut down on the pest around my house & wife's ornamental garden.
I even spray it on my 20+ evergreens & they have virtual eliminate any damaging pest that could threaten those trees.

[Zareth]

The soil microbes argument is completely misleading - while the count may recover relatively quickly, it takes far, far, far longer for the pre-existing biodiversity to be re-established.

This x1000
For the same reason one thing won't kill all types of bugs, one thing won't kill all microbes.
With many types dead after treatment others will rebound exponentially to fill the void.

[nutshellml]

@mirak - What did you end up using, I too have the same flying "bugs" when mowing the grass. Don't pay much mind to it, but would be nice to have a bug free lawn...