Don't Let Pests Ruin Your Time Outdoors or Your Lawn

RTP, NC – The tough economy is forcing many of us to stay home more often to save money. That means more time in the backyard.

"We may rediscover our backyards for activities such as get-togethers, lawn games or just relaxing," says Bayer Advanced Garden Expert Lance Walheim, author of Lawn Care for Dummies.

But the warmer weather can bring out bugs that can bite.

Ticks can attach themselves to you or your pets and feed on blood. Bites can cause mild skin irritation or even transmit Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
Fleas can make your dog or cat scratch and can cause skin irritation, severe allergic reactions, anemia and tapeworms.
Chiggers like to bite people and pets and can cause annoying, itchy red bumps.

There are also insects that attack your lawn and can cost you money if left unchecked, such as armyworms, mole crickets, European Crane Flies or grubs.

"You can save time by checking your lawn for damage while you're out cutting the grass," says Walheim.

Here are some warning signs:

Armyworms cause arcs or circles of dead, brown grass.
Mole crickets cause thinning or torn-up grass that dries up or turns brown.
European Crane Fly larvae cause bare spots or yellow patches in your lawn because they feed on the roots from underground.
Grubs eat grass roots too. Symptoms include brown patches, and, in extreme cases, you can lift up your grass like a blanket.

Bayer Advanced™ Complete Insect Killer for Soil & Turf (bayeradvanced.com) is a do-it-yourself solution that comes in a liquid (concentrate or ready-to-spray), or a granular form, applied with a spreader. The exclusive formula combines two targeted chemistries that kill surface insects in 24 hours and kill underground insects for up to three months. Always read and follow label directions. (This product isn't registered in Long Island, New York.)

Here are other helpful tips that will reduce the chances of insect damage. Mow higher. Water deeply, 6 inches or more. Be sure to fertilize. Warm-season grasses, like Bermuda or St. Augustine, require fertilization in late spring. Cool-season grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue, need to be fertilized in the fall. If you see a problem, attack it fast. It'll save you time and money.

About Bayer Advanced

Bayer Advanced lawn and garden products are created by Bayer Environmental Science, a business unit of Bayer CropScience LP and part of the Bayer AG family, a Fortune Global 500 company that makes such well-known brands as Bayer Aspirin, Aleve® and Alka-® Research Triangle Park, NC, is the business headquarters of the company''s NAFTA Region. Kansas City, MO, is the company''s core technology center. The global headquarters of Bayer CropScience is located in Monheim, Germany.

Bayer Advanced products deliver Better Science. Better Results.™ and carry a money-back guarantee. They are available at major retailers and independent garden shops across the United States. You can learn more by visiting www.bayeradvanced.com or by calling 1-877-BAYERAG.