What You Should Know About Crape Myrtle and Lawn Insects

Let’s face it. It’s isn’t easy to maintain a beautiful lawn and landscape. In fact, it often requires significant time and money. The last thing you want is pests and insects to ruin your investment. In this post, North American Home Services describes crape myrtle and lawn insects that infest your landscape and how to protect your investment.

Crape Myrtle

Crape Myrtle flourishes in zones 7-9, which includes Sacramento and California. The plant is as beautiful as it is hardy, making it a popular choice. Moreover, the plants are versatile. In fact, homeowners use the plants as landscaping bushes or even prune them into trees. However, crape myrtle isn’t invincible despite its hardiness.

Crape Myrtle Aphids

The biggest crape myrtle pest has to be the crape myrtle aphid. If you notice a sap-like consistency on your plant along with black leaves, it’s probably not a fungus. In reality, you’re probably dealing with crape myrtle aphids. How can you tell? Simply look at the back of the leaves. 

Crape myrtle aphids look like small, yellowish-green insects. You’ll find them en masse on the back of leaves, feeding on the plant. The leaves themselves may have a sticky texture or they may be covered in a black mildew-like texture. 

Other Crape Myrtle & Lawn Insects

Spider mites. Spider mites are tiny, microscopic-sized spiders. You probably won’t see them with your eye, but you might notice the tiny webs they leave behind. 

Japanese beetles. As you probably know, Japanese beetles are easy to spot. Their greenish-purple bodies almost look iridescent. If it weren’t for wreaking havoc on plants, including crape myrtle, these insects might be considered pretty. Unfortunately, these beetles cause a lot of damage, and they’re not the easiest to treat. 

Ants. If you have crape myrtle aphids, you probably also have ants. Ants are attracted to the sticky, sappy substance the aphids leave behind. Once attracted, ants naturally seek additional food sources, including your lawn and home. Since the aphids attract additional insects and cause damage, it’s best to seek professional pest control treatment.

Pest Control That Works

North American Home Services is adept at treating crape myrtle aphids and providing lawn treatments, too. Before you know it, we’ll have your plants and lawn looking beautiful again. After treatment, you’ll feel confident knowing you’ve protected your investment. Our process includes treating the aphids, and we also include lawn fertilization and other treatments, too. 

In addition to crape myrtle and lawn insect treatment, NAHS can also treat termites, bed bugs, rodents, and a number of other pests in addition to our other services. If you live in Sacramento or the surrounding area, call (916) 481-0268 to speak to a professional today.