Special note

What are leatherjackets and how do they live (lifecycle)?:

- Leatherjackets are the larval stage of the crane fly or daddy-long-legs.

- Leatherjacket larvae are about 2.5cm (1" long), greyish black in colour, legless and with no distinct head.

- When you start to see the adult daddy-long-legs in your garden (towards the end of August) you will know that in a few days they will be laying eggs. These will hatch quickly, within two weeks. The young start to feed, continuing throughout winter, ready to gorge on grass roots in spring.

What damage does a leatherjacket do and how do I recognise it?:

- Grass growth slows and yellow patches appear as the leatherjackets get munching. As a result grass is easily pulled up, with little or no root growth.

- In August you might see clouds of daddy-long-legs emerging from lawns in the early morning and this is a sure sign of leatherjacket infestation.

- Starlings peck at the grass in an attempt to eat the grubs.

- Wildlife, such as foxes and badgers, can also create a lot of damage as they dig up your lawn in search of grubs for food.

Nemasys Leatherjacket Killer:

- Use Nemasys Leatherjacket Killer to deal with a leatherjacket infestation, without any of the precautions associated with chemical use, such as excluding children and pets from treated areas until dry or the question of what to do about grazing pets, such as rabbits and guinea pigs.

- Apply when the young leatherjackets are active in the soil, this is typically late August through to the end of October.

- When you start to see the adult daddy-long-legs in your garden (towards the end of August) you will know that in a few days they will be laying eggs. These will hatch quickly, therefore, aim to apply two weeks after you see the adults.

- Apply to moist lawns when the soil temperature is above 12ºC (54ºF) and water them in well. Immediately after applying the nematodes, water the grass well so the nematodes are washed into the soil to reach the roots where the leatherjackets will be. Make sure the lawn does not dry out after applying nematodes. Keep the lawn well watered for at least two weeks.

- The nematodes (Steinernema feltiae), seek out the leatherjackets and attack the pest by entering natural body openings. Once inside, they release bacteria that stops the pest from feeding, quickly killing the pest. They do not stop there. The nematodes reproduce inside the dead pest and release a new generation of hungry infective nematodes, which disperse and search for further prey.