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Please be sure to read the product label of any insecticide you choose to use to get information on the personal protective safety gear you will need. In most situations, it is recommended that you wear long pants, a long sleeved shirt, closed toe shoes with socks, chemical resistant gloves, and goggles. In areas where ventilation is poor, a manufacturer may recommend you wear a mask or a respirator. We have put together two different safety kits that will make selecting the correct safety gear easier for you.

Crane Fly Inspection Guide

How To Check For Crane Fly Lawn Damage

By DoMyOwn staff
Overview

When To Inspect For Crane Flies

Crane fly damage happens only at certain times of the year, during the fall and springtime, which is when you should be inspecting for these lawn pests.
Step 1

Inspect For Crane Fly Damage

Image showing crane fly damage in the lawn
Crane fly larva damage will cause brown patches in your turf, also causing it to thin in some areas.

Crane flies begin feeding in the fall after they hatch, so you will see damage at this point in the year, as well as in the spring. Depending on the season, this could be as early as March in some areas of the country.

Since crane fly larva damage could appear to be many other kinds of lawn damage, it is important to base your diagnosis on visible larvae rather than just the damage.
Step 2

Inspect For Crane Fly Larvae

It is important to thoroughly inspect your lawn for active larvae.

Start by choosing a few areas of your yard to sample. You can choose areas that are experiencing damage, and others can appear healthy. If sampling a damaged area, test on the borders of the damage and not in the middle, since the larvae will be moving outward to healthy grass to continue feeding.

Cut a square foot sample of turf in each area, pulling turf away from the soil. First check soil for any larvae, and then check the sod sample.

If you have an average number above 25 larvae in each sample, begin treatment.

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