You will normally see the flies in your garden around September or early October. At this time they will be laying their eggs in your lawn.
During the winter and spring time, the eggs will hatch and the larvae will start to feed on the roots of your grass.
If we are lucky to have a long and deep hard frost then this can help manage and control the numbers that survive, but due to recent milder spells, the numbers have grown over recent years.
What damage can Leatherjackets do?
As they eat the roots, the grass will begin to die off. Brown patches will begin to develop, and you may even be able to grab and pick up sections of the lawn.
A lot of damage can also be done by birds such as crows that come down to feed on them. They peck at the lawn to turn the turf over and this in itself causes a mess.
Give us a call if you suspect your lawn has Leatherjackets.
