Help! Unknown Wierd Problem W/Grass–A Bug?

Hart – posted 30 April 2001 14:11

Help me! I have asked many people what is in my lawn and no one has seen anything like this! There are little round patches in my lawn where the grass has disappeared and little volcano-like things are in those dirt patches that have a foul smelling clear-tapioca(or cream of wheat) appearance that foams up out of it. it almost looks like something is laying eggs but there is no insect or little animal visible. If you poke at it it oozes and smells. I am actually scared to have my 2 yr. old son in my front lawn afraid he might catch something! I only have 2 birch trees in the front and am wondering if this is related to the ‘tent catapillars’ we get in those trees every year? I also live in Michigan. HELP!

wdrake – posted 30 April 2001 15:20

I don’t know a lot about many things. What little I know about lawns has to do with warm season grasses.

From what you’ve described I’d guess (or at least investigate) a couple of things. Obvioulsy the mounds make one think of ants.We have them here in the south that can crater a yard overnight. As ants consume/digest only liquids, what you might be seeing is residue form their processing solid material into liquid for the colony.

We have spittle bugs in warm season grasses that deposit a froth on grasses, but no mounds.

Give me an idea of what the weather has been like over th last 3 or 4 weeks ( temperature, rainfall or irrigation) and tell me what type of grass you have and I’ll scratch my head one more time.

I suggest you contact your county extension agent and let me help you.

Bill DrakeNiceville FL

seed – posted 30 April 2001 21:33

Hart, your description reminds me of a slime mold that I had in my turf. In my case it was an orangish foam-like material that seemed to rise up from the ground, coating the lower 4 inches of the bahiagrass leaf blades. It looked almost like styrofoam, but it was sticky to touch. Phil