WHAT’S BUGGIN’ YOUR LANDSCAPE? (Part 3)

Close your eyes and intently listen to all the sounds being made by bugs and insects in your landscape. Some of the more prominent sounds may be from crickets, grasshoppers, and cicadas. Probably the more prominent sound you might hear is from the cicadas . They are often confused with locusts because they look similar, but cicadas do not swarm or eat crops like locusts. Their sound can easily register from 80 to more than 100 decibels, depending on how close you are to them. They create the sound using tymbal organs (like miniature drums) on the sides of their abdomens, making clicking sounds hundreds of times per second. For 2026, a cicada brood is not expected to emerge in southwest Ohio. In 2025, Brood XIV covered much of the state. This year, expect to hear and see annual cicadas from July through early autumn. Typically, cicadas do not harm healthy, mature landscapes, but can cause damage to young, small trees. A fine mesh netting can help protect them from the damage. Grasshoppers have small pegs on their back legs which they rub against ridged areas of their forewings creating a vibration which makes a buzzing sound. They are nowhere near the loudness of cicadas, producing anywhere from 20 to 50 decibels. However, they can cause serious damage to plants and grass in your landscape by chewing leaves and stems. Sometimes they strip plants bare and sometimes they leave the plant looking ragged with irregular edges. Crickets , in high populations can cause significant damage to your lawn – thin yellowing areas, root damage, and destruction of plants. They are also loud, like cicadas, reaching a decibel range of 60 to 100. The ones that do the most damage are the mole crickets, which tunnel below the soil surface and damage roots. They become active in August, doing most of their destruction during the night hours. Maintaining a healthy, well-kept landscape makes it much easier to control damage from these insects. Greenbush offers a professional lawn program , tree and plant care , and perimeter pest control that will keep these insects at bay. You can reach Greenbush for a free quote by emailing greenbushpros@gmail.com or phoning 937-787-4490.

Close your eyes and imagine a delicious buffet of your favorite foods – prepared and waiting for you to enjoy. Are you salivating yet? Now open your eyes and be aware of all of the bugs and insects who view your landscape (plants, trees, and lawn) the same way. Plants with succulent, tender leaves that are not only tasty, but are abundant. It’s that time of the year when insect pests are very active; so, it requires diligence to spot and control their ravenous activities. One of the more common destructive pests are bagworms. Bagworms are native moth larvae that develop inside a cocoon (silk bag) woven around their bodies. They travel inside their bag, attaching to twigs of trees and plants with strands of silk. They devour leaves and needles on more than 125 species of evergreen and deciduous woody plants in 45 plant families. As the caterpillars mature, they weave additional host plant debris into the bag, leading to a well camouflaged home. In southwest Ohio, they specifically damage spruces, eastern redcedar, junipers, and arborvitae, but can affect other trees and shrubs. Since one female can produce 500 to 1000 eggs, the damage they can inflict spreads quickly. In southwest Ohio, bagworm season is underway. Early detection is critical to preventing damage to your landscape. If you see browning leaves and bare branches, the damage may be from bagworms. Greenbush would like to partner with you to preserve your trees, shrubs, and plants in their natural beauty. You may contact Greenbush for a free inspection and quote . Email at greenbushpros.com or phone at 937-787-4490 .