I have a landscaping/insect problem and question. Help!

YourDirtisMyfood
YourDirtisMyfood Boston Posts: 4,668
edited September 2010 in All Encompassing Trip
Okay, I cut the lawn the other day and in my backyard, as I was cutting, I became inundated with these flying bugs. I mean, in the thousands, without embellishing. They were flying everywhere. They looked like giant mosquitos, but I've since been able to identify them as Craneflies.

They are harmless except for the fact that the larvae can feast on the grass and roots, creating patches. I was out there today and did notice patches that I don't believe that I had before. I grabbed the only chemical that I had for lawns, WeedBGone, and sprayed the backyard. We're expecting rain the next few days in the South Shore, thus I'm hoping the chemicals will carry over to the bugs in the lawn.

Anyone ever experience this problem and find a solution to getting rid of them? I just don't want brown patches everywhere as my lawn has been looking pretty sweet this fall.

Thanks.

http://www.insectidentification.org/ins ... n=Cranefly
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • chadwick
    chadwick up my ass Posts: 21,157
    chemicals suck.
    bugs better
    poison shit not good.

    patches in your lawn bother you that much?
    you may wanna see a therapist.

    good luck.
    for poetry through the ceiling. ISBN: 1 4241 8840 7

    "Hear me, my chiefs!
    I am tired; my heart is
    sick and sad. From where
    the sun stands I will fight
    no more forever."
    Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
  • YourDirtisMyfood
    YourDirtisMyfood Boston Posts: 4,668
    chadwick wrote:
    chemicals suck.
    bugs better
    poison shit not good.

    patches in your lawn bother you that much?
    you may wanna see a therapist.

    good luck.


    Thanks Chad.

    Um, anyone else?
  • g under p
    g under p Surfing The far side of THE Sombrero Galaxy Posts: 18,249
    I mowed my 2 acres today and my problem was red ant nests. I think I ran over atleast 7 nests, they scurry and rebuild. They are a tenacious group to say the least always find a way to get a bite in or two on my legs. I wish you luck on your cranefly problem, I've never had that particular problem.

    Peace
    *We CAN bomb the World to pieces, but we CAN'T bomb it into PEACE*...Michael Franti

    *MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
    .....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti

    *The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)


  • YourDirtisMyfood
    YourDirtisMyfood Boston Posts: 4,668
    g under p wrote:
    I mowed my 2 acres today and my problem was red ant nests. I think I ran over atleast 7 nests, they scurry and rebuild. They are a tenacious group to say the least always find a way to get a bite in or two on my legs. I wish you luck on your cranefly problem, I've never had that particular problem.

    Peace
    thanks, man. Yeah, it used to be crickets and praying manthesisss' in my backyard, but this is like warfare. Everytime I walk, the trembor sends a hundred at a time flying (I'm under 200 pds) and they are f*cking huge. Like mosquitos on steroids.
  • RKCNDY
    RKCNDY Posts: 31,013
    I did a quick search on craneflies (we have lots of them here). Basically there is nothing you can do now. Any type of pesticide needs to be applied in April to kill off the leatherjackets. The best defense is a healthy lawn.
    They are annoying, but they don't carry disease, bite, or sting.

    Here is the site I got info from,

    http://lakewhatcom.wsu.edu/gardenkit/un ... anefly.htm
    The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.

    - Christopher McCandless
  • chadwick
    chadwick up my ass Posts: 21,157
    my neighbor wants me to spray my yard for dandelions.
    i tell him it wont ever happen.

    i am not ever introducing chemical shit into my living area.
    he agrees that chemicals are bullshit
    yet the dandelions drive him and his wife so insane
    that they must kill them by way of spraying poisons.

    wonderful.

    i don't understand.
    for poetry through the ceiling. ISBN: 1 4241 8840 7

    "Hear me, my chiefs!
    I am tired; my heart is
    sick and sad. From where
    the sun stands I will fight
    no more forever."
    Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
  • YourDirtisMyfood
    YourDirtisMyfood Boston Posts: 4,668
    4and20 wrote:
    I did a quick search on craneflies (we have lots of them here). Basically there is nothing you can do now. Any type of pesticide needs to be applied in April to kill off the leatherjackets. The best defense is a healthy lawn.
    They are annoying, but they don't carry disease, bite, or sting.

    Here is the site I got info from,

    http://lakewhatcom.wsu.edu/gardenkit/un ... anefly.htm

    Thanks for looking that up. I did see the April date as well - I guess that I was hoping that some folks had gone through this in the fall and had a solution.
  • YourDirtisMyfood
    YourDirtisMyfood Boston Posts: 4,668
    chadwick wrote:
    my neighbor wants me to spray my yard for dandelions.
    i tell him it wont ever happen.

    i am not ever introducing chemical shit into my living area.
    he agrees that chemicals are bullshit
    yet the dandelions drive him and his wife so insane
    that they must kill them by way of spraying poisons.

    wonderful.

    i don't understand.

    one man's dandelions is another man's flowers.
  • 81
    81 Needing a ride to Forest Hills and a ounce of weed. Please inquire within. Thanks. Or not. Posts: 58,276
    I sprayed my yard for weeds fuck dadilions.

    Sorry never had a bug problem. I assume you have googled it
    81 is now off the air

    Off_Air.jpg
  • g under p
    g under p Surfing The far side of THE Sombrero Galaxy Posts: 18,249
    YourDirtisMyfood wrote:
    g under p wrote:
    I mowed my 2 acres today and my problem was red ant nests. I think I ran over atleast 7 nests, they scurry and rebuild. They are a tenacious group to say the least always find a way to get a bite in or two on my legs. I wish you luck on your cranefly problem, I've never had that particular problem.

    Peace
    thanks, man. Yeah, it used to be crickets and praying manthesisss' in my backyard, but this is like warfare. Everytime I walk, the trembor sends a hundred at a time flying (I'm under 200 pds) and they are f*cking huge. Like mosquitos on steroids.

    Luckly way out here in South Florida next to the everglades these ants are quite plentiful. I don't like spray chemicals so I just bag droplets that keep them at bay and away from the surrounding house. Further out in the yard they can rebuild all they want and live in....

    Peace
    *We CAN bomb the World to pieces, but we CAN'T bomb it into PEACE*...Michael Franti

    *MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
    .....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti

    *The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)


  • YourDirtisMyfood
    YourDirtisMyfood Boston Posts: 4,668
    g under p wrote:
    YourDirtisMyfood wrote:
    g under p wrote:
    I mowed my 2 acres today and my problem was red ant nests. I think I ran over atleast 7 nests, they scurry and rebuild. They are a tenacious group to say the least always find a way to get a bite in or two on my legs. I wish you luck on your cranefly problem, I've never had that particular problem.

    Peace
    thanks, man. Yeah, it used to be crickets and praying manthesisss' in my backyard, but this is like warfare. Everytime I walk, the trembor sends a hundred at a time flying (I'm under 200 pds) and they are f*cking huge. Like mosquitos on steroids.

    Luckly way out here in South Florida next to the everglades these ants are quite plentiful. I don't like spray chemicals so I just bag droplets that keep them at bay and away from the surrounding house. Further out in the yard they can rebuild all they want and live in....

    Peace

    I had one of these craneflies get into the house and the cat went apeshit. It was like Christmas for her. I always try to save every bug that gets into the house from the cat and placed it in a cup and chucked it outside. But when they start f'ing with the lawn after I spend a lot to keep it looking nice..... :evil:
  • 81
    81 Needing a ride to Forest Hills and a ounce of weed. Please inquire within. Thanks. Or not. Posts: 58,276
    just read a couple of quick articles. seems that as long as you have a healthy yard, it should recover pretty quickly. no need to worry to much.
    81 is now off the air

    Off_Air.jpg
  • Franny
    Franny Posts: 2,054
    chadwick wrote:
    my neighbor wants me to spray my yard for dandelions.
    i tell him it wont ever happen.

    i am not ever introducing chemical shit into my living area.
    he agrees that chemicals are bullshit
    yet the dandelions drive him and his wife so insane
    that they must kill them by way of spraying poisons.

    wonderful.

    i don't understand.


    You don't have to use herbicides. You can use boiling water or vinegar. Much nicer to your soil and the other plants. :)
  • catefrances
    catefrances Posts: 29,003
    YourDirtisMyfood wrote:
    chadwick wrote:
    my neighbor wants me to spray my yard for dandelions.
    i tell him it wont ever happen.

    i am not ever introducing chemical shit into my living area.
    he agrees that chemicals are bullshit
    yet the dandelions drive him and his wife so insane
    that they must kill them by way of spraying poisons.

    wonderful.

    i don't understand.

    one man's dandelions is another man's flowers.

    weeds are just plants out of place.

    dandelions are lovely. i wouldnt dream of getting rid of any plant that feels the need to grow on my patch. i dont see 'weeds' as a problem. they just make the yard more interesting.
    hear my name
    take a good look
    this could be the day
    hold my hand
    lie beside me
    i just need to say
  • cowboypjfan
    cowboypjfan Posts: 2,453
    Who the fuck wants weeds in their yard? Weird....
  • catefrances
    catefrances Posts: 29,003
    crazypjfan wrote:
    Who the fuck wants weeds in their yard? Weird....

    theyre just plants. i see no reason to kill them just cause soemone has decided theyre weeds.
    hear my name
    take a good look
    this could be the day
    hold my hand
    lie beside me
    i just need to say
  • chime
    chime Posts: 7,839
    I can't add anything about getting rid of them ... only thing I can add is that they are known as daddy longlegs here :? :lol:

    I too wouldn't get rid of dandelions ... love dandelions and daisies in a lawn 8-)
    So are we strangers now? Like rock and roll and the radio?
  • cowboypjfan
    cowboypjfan Posts: 2,453
    catefrances wrote:
    crazypjfan wrote:
    Who the fuck wants weeds in their yard? Weird....

    theyre just plants. i see no reason to kill them just cause soemone has decided theyre weeds.

    I should take a picture of my neighbors yard and send it to you. I am sure that you'll change your mind while trying to locate his house behind the 'plants'. lol
  • 81
    81 Needing a ride to Forest Hills and a ounce of weed. Please inquire within. Thanks. Or not. Posts: 58,276
    yeah, i want thistles in my back yard. they are lovely to walk on.
    81 is now off the air

    Off_Air.jpg
  • Who Princess
    Who Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    Living in Texas my lawn problems are not exactly the same as the OP. We get grubs from June bugs occasionally that will damage the roots but we have a bigger problem with a fungus that leaves large brown patches. But it's easy to treat. You can use a chemical but what works just as well is spreading a 1" layer of peat moss on it. Then you don't have to worry about extra chemicals killing other things or the run off getting into the word system.

    But srsly, whether you have a bug problem or a fungus, Weed B Gone is not going to solve it. :roll: Talk to someone at a nursery or garden center. They should have some idea what the problem is.

    And if you don't like having the bugs, put up some bird feeders and attract birds to your yard. They love to eat bugs. I have a real bias against using chemicals.
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."

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