17/03/2026
Beautiful things up close eh! 😰
We've been talking about these creatures quite a lot lately, and that's because their 'work' causes gardeners a great deal of distress round about this time of year.
These are leatherjackets, the larval stage in the life cycle of crane flies (aka Daddy Long Legs), Flies have maggots, butterflies have caterpillars and Daddy Long Legs' have leatherjackets.
They're hardly cute are they, but we're not here to judge any creature on its looks - it's what they can do to a lawn that worries us. Those incredibly intricate jaws can munch through grass roots like there's no tomorrow - and - to be fair - once the roots have been destroyed, there really is no tomorrow for the plant.
Now - a smattering of leather jackets in a lawn is not something to panic about. It's biodiversity in action and that's a good thing. However, an infestation of these wee beasties WILL destroy a beautiful lawn.
So if you're noticing any of these on or around your lawn, if your grass is looking poorly or if you're seeing lots of birds hopping around feasting on your lawn - the time to take action is NOW.
Call your local UKLCA lawn specialist for help with controlling leatherjacket populations and repairing any damage they may have inflicted.
