The Size Of The Area To Be Treated
The size of the area you wish to treat is a key thing to consider when deciding between liquid and granular lawn insect killers. If you need a product for spot treatments , a granular product will probably be most suitable. If you want to treat your whole lawn, however, you may be better off using a liquid treatment.
This is because liquid treatments can be applied using a sprayer, making it easier to evenly distribute the product over large areas. Spreading granules over your whole lawn will be a lot more labor-intensive, and may even require the purchase of a spreader to ensure even coverage.
How To Use Granular Lawn Insect Killers
When using any kind of insect killer, the first thing you should do is check the directions on the label to find out the proper application rate. Once you know how much to use, apply an even layer of the granules to the affected area.
If you plan to treat your whole lawn, you will probably need to use a lawn spreader to ensure even coverage.
Once youre done spreading, sweep any runaway granules off your sidewalks, patios, and driveways.
Finally, you will need to water the treated area thoroughly. Moisture helps to release the active ingredients in the granules, which will then seep into the ground and work their magic on your lawn insects. Wait for the treated area to dry completely before letting people and pets back onto your lawn.
Ecosmart Insect Killer Granules Review
My top pick for lawn insect killer granules
EcoSMART insect granules are a non-toxic, organic insecticide that work on over 100 different types of insects. The brands mission is to create the worlds safest and most effective pesticides, using minimum risk ingredients.
Their formulas are based on over 15 years of scientific research and emulate a plants natural defences against insects. Clove and Thyme essential oils are the active ingredients and work by attacking octopamine neuro-receptors in insects. This affects their movement and metabolism, killing the bugs fast without leaving any harmful residues. Only insects have these receptors, which is why the product doesnt harm other animals. The only other two ingredients are wintergreen oil and peanut shells.
When you use the granules as directed, they have no adverse effect on children, pets or the environment, including water systems.
The botanical mixture also has repellant properties to help keep insects from coming back to the treated areas. EcoSMART recommends you reapply every 4-6 weeks, or after particularly heavy rain. The granules come in a 10 lb bag that will cover 5,000 square feet.
The oils have quite a strong smell which can be overwhelming if youre sensitive to fragrance. But you might also find it quite pleasant! Other natural insect killers like Johnathon Greens organic insect killer and Eco logic lawn insect killer use different plant oils such as rosemary or corn mint, so have different scents.
Pros
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What Natural Pesticides Should You Avoid
To make this question more specific: Which organic pesticides dont work as well as people claim? Sheldon at Dirt Doctor has a bone to pick with one widely used pesticide in particular: insecticidal soap.
When asked if insecticidal soaps work, Sheldon said, Yes, but there are much better products today that target specific pests. He mentioned research in 2017 showing that insecticidal soaps simply dont work well as a broad-spectrum pest repellent .
Insecticidal soaps can help decimate soft-bodied pests when applied occasionally. They arent as good against hard-bodied ones.
The real scoop from the research: The more you apply insecticidal soaps against the same population of lawn interlopers, the more resistant they will get to the applications. With repeated use, youll have to switch to something else.
What to do? Save the hot-pepper-cooking-oil-garlic spray for your pizza. Experts say its best to try more-vetted biopesticides, including neem oil and diatomaceous earth.
Organic Vs Pesticides For Lawn
Non-organic care is a subject of various fertilizers, chemical products, and sometimes paint.
All these work great for your curb appeal but, unfortunately, mistreat and poison the soil, natural plant life, and nature in general.
Some of the widely used compounds are Phosphorus , Potassium , and Nitrogen .
Sadly, these can only pollute and add zero nutrition to the soil. If they drip through the soil and reach freshwater, pollution is a fact.
When you go beyond pesticides to organic lawn care 101, you focus on healthy and sustainable methods, comments Organic 4 Green Living. Natural fertilizers derived from living matter such as greenery, living matter, be it animal or bus, also minerals or food leftovers, ensure healthy and nutrient-rich soil. You can use seaweed, bone, and feather meal instead. Contrary to synthetic products, these do lighter and easy-to-absorb nutrition over a longer period of time.
Although more difficult to achieve and maintain, healthy soil does grow healthy grass. Organic lawn care poses zero risks of pollution for soil, air, water, pets, and family!
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Organic Diatomaceous Earth Powder
Best organic lawn insect killer
While not technically a granule, Ive included this powder because its another good eco-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides. Its made from a sedimentary rock which is abundant all over the world according to the National Pesticide Centre the rock makes up around 26% of the Earths crust.
The organic powder works by absorbing lipids from the insects waxy exoskeletons, thus dehydrating and ultimately killing them. To apply it you just need to sprinkle a light dusting all over your lawn. If youre wanting to make the application process as easy as possible, you can purchase a Diatomaceous Earth applicator along with the powder.
Because of the products dry nature, itll be washed away whenever your lawn comes into contact with water. This means the product will need to be reapplied regularly . Also, the product doesnt seep into the soil like other chemicals, so isnt effective on bugs that live under the surface.
Its not just pest control that you can use Diatomaceous Earth for, theres a wide range of uses cases including pet care and cleaning.
Active ingredient: Diatomaceous earth
Why Use Insect Killer For Your Lawn
What is the first thing that catches your eye when you look at a garden the first time? The lawn, right? A great looking lawn is a major asset to a garden. I would even go as far to say that a garden cant be complete without a nice lawn.
However, when a lawn is not looking its best, it can also bring the aesthetics of your garden down as a whole. You may have nicely trimmed hedges, shrubs and trees, but when the lawn is looking brown and bald it ruins the entire garden.
Therefore it makes sense you spent some time and energy on maintaining your lawn to your best abilities. One of the major problems homeowners face is insects and pests in their lawn.
Your lawn and the soil beneath it are a favorite spot for all kinds of insects and bugs to make their home. In your lawn they find a great place of shelter to hide from the weather and other animals that find them to be a good meal.
As a result of having lots of insects in the soil under your lawn, your yard will attract hungry moles to come and feast on them. This is a serious consequence as moles will dig up your lawn, leaving unsightly mole hills all over your yard. Using lawn insect killer will have the secondary advantage of acting as one of the best mole repellent.
If you are looking for the best lawn insect killer, you most likely already have your reasons to be using it. So we will not have to explain why you would want to use it in great detail. However a few reasons may be:
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Using A Fertilizer Spreader For Granules
If you have a medium to large-sized lawn and you wish to cover the whole of it with insecticide, we recommend using a fertilizer spreader like the one pictured below. These devices are super simple to use and will ensure you spread the material as evenly as possible and dont miss any spots.
Dont think purchasing one of these is a waste of money, because they have multiple uses besides spreading lawn insect killer granules. They can be used for fertilizer spreading for example.
When spreading fertilizer it is even more important to spread the material as evenly as possible. If you dont, you will not achieve an evenly growing lawn. Certain spots with lots of fertilizer may grow lots faster and thicker than spots with less coverage.
Another great use of these fertilizer spreader is in winter, for spreading salt on your paths and driveway. Lastly most of these devices will allow you to spread grass seed as well, which can be very useful when re-sowing your lawn or patches of it.
In our opinion, people who are serious about their lawn and property cant go without one of these handy little things. And to make it even more of a no-brainer, they are a cheap investment, often less than 50 dollars.
Spectracide Triazicide Insect Killer
Lawn insect killer with the broadest coverage
Spectracide is a kill on contact insecticide that kills bugs above and below the ground. The granules boast season-long protection against one of the most common lawn incests, ants, as well as protecting against over 100 other different insects.
The brand lists grubs as a bug the granules will kill, and several users have had success using it to treat grubs. However, the only active ingredient is Gamma-Cyhalothrin which a study from Michigan State University concluded wont kill the beetle larvae on its own.
Spectracide has a larger coverage area than most lawn insect killers covering up to 12,500 sq ft with a 10 lb bag. If you have a large lawn, then you can get the 35 lb bag which can cover an impressive 44,000 sq ft. You should apply the product whenever you notice lawn damage that could be indicative of insects. If youre trying to treat grubs, Spectracide recommended you apply it between July and October for maximum effectiveness.
The product is safe for pets and people once it has been watered in and left to dry.
Active ingredient: 0.08% Gamma-Cyhalothrin
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To Treat Existing Insect Infestations
Simply apply more product over less area. For above ground insects you would use 1 qt of yard guard for up to 2500 sf. For sub-surface insects like grubs apply 1 quart per every 1000 sf.
For Ant Mounds, drench the area outside of the mound first and then work your way in to the mound itself.
TO APPLY WITH A PUMP OR TRIGGER SPRAYER instead of the hose-end sprayer: Stir or gently shake the bottle to handle any possible settling that might have occurred. Then mix 12 oz of Yard Guard per gallon of water. Use this more concentrated solution for treating smaller areas of the yard or garden, or to treat individual plants to prevent or to control insects.
This can be sprayed on garden plants, indoor plants, indoor insects, and even on pets. For dogs, just wet their fur and rub in well. Fleas and mites hate it, and dogs often find it soothing for hot spots. Keep away from their eyes, and rinse with water quickly if it should get on them. Spraying the dog before a walk around the neighborhood or even a walk in the woods will repel any lurking fleas or ticks.
For cats, you can spray on fur if they are docile enough. But might have better luck spraying on your hands or a towel and then rubbing it in.
How And When To Use Yard Spray For Bugs
Never use any of these liquid lawn insect killer sprays on windy days. It will be too hard to control the spray. The wind will blow the poison all over your garden for one. Secondly, you will be unable to avoid getting a whiff of poison in your mouth, nose and eyes sooner rather than later. Spray during dusk or dawn when wind speeds are at a minimum.
A second advantage of spraying during these hours is that many insects actually hide deep in the soil during the day, which would make spraying less effective. After sundown they will start to emerge, and the poison will work much quicker and more effectively.
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Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer
Best budget lawn insect killer granules
Ortho Home Defense insect killer for lawns uses Bifenthrin as the active ingredient to kill bugs within 24 hours. As well as killing the insects on contact it creates a barrier over your lawn to keep the insects away for three months.
The formula works best if you apply it proactively in the early spring or summer to catch infestations before they happen. Otherwise, use it as soon as you see any signs of insect damage. As with other chemical treatments, youll need to water the granules after youve applied them. Make sure to wait for granules to dry before letting your pets onto the lawn.
The granules come in three different sized bags ranging from 2.5 lbs to 20 lbs, so theres something to suit all lawn sizes. The 2.5 lbs bag is very affordable and comes with a special shaker container which means you dont need to purchase a separate spreader.
Active ingredient: 0.115% Bifenthrin
How To Minimize The Effect On The Environment
Most insect killers arent selective about the type of insects they kill. This is both good and bad at the same time. Its good because you can get rid of several pests at once, but bad because you also kill beneficial insects such as bees.
Pest control can have a devastating impact on bee populations and local ecosystems if you dont take the right precautions. As I mentioned earlier, if the chemicals find their way into water systems, they can also cause harm to aquatic creatures. Here are some of the ways you can minimize the effects your lawn insect killers have on the environment:
- Dont apply any product when rain is forecast in the next 24-48 hours. If you do, you run the risk of the rain washing away all the chemicals into your drainage system
- Similarly, dont apply the insect killer near any water sources that it could potentially leach into
- Aim to apply the treatment in the evening when most pollinating insects have stopped foraging for the day. This will help limit their exposure to the harmful chemicals
- Wait for a calm, cool day where there is less chance of the chemical spreading to unwanted areas
- Mow your lawn before you apply any chemicals. This will help scare off any beneficial insects or birds in the immediate area and also get rid of any weeds in your lawn that might attract bees soon after youve applied the treatment.
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Scotts Turf Builder Summerguard Lawn Food With Insect Control
Best lawn insect killer with fertilizer
This two-in-one product kills lawn insects and strengthens your lawn with one application Its also guaranteed not to burn your lawn. The product is designed to be applied in summer from June to August.
It improves your lawns ability to absorb moisture and nutrients, meaning its better able to cope with the heat of summer and any potential droughts. At the same time, it protects against a range of insects including ants, chiggers, chinch bugs, fleas, grasshoppers, mole crickets, sod webworms , ticks and weevils.
One thing it wont kill is grubs. If you have a grub problem, then youll have to buy a separate grub control product. Scotts Turf also sells a very highly rated product called Grubex which claims to prevent any grub problems for up to four months. Or you can use the milky spores I recommend below.
You have the option to buy enough granules to cover 5,000 or 15,000 square feet. You can also purchase a bundle with a Scotts mini broadcast spreader to make the application process super easy.
Active ingredient: 0.086% Bifenthrin
Natural Insect Killers Vs Chemical Insect Killers
Wherever possible I recommend using natural methods because theyre less harmful to us, the environment, and other animals. However, when your lawn is completely overrun and needs immediate attention, sometimes the only effective method is to use a chemical product.
Synthetic chemicals such as neonicotinoids and pyrethroids are toxic to aquatic life and can contaminate groundwaters. In low concentrations, chemical insect killers arent harmful to mammals or birds, but if you ingest them or breathe in too much then you may experience adverse effects.
On the other hand, natural products made from organic substances have no adverse effects on the environment including water systems. You can safely use most natural products around pets without any fear of irritation, as the active ingredients they use are only harmful to insects. The only downside is that they can take longer to work.
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Natures Lawn Yard Guard Natural Outdoor Insect Control Safe For Pollinators Non
FINALLY A safe and natural solution for all your outdoor insect problems -including natural outdoor MOSQUITO and FLEA control. It turns out that Mother Nature had the answer all along: CEDAR! Now, thanks to modern technology, Cedar Oil can be extracted and put it into an easy-to-use form that works on all the bad insects. We make this available as a ready-to-use formula called YARD GUARD Natural Outdoor Insect Control.
Use YARD GUARD for protecting your lawn and gardens, pets, and also for foundation insect protection. It controls ants, aphids, bill bugs, chiggers, chinch bugs, fleas, grubs, Japanese beetles, mealy bugs, mites, mole crickets, mosquitoes, moths, palmetto bugs, scale, scales, scorpions, spider mites, spiders, squash bugs, stink bugs, ticks, webworms and a whole lot more. It even repels most snakes!
And best of all: Yard Guard does not repel or harm beneficial insects or pollinators!
