How to Get Rid of Billbugs in Your Lawn: Prevention and Tips for Indiana Homeowners

Bugs in your lawn? Gross. Bugs with long snouts sneaking around and secretly wrecking your grass? Even worse.

If you’re noticing mysterious dead patches but have no idea what’s causing them, you might just have a billbug problem. Billbugs are little weevils that measure about ¼ inch long and use their elongated snouts to lay eggs inside your grass stems and getting rid of them typically requires an insecticide.

So, how do you know if billbugs are the culprit behind your struggling lawn? And more importantly, how do you get rid of them? Let’s dig in.

What is a Billbug?

If you’ve never heard of a billbug before, don’t worry – you’re not alone. These sneaky little pests don’t exactly introduce themselves before causing chaos in your lawn. Billbugs are small, stout, dark-colored weevils (yep, we’re talking about a bug with a snout) that measure around ¼ inch long. That long nose isn’t just for show – it helps them lay eggs inside the stems of your grass.

In the spring, female billbugs get to work, tucking their eggs into your turfgrass like unwanted houseguests. Soon after, tiny, legless, white larvae hatch and start munching away inside the plant stems. As they grow, they move down to the crown and roots, where they do the real damage – killing off patches of your lawn before you even realize what’s happening.

Here in Indiana, we deal with two types of billbugs. The bluegrass billbug is a big fan of Kentucky bluegrass and other cool-season turfs, while the hunting billbug prefers warm-season grasses like Zoysia and Bermuda. If you’re in southern Indiana, you might have an extra headache on your hands since hunting billbugs can produce two generations per year (as if one wasn’t bad enough).

Now that you know what you’re up against, let’s talk about how to spot them and show them the door.

What Does Billbug Damage Look Like?

Billbug damage, just like many insect infestations or lawn diseases, can be a little tricky to diagnose. It’s kind of like figuring out if your car won’t start because of a dead battery or because it’s just in a mood. The problem is, billbug damage can look a lot like drought stress, fungal diseases, or even other lawn insect issues. This is why having a pro take a look can save you a lot of guesswork and frustration.

That being said, if you want to play detective on your own lawn, here’s what to watch for:

Spotty Dead Patches

At first, billbug damage shows up as small, scattered dead grass blades. These can seem random at first but will start to expand, forming larger, irregular patches of sad, dying grass.

Easily Detached Grass

The affected grass pulls up easily from the soil, kind of like a bad toupee in a strong wind. If it breaks off at the base with almost no effort, billbugs might be the culprit.

High-Risk Areas

Billbug damage is more common in newly sodded lawns as well as south-facing slopes, where the sun and moisture levels can make conditions just right for an infestation.

How to Inspect for Billbugs

If you suspect billbugs are partying on your lawn, here’s how to confirm it:

Sidewalk and Driveway Patrol

Adult billbugs love to use sidewalks, driveways, and curbs as highways to get to new feeding grounds. If you see them hanging out near these areas, your lawn could be at risk.

Dig for Clues

Taking soil cores (small plugs of soil) and checking them for larvae can help determine if billbugs are the issue. They can also be used to test the soil for other underlying problems.

Try the Tug Test

Grab a handful of damaged grass and give it a gentle pull. If the plants break off at the soil line with almost no resistance, and you notice a fine, sawdust-like material inside the broken stems, congratulations – you’ve just found billbug evidence.

How to Get Rid of Billbugs in Indiana

Alright, so you’ve confirmed billbugs are causing chaos in your lawn, so now what?

Unfortunately, these little troublemakers aren’t going to leave on their own. The best way to deal with billbugs is to stop them before they become a problem.

Keep Your Lawn Healthy

A strong, well-maintained lawn is better at resisting pests. Regular mowing, proper fertilization, and good irrigation practices can help your grass stand up to these little invaders.

Choose Resistant Grass Types

Some turf varieties are less appealing to billbugs, so if you’re planning to seed or sod, consider grasses that are known to be more resistant, like Turf-Type Tall Fescue.

Watch for Early Signs

Keeping an eye on sidewalks, driveways, and curbs (where adult billbugs like to travel) can help you detect them early before they do serious damage.

If billbugs have already moved in, insecticide applications targeting adult weevils in the spring are usually the most effective method of control. Since adult billbugs overwinter in protected areas and become active in the spring, this is the best time to stop them, before they lay their eggs. The ideal time for treatment is when adult billbugs are emerging from their winter hiding spots and getting ready to lay eggs – usually in the spring. A professional-grade insecticide labeled for billbug control can help significantly reduce the adult population before they have a chance to cause major damage.

If you missed the spring window and larvae are already munching away in your lawn, you can still apply insecticides in the summer to target them. However, treatment at this stage is often less effective than hitting the adults early on.

Partnering with Professionals for Lawn Care in Northern Indiana

Dealing with bugs in your grass is frustrating enough, but dealing with invisible bugs that destroy your lawn from the inside out? That’s next-level annoying. Billbug damage can be tricky to spot and even trickier to treat, especially when it looks a lot like drought stress or disease. The last thing you want is to waste time and money on the wrong fix while these little troublemakers keep devouring your turf.

That’s where the pros come in. Instead of guessing at treatments or playing detective in your yard, let our expert team take care of it. We know exactly how to spot and stop billbugs before they turn your lawn into a patchy disaster. With the right treatments at the right time, we’ll save you time, stress, and costly mistakes – so you can enjoy a green, healthy lawn without the hassle.

Think your lawn might have a billbug problem? We proudly service communities in and around Lafayette, IN as well as the northern suburbs of Indianapolis including Carmel, Noblesville, and Westfield. Get started by filling out our contact form today!

Image Sources: bluegrass billbug