I came home from a two week trip, and find little piles of tiny dirt pills all over my lawn, which is centipede grass.
Does anyone know what this is? There are no bulges or tunnels.
Maybe I should post this in the grass forum, but since I live in North Carolina, thought I'd try here first.
Entlie
What are these dirt pills all over my yard?
Hmmmmm, pills or piles? If you mean piles it is probably just ants. I can't imagine what would make dirt pills.
Look closely by the little piles and see if you see holes going into the ground. If that is the case then you probably have cicada killers building nests for their eggs.
X
Cicada's were everywhere at the coast this week end. Are you seeing bug shells anywhere. I have never seen so many. Maybe one or 2 a year but we found 15. ASHHHHHHH
Lavina
Thanks for your replies.
Ardesia, there are piles of dirt pills. But not sand pills like fire ants build.
Xeramtheum and LavinaMae - It's too dark to look now, but I'll check for cicada shells. However, we have been hearing cicadas a lot this summer. Do I need to get rid of these killer guys, or are they ok?
Entlie
They are ok .. They are large wasps, not aggresive and no threat. A little scary though cause they are big.
They have an interesting life cycle .. if you wish to know more, go here:
http://ww2.lafayette.edu/~hollidac/cicadakillerhome.html
X
Thanks much! I love this forum!
Entlie
LOL Read the things come out in July, but in Pamlico County they are comming out in Sept. I told Hubby I had never seen them this late in the season but hey, Armidillas are now all over west Georgia so what do I know.
Used to be I saw lots of dead deer on west Georgia's roads now I see squashed road kill armidillas.
I wonder why so many of the bugs are hatching this time of the year. weird time for them.
Lavina
I had one of those trapped in my screened porch, I was wondering what it was. It was a lot bigger than a normal wasp.
My understanding is that they do (the larva) eat the grass roots and feed off them. It is wise to get rid of them as an infestation could kill your turf. They feed the same as the japanese beetle larvae.
other comments regarding the cicada bug?
Well I have some new information, and after a conversation with our county extension agent, he assures me they are earthworm piles. The "pills" do look like they have been passed through something (like an earthworm), and since they are a good thing, I am just letting them do their own thing.
Entlie