I have had several landscapers look at my yard and they could find nothing. Ground pearls were first identified as pests in centipede grass from soil samples sent to NC State University from Wilmington, North Carolina in the early 1950's. Ground pearls have been identified as major pests in centipede, St. Augustine, zoysia, and bermuda grasses in most southeastern states. Damage is most obvious in centipede lawns with large dead grass patches appearing in early spring or summer. Partial or low population infestations result in areas more subject to water or nutrient stress.
Little information is available on the biology of the ground pearl.
We do know the ground pearl females emerge from the pearl-like pupal stage in the late spring or early summer. The nymphs reach mature size in one to 20 or more years. The nymphs will molt 12 or more time before reaching mature size. The mechanism that triggers adult emergence is not known. No insecticide is effective to control the nymph ground pearl.