Does Artificial Turf Attract Bugs?

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Originally posted on January 18, 2021

Got bugs? Well, if you’re thinking about synthetic grass, here’s a fun fact: It doesn’t invite creepy crawlies over.

The long answer is: No. One of the many benefits of turf, in addition to its durability, easy maintenance, and water conservation, is that it doesn’t attract bugs. In fact, turf deters and mitigates the proliferation mosquitos, caterpillars, weeds, moles, and other pests, vermin, and lawn invaders.

With artificial turf, you can forget the bug spray, mosquito nettings, special candles, and bug zappers, and instead, just enjoy your lawn without the fuss. The next question then, is, how does artificial turf repel bugs? 

mosquito repellents Natural Grass: The Great Pest Magnet

Nothing ruins a BBQ, pool party, soccer practice, or just lounging on your lawn faster than an invasion of mosquitos, ants, or gnats. Unfortunately, natural grass lawns attract and provide a safe harbor for mosquitoes and other pests. Insects buzzing in your ear and causing itchy red bumps on your skin can be more than just a nuisance. They can carry pathogens and cause people and pets to become seriously ill.

Some of the the most troublesome insects found in grass lawns include but are not limited to:

And on top of that, some bugs just attract more bugs. Not all bugs are attracted to the lawn itself, some bugs, like spiders, are attracted to the bugs that are attracted to the lawn as a food source. 

Understandably so, people will go to great lengths to just keep mosquitos away, let alone other bugs. This includes spending hours of labor and hundreds of dollars on products, chemicals, and treatments, like spraying chemicals, burning candles, plugging in fans and diffusers, and installing screens and netting. And that’s all on top of all the other chores and yard work that go into maintaining a lawn.

In addition to mitigating the bug population and preventing pathogen carriers from biting your family, turf is beneficial to your health and the planet by reducing the usage of harmful chemicals like pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers that contaminate the environment. 

Artificial turf lawns mean:

  • No more worrying about preventing bug bites and applying insect repellent without getting in your eyes or mouth. 
  • No more having to keep burning weird smelling candles with mystery chemicals and smoke.  
  • No more spending money on expensive fertilizers just to keep the lawn green. 
  • No more spraying your yard with pesticides and herbicides and worrying about keeping kids and pets off the lawn for hours. 

How does turf deter bugs?

Artificial turf is an excellent pest deterrent, mainly because no water and organic matter is readily accessible. The process alone of preparing the surface and installing turf includes multiple activities that are enough to disrupt, remove, deter, and suppress the presence and proliferation of bugs:

  • Leveling the soil
  • Removing debris and plant matter
  • Affixing a weed barrier
  • Dispersing a layer of aggregate sub base 
  • Laying a base over the sub base
  • Securing panels of turf to the base
  • Spreading infill over the surface

It’s difficult for insects and animals to permeate a layer of gravel, sand, woven synthetic fibers, and granules individually, let alone all of them combined. 

No Water Here, Buggo

Most living things on Earth, like grass and bugs, need water to survive, and some pesky bugs, like mosquitoes, need water to reproduce, so turf helps mitigate the mosquito population by mitigating the standing water in the area. One of the benefits of artificial turf is that it requires no water to stay green and lush. Natural grass on the other hand needs a lot of water to prevent it from becoming brown and crunchy. 

According to the EPA in 2017, nationwide, lawn irrigation accounts for approximately three billion gallons of water per day. With a turf lawn, that’s a lot less water for mosquitoes to proliferate, and that water can be better spent elsewhere. 

Additionally, many insects also thrive on microbes and bacteria that are found in soil. It’s simple. When there is no ready food supply, whether they eat grass, grass roots, or other bugs and pests, ants, spiders, gnats, flies, and mosquitoes and other pests have to go elsewhere.

In addition to keeping away bugs and pests, no water and no dirt also means no mud and no mess. You’ll no longer track in mud into your home and stain your clothes. Artificial turf also reduces slipping and falling by providing traction, but if you do fall, turf is shock-absorbent and non-abrasive to reduce injury, making it great for families with pets and kids. 

Repel Bugs, Save Money, & Invest in Turf

Once installed and when properly maintained, artificial turf can save you a lot of time, money, and headaches ordinarily spent on yard work and dealing with bugs. No more spending money on products and treatments to rid your yard of mosquitoes, ants, and gnats. Instead, turf can help reduce the insect population near you. Preventing disease carrying bugs from being your neighbor is just one of the many benefits of turf lawns, in addition to being durable, low maintenance, and environmentally friendly. If you’re thinking about upgrading to a turf lawn, check out our inventory of high quality landscaping turf, and contact us if you have any questions. 

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