Latest news with #leatherjackets
The Sun
2 days ago
- Climate
- The Sun
My grass was ruined from leatherjackets bugs – a 10p kitchen hack got rid of them overnight & now my lawn is green again
A NIGHTMARE pest is wreaking havoc on gardens across the UK and could be ruining your lawn. But a simple 10p kitchen hack can get rid of the pesky critters overnight and get your lawn looking lush again. 2 2 Leatherjackets are the larvae of the crane fly (daddy long-legs) and live just beneath the surface of the lawn before emerging as adult flies. They're legless grubs with tough, leathery skin and can grow up to 3cm in length. And experts say that infestations are rife this year. Although harmless to humans and pets, these pests can quickly turn your green grass into sparse, brown patches. This is because they damage the roots of your grass, causing it to die on the surface. New build homes and gardens are being hit hard in particular due to the leatherjackets' love of new turf. But the Gardening on a Budget Official Facebook group has provided a genius and budget-friendly solution. Commenting on a user's worse for wear garden, expert Suzanne recommended throwing slices of bread on the lawn. She said: "Throw several whole slices of bread on the lawn. "Then the starlings will come down and feast on the leatherjackets (works for me!)." 5 lawn mowing tips to get good grass this summer All effective pesticides to treat such pests have been banned in the UK since 2016. But there are other methods to tackle the leatherjackets and restore your lawn, according to Matthew Martin from nematode producer Nemasys. Martin told the Express: "To encourage them off the lawn, you can saturate the grass with black sacks or tarpaulin overnight. "In the morning, the grubs will have risen to the surface and will be easy to see." Once at the surface, you can discard of the pests yourself or leave them to the birds. Martin also recommended using nematodes, naturally occurring, microscopic worms that can target and kill the leatherjackets. According to Martin, they arrive as "dried granules" which can be mixed with water, such as in a watering can, before being applied to your lawn. He recommends applying them first thing in the morning or at night to "avoid weakening the nematodes with harsh direct sunlight". Ben Agnew, a grass expert at Lawnsmith, advises that "prevention is easier than the cure" but that nematodes are a good way of combating the grubs. He said: "Nematodes get rid of leatherjackets by infiltrating their outer casing and subsequently killing them. "Leatherjackets can cause considerable damage, and even after treatment, it can be challenging to restore your lawn to its former state. "It can take your garden some time to return to its former glory." But he says the best course of action is to remove the dead patches of grass from your lawn and re-seed the area. Applying fertiliser across your lawn can help maintain its overall health. Lawns with poor drainage are more likely to suffer from a leatherjacket infestation, so addressing this problem is also key.
The Sun
07-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
My lawn has been destroyed by leatherjacket bugs over winter – the £17 buy that kills them & gets grass lush again
A WOMAN has been left devastated after her lawn was ruined by leatherjackets. Remi, who lives in a new build in the UK, spent most of last year getting rid of the bugs, only for them to come back during the winter months. 3 3 Leatherjackets are the larvae of the crane fly (daddy long-legs) and live just below the surface of the lawn until they emerge as adult flies during August to October. They tend to damage the roots of the grass, making it die on the surface and create brown patches in the lawn. Remi noticed the problem when she moved into her house last year and spent a lot of time getting rid of them and making her lawn green again. But over the winter months, she neglected the problem, making it come back this summer. Taking to social media, she said: "So the leatherjacket grubs are back! "After all of my hard work last year, this is how fast it takes them to ruin a lawn. And this is what happens, unfortunately, when you don't keep up with nematode treatments in a new build garden. "I got too comfortable and I thought, they're not going to come back. And if they do, it will only be a small amount. Very wrong!" Instead of using harsh chemicals, Remi used nematodes to get rid of the pesky critters. She used a nematode solution mixed with water and applied it all over the grass. It costs just £16.99 from the Green Gardener and must be applied every six weeks. We made our boring new build garden a Love Island style haven with bar & hot tub, but trolls say detail 'ruined our day' Nematodes are tiny little insects that act like parasites to other critters and kill leatherjackets without affecting your grass. This allows your grass to grow green and lush again. Remi revealed she used the solution last year and it worked wonders. "I'm pretty confident that after all we've been through with them, that this lawn will be looking great again within a month," she added. The clip soon went viral on her TikTok account @ remiclog with over 250k views and 12k likes. People were quick to take to the comments, gutted Remi's problem had come back. One person wrote: "Does anyone know why leatherjackets target new build gardens?" "Terrible drainage and poor quality turf usually! (And the turf sits for ages before it goes down)," replied one viewer. Another commented: 'I had loads in my garden, I didn't realise what they were, I have astroturf now." "Haven't seen you on my fyp for ages! Hopefully, your garden will recover quicker now you've gained experience from last year, it may be something you need to do every year unfortunately," penned a third. Meanwhile a fourth said: "Oh no ! after all your work last year!" "i found a few in my garden this year and I'm so scared,' claimed a fifth.
