Name two common lawn pests and a cultural control for each in Wisconsin.

Name two common lawn pests and a cultural control for each in Wisconsin.

• A. White grubs (may beetle larvae) – improve lawn health with proper mowing, fertilization, and aeration
• B. Chinch bugs – apply broad-spectrum pesticides
• C. White grubs – water deeply to disrupt larvae
• D. Chinch bugs – mow low to reduce moisture

Answer: (A)

Shaping lawn care practices to reduce pest pressure is a key strategy. In Wisconsin, two common lawn pests are white grubs and chinch bugs. For white grubs, a cultural control is to boost overall turf health with proper mowing, appropriate fertilization, and aeration. A vigorous, well-maintained lawn is better able to recover from grub feeding and suffer less damage, reducing the need for chemical controls.

The other choices rely on treatments or actions that aren’t cultural controls. Broad-spectrum pesticides are chemical controls, not cultural. Deep watering to disrupt grub larvae isn’t a proven cultural method, and mowing very short for chinch bugs can stress the turf and worsen pest problems.