Billbug adults are small grayish or black weevils in the beetle family. The larval stage is the damaging stage of this insect. They feed on the shoots and stems of the grass first, moving down into the crown and roots as they mature. Damage will appear in late July to early August.

Chinch live in the thatch and shoots and are not easily seen unless you actively search for them. All stages of the insect feed, but what makes chinch bugs so damaging is that they are most active in dry conditions in the summer heat.

Sod webworms are the young (larval) stage of lawn moths. The damage from these nocturnal feeders will appear as brown spots that get larger as the caterpillars find new grass to feed on. This damage will be most noticeable in July to early August, when the lawn may be already stressed.

White grubs are the young (larval) stage of a variety of beetles. They are the most damaging insect pest, of home lawns, in the northeast. Large populations can cause severe damage, but even severely damaged lawns can regrow roots if the grubs are killed before predators like skunks and crows find them.