You probably know those itchy bumps that form on your skin after playing or sunbathing on the lawn. These are the bites of the grass mite. Numerous measures are known to combat the pests which, in acute cases, ensure that the vermin disappear. But are there also preventive measures that prevent a population from developing in the summer? How do grass mites actually overwinter?
In winter, grass mites crawl into the soil
Grass mites love warm temperatures
Grass mites prefer to be in places where temperatures are between 25 and 30°C. Therefore, you suffer from the bites especially in the summer time from July to October. However, the activity of the parasites has already been detected at just 10°C.
tips
High temperatures are always accompanied by high humidity. If you avoid this, for example by ventilating your greenhouse well and by keeping sufficient planting distance in the bed, you have taken the first step towards prevention.
wintering
When winter comes, the grass mites crawl into the ground. They penetrate the ground up to a meter deep. As a rule, they are well protected from frost there, because icy cold is the only thing that can really be dangerous for the parasites. Only in very cold winters, when even the deeper layers of soil freeze, do a large part of the grass mites die. When temperatures rise again in spring, the pests reappear and take their usual place on the grass tips.
contain the population
Unfortunately, it is very difficult to take action against the grass mites. Possible preventive measures are
- Cut the lawn
- scarify the lawn
By keeping your lawn very short, you deprive grass mites of their usual habitat on the grass tips. In addition, the morning dew dries faster. The parasites don't like the dry air.
Scarifying in spring loosens the soil. With a bit of luck, you will disturb the grass mites during the hibernation in this way.