Households warned of leatherjacket invasion ruining gardens

Brits are being warned their discoloured garden lawn may be due to an invasion of troublesome leatherjackets.

The experts at GardeningExpress.co.uk are urging households to take immediate action if they notice the pesky bugs in their garden.

Leatherjackets are the larvae of crane flies that like to feed on plants and grass roots.

This often results in patchiness and a tainted yellow colouring which can ruin a garden’s appearance.

Many social media users have shared how the pesky critters have ruined their gardens despite them being in good condition only months prior.

The increasing number of sightings may be due to the heavy rainfall the UK has experienced so far this year, causing them to spring up from the soil depths to feed on the grass.

The green-thumbed experts are offering advice to households struggling with an invasion of the critters on how to identify them and remove their presence.

Chris Bonnett, founder of GardeningExpress.co.uk, said: “If your garden has started to become patchy and yellow-like, it’s likely you’re dealing with a nasty case of leatherjackets.

“The tiny critters can be extremely frustrating to deal with as they can make a beautiful-looking garden look like a dried-up wasteland.

“They’re likely to ruin gardens more than ever this year due to the excessive amount of rain we’ve had.

“To help bring a garden back to life, we’ve put together easy-to-follow advice on how to identify leatherjackets as well as how to remove them from the space.”

Here’s what to know about leatherjackets:

What do they look like? 

Leatherjackets have a thick worm-like appearance. They’re often up to 30mm long and have a grey colouring. 

What damage can they cause? 

The larvae feed on grass which causes yellow-stained grass and severe patchiness.

They also like to eat plants including vegetable roots which can hinder growth and cause them to rot.

How do you get rid of them? 

Leatherjackets can be physically removed but the process will take time to catch them all. Place a black fabric, weed control cover overnight so the critters will come to the surface in the morning.

If you’re struggling to remove them all, it’s worth using nematodes to remove all presence of the grass-eating killers.

How to repair a patchy garden:

A patchy garden can be repaired after a leather jacket invasion but it won’t be an overnight job.

First, aerate the soil so the grass can breathe and isn’t congested with weather.

Then overseeding will be needed to fill the patches and make the space look healthy again.