Ground Bees , Earthworms and Cicada Killers ..Oh My!

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Ground bees or digger bees are very small beneficial bees that burrow into the turf and bed areas. They produce a small mound of soil that usually has a small 1?4” opening in the top. These bees are beneficial, eating pests such as aphids. They do not sting. We do not recommend killing them as 1) they are very hard to kill 2) they are beneficial and 3)the treatments do affect other soil organisms.

The best bet is to just ignore the activity until they finish their short life cycle of several weeks.

Earthworms als produce small mounds of soil as they clean out their borrows, especially after rains. They are most prevalent in zoysai turf but can also be found in all turf types. Again the best bet is to just ignore them. They are an indicator of a very healthy soil biology and their burrowing helps to aerate the soil.

Cicada killers are another non-plant pest but they can become a nuisance in the lawn with their digging. They do not sting unless harrassed but can be very intimidating. These can be treated with a ground insecticide but it is better to just leave them alone to complete their ground cycle which only lasts several weeks.

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