Ground Services

There are a variety of ant species throughout Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. Although they can be very beneficial to the environment and your lawn (the will forage for insects and their eggs - including termites! They also turn and aerate soil and some species even pollinate plants). With all the benefits ants bring, they can also pose a problem to the lawn and even the home if they are able to establish a colony within a structure.

They are easily identified by the pinches attached to the rear of this insect (which is mainly used for catching prey and defense). Some species do no damage to the landscape while other species can damage seedlings, flowers and soft fruit plants. The damage can be noted by small notches chewed through the leaf or into the plant material. They are active night hunters of insect eggs, soft bodied insects and mites among other things (as well as plants, depending on species).

They can defoliate a tree within a matter of a few weeks (or sooner if the infestation is heavy). We have seen booms of beetle population in areas that previously had no problem. Although the damage looks severe, the tree or shrub usually makes a full recovery by the following year - but if damage continues to occur year after year then the tree or shrub's health may decline and experience die-back.

The feeding leaves the leaves with a lace-like pattern and looks unsightly. On top of the damage these pest do, they also lay eggs which later hatch to be grub larvae and can devastate turf-grass by feeding on the root of grass.