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Leatherjackets (European Crane Fly)

Leatherjackets are the larvae of the European Crane Fly or ‘Daddy Long Legs’, as they are commonly known. The larvae cause damage to lawns by feeding on the roots of grass plants.

Adult crane flies hatch from pupae in late July and August. within 24 hours of hatching they lay their own eggs in the ground. 

The larvae then hatch about 2 weeks later and start to feed on grass roots, which continues through winter and into spring. They stop feeding in May/June when they will pupate in the soil.

In general, they stay underground in the day and move up to the turf leaves at night. On very cloudy days when the turf is wet you may see the larvae in the turf.  Leatherjackets are about 25mm long and have a grey/brown leathery skin.They are very sensitive to drying and do not survive if they are dried out by the sun. 

Uncategorised - Leatherjackets

Damage to lawns occurs from autumn to spring but is most severe in the spring when the leatherjackets are fully grown. Symptoms may appear as yellowing, weak areas of grass where the roots have been damaged. The grass can be easily pulled up with little or no root growth. 

Damage is usually more severe when the previous autumn has been mild and wet. Secondary damage can also be caused by birds and mammals digging up turf in search of leatherjackets.

The time to control the insects is when they are in the larval stage, not flies. They can be controlled by removing by hand or applying a biological nematode, which attack the larvae, killing them within a few weeks. They are specific to the pest concerned and, therefore, safe for the user, children, pets, wildlife and the environment. 

The main season for application is late August until the end of October. A spring application can be made in the case of severe infestations if the soil temperature is over 10 degrees Celsius.

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Important update: Temporary 6.5% surcharge effective 7 April 

At Rolawn, we are committed to maintaining the high standards of quality and service our customers expect, so we want to be open with our customers about a change that will affect pricing from Tuesday 7th April. 

This decision has been taken in response to disruption to energy supplies, which has led to significant increases in wholesale prices, affecting not only fuel and fertiliser but also costs throughout our wider supply chain. As a business that relies heavily on fuel for both transport and operations, these sustained cost pressures have become increasingly difficult to absorb.  

While we have worked hard to mitigate the impact, the scale and pace of recent price increases have now exceeded what we can sustain internally, and we therefore need to recover a proportion of these externally driven increases. 

From Tuesday 7th April, a temporary 6.5% surcharge will apply to all products.  

We know that any increase in price is frustrating, particularly at a time when many businesses and households are already feeling under pressure. That is why we want to be clear that this is not a decision we have made lightly, and not one we wanted to make. It has been introduced solely to help offset unavoidable cost inflation and allow us to continue delivering the quality, reliability and service standards associated with Rolawn. 

We will continue to monitor market conditions closely and will review this surcharge as soon as circumstances allow, providing reasonable notice of any changes. We recognise that any price increase is unwelcome, but this step is necessary to ensure the continuity and reliability of our operations during a period of ongoing uncertainty. 

We remain committed to providing the quality, reliability and service standards you expect from Rolawn, and we truly appreciate your understanding and continued support. 

If you have any questions, please contact our customer support team who will be happy to help.