Pest profile

Ground Pearls

Eumargarodes laingi · Hemiptera: Margarodidae[3]

Ground pearls are small scale-like insects that feed on turfgrass roots from inside hard, round shells in the soil.[1]

No licensed photo of this species is available yet; the identification notes below describe what to look for.

How to identify it

  • Immatures encrust themselves in white or tan waxy 'pearls' up to 1/16 inch across.[1]
  • Adult females are pinkish and appear in late spring or early summer.[1]

Look-alikes

Look-alikeHow to tell them apart
Bermudagrass scaleLives on runners and crowns above ground, not on roots in the soil.[1]

Where it lives

It occurs in much of the warmer southern US and is a problem on home lawns.[1]

US map: public records from 2 states since 1990 (GBIF).

Biology and life cycle

Eggs hatch over a long period, May through July, and nymphs start feeding on rootlets.[1]

Damage and signs

  • Damage starts as yellow spots that brown and die and may spread slowly each year; stress speeds it up.[1]
  • It infests bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass, centipedegrass and zoysiagrass, and centipedegrass suffers most.[1]

Health risk

It feeds on plants; Clemson HGIC mentions no risk to people.[1]

Control

Prevention

Reduce turf stress with correct mowing height, soil-test-based fertilizing and liming, and proper watering.[1]

Pesticides

No insecticides are currently labeled for ground pearls.[1]

More from NC State Extension

Adult females are wingless, pinkish scale insects with strong, clawed forelegs; males are gnat-like with a slender waxy tail, and adults are active in late spring and early summer.[2]

Common questions

What are the little white beads in the soil under my dead grass?
They're likely ground pearls, scale insects encased in waxy shells.[1]
Can I treat ground pearls with an insecticide?
No; HGIC says no insecticides are labeled for them, so keeping turf healthy is key.[1]

Sources

  1. Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home & Garden Information Center, “Bermudagrass Scale, Rhodesgrass Mealybug and Ground Pearl (HGIC 2157).” hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/bermudagrass-scale-rhodesgrass-mealybug-ground-pearl/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. NC State Extension, “Ground Pearls in Turf.” content.ces.ncsu.edu/ground-pearls-in-turf (accessed 2026-10-15)
  3. iNaturalist, “Eumargarodes laingi taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1432436 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-15. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.