When to Apply Sevin on the Lawn in Florida

Insect pests in your lawn are more than enough to cause a headache. Depending on the pests you have and how large their populations are, damage can range from moderate to severe. If the populations are large enough and the damage is severe enough, an effective insecticide may be a viable option for control. In Florida it may be worse, because pests are active year-round. Sevin, a widely available insecticide, has a couple of products in its line designed for lawn products.

Although Sevin's product line has several insecticides, only two are labelled for lawn use as of 2013. These two are Sevin Ready-To-Use 5% Dust, which contains 5 percent carbaryl, and Sevin Lawn Insect Granules, which contains 2 percent carbaryl. Both sprinkle on the lawn similarly, although you must water granules in immediately after application to release the insecticide. Apply Sevin 5 dust, on the other hand, after watering or rain and do not get it wet for at least two days after application.

Sevin Lawn Insect Granules kills numerous lawn pests. Beetle pests include grub and adult scarab beetles. It kills grasshoppers, leafhoppers and several pest moth species including armyworms on contact. This product will also kill scorpions, fleas and ticks in your lawn. Sevin 5 Dust also has a large list of target organisms, but only those above the surface of the soil, not subsurface pests.

Both products only kill pests that are present at the time of application; for subsurface lawn pests such as grubs, granules are most effective when the pests feed near the surface, typically between late March through May and during the summer between July through early September. However, the University of Florida IFAS Extension recommends monitoring your Florida lawn starting in winter. Monitor every two weeks during winter and every seven to 10 days throughout the rest of the year for activity. Apply whichever Sevin product you've chosen when the pests are active and feeding.

Carbaryl is the colloquial name for a chemical known as 1-naphthyl methylcarbamate and has been registered in the United States since 1959. This product disrupts the insects' nervous systems when touched or ingested. Carbaryl, like all pesticides, has the potential to be dangerous to non-target organisms, as well, including you, your children and your pets. Signs of exposure in humans include sweating, headache, cramps, muscle weakness, nausea and restlessness. Greater exposure can lead to excessive salivation, twitching, vomiting and diarrhea, while severe exposure can be fatal.