One of the most difficult parts of maintaining a healthy lawn is ridding it of any pesky insects that can cause quite a bit of significant (and costly) damage. It’s even tougher to figure out the best method or approach to use to eliminate troublesome insects.
With so many chemicals available in a variety of different insecticides on hardware store shelves, choosing the right insect control product can become daunting. You also don’t want to select an insecticide that can damage your grass or cause harm to any pets or children running around outside either.
Sod University compiles a list of the top-rated, most popular and effective insect killers available to homeowners that you can purchase from the comfort of your home. With any control product—be it herbicides, fungicides or insecticides—be sure to read the product label thoroughly before application.
Natural Guard Spinosad RTS
Natural Guard® Spinosad RTS is an organic-based insect control product that’s easy to use and effective against a wide range of lawn and garden pests. Classified by the USDA National Organic Standards Board as an organic substance, it’s a great option for homeowners seeking a safer alternative for kids, pets and pollinator-friendly lawns.
This product comes in a convenient quart-sized bottle that hooks directly to the end of your garden hose for quick and even coverage.
It provides control of foliage-feeding worms (such as sod webworms and caterpillars), thrips, codling moths, asparagus beetles, leafminers, spider mites and other listed insects. Because it works on contact and ingestion, pests often stop feeding shortly after treatment, even before they die off.
Natural Guard Spinosad can be used on turf, ornamentals, fruits, vegetables and citrus, making it one of the most versatile options available.
Coverage: One quart treats up to 5,300 sq. ft.l
Active Ingredient(s): Spinosad (mixture of Spinosyn A & D) – 0.5%
Ease of Use: Ready-to-spray; hooks up to the end of your garden hose
Best Used On/For: Lawns, ornamentals, fruits, vegetables and citrus; especially effective on sod webworms, caterpillars and thrips
Dylox 6.2 Granular Insecticide
Dylox® 6.2 Granular Insecticide is one of the most effective solutions on the market for grub worm control, offering fast-acting results against both surface-feeding and subsurface soil pests. It is especially valued by turf managers and homeowners for its ability to kill second and third instar grubs on contact, protecting lawns from severe underground damage that can lead to turf loss.
Beyond grub control, Dylox 6.2 also targets other destructive lawn pests such as mole crickets, sod webworms, cutworms and armyworms. Thanks to its advanced formulation, Dylox penetrates up to 0.5 inches of thatch, ensuring the active ingredient reaches deeply embedded insects that other products may miss.
The active ingredient, Trichlorfon (6.2%), works by both contact and ingestion, reducing insect populations quickly after application. Dylox has a longer effective application window than many competitors, giving homeowners more flexibility when timing their treatments.
Coverage: A 30 lb. bag covers 10,000 sq. ft. for white grubs, weevils, chinch bugs, cranberry girdlers and mole crickets; up to 15,000 sq. ft. for sod webworms, armyworms and cutworms
Active Ingredient: Trichlorfon 6.2%
Ease of Use: Requires a broadcast or drop spreader for even application
Best Used On/For: Quick control of grub worms (second and third instar) and a broad spectrum of surface-feeding and subsurface soil pests
Bifen XTS Insecticide
Bifen XTS is similar in its Bifenthrin makeup, but instead of coming in the form of a granular product, Bifen XTS is a liquid insecticide. Bifenthrin granules is slightly less expensive and covers 5,000–17,000 sq. ft. with 0.2 percent Bifenthrin as its active ingredient, but Bifen XTS, as a liquid insecticide, is 25.1 percent Bifenthrin, slighly more expensive and covers between 106,000–458,000 sq. ft. with a single quart bottle.
Bifen XTS is an oil-based formula with water resistant long lasting residual control that lasts for up to 90 days. It controls over 70 types of bugs, insects and other pests listed on its product label. This product requires tank mixing and a hose-end sprayer.
Coverage: One quart covers between 106,000–458,000 sq. ft.
Active Ingredient: Bifenthrin 25.1%.
Ease of Use: Requires tank mixing and spray application.
Best Used On/For: Pre- and post-construction termite treatments, turf and ornamentals and outdoor perimeter pest control.
Imidacloprid .5G Granular Insecticide
Imidacloprid .5G Granular Insecticide is another granular product similar to Bifen L/P, but with the active ingredient Imidacloprid. This broad-spectrum insecticide offers both preventative and curative treatments for the most common turf and ornamental pests such as billbugs, chinch bugs, mole crickets, grub worms, beetles and chafers.
You can find a full list of insects controlled on the product label. Imidacloprid .5G is a systemic insecticide, meaning that it soaks into the plant’s system so that the bugs who feed on the plant ingest the chemicals and then die. 30 lbs. of Imidacloprid .5G Granular Insecticide will cover between 16,000–21,000 sq. ft. and requires the use of a spreader.
Overall, all of the above listed insecticides are really popular and effective for homeowner use—it mainly depends on the situation you have at home. If you are looking for something simple and easy to use, Spectracide Triazicide may be your best bet. If you seem to have a larger insect problem or want something a little stronger than a hose-end sprayer, both Bifen L/P Insecticide Granules and Imidacloprid .5G Granular Insecticide are great options.
The active ingredients Bifenthrin and Imidacloprid are some of the most effective ones in insect control products. Both of these, however, will require a spreader for proper application. If you have a very serious issue in your lawn, or would rather purchase a liquid insecticide that will last longer, Bifen XTS may be your best choice. The liquid insecticides will require tank mixing, so be sure to read the product labels thoroughly before application.
It is also important to note that before making a purchase on an insecticide, you should accurately try to identify which kind of insects you are experiencing. This will help you select the most effective herbicide that is labeled to treat the insects or bugs you are seeing. Learn more in our Insect Identification blog.
