Grub control is a situation that many lawn and garden owners face. White grubs are pests that can create serious damage. Knowing when and how to treat them can save you a lot of time and money.

To control these pests, you need to be preventative and take action in the spring when grubs are small. Waiting until the summer or the fall, when dead patches are present on your lawns, caused by these pests, is often too late or not useful. Therefore, taking appropriate action sooner rather than later can help keep your yard looking the way you want it from spring right until the fall before your lawn retires for the winter and is covered with snow.

What are Grubs?

The larva of Japanese beetles, masked chafer beetles, or June beetles are grubs. They look like fat, white caterpillars but shorter and without the fuzz. The beetle larva is the immature form of the beetle. It’s the way they look before they become adults. When it comes to lawns, they cause serious damage by feeding on the roots of grass.

The process is the same every year. The beetles feed on the plants in your garden. Then, in the soil of your grass, they lay their eggs. The grubs hatch and start feeding on your lawn.

How do You Know if You Have a Grub Problem?

Every year, our lawns begin to turn green when it starts to warm up, and spring has arrived. Some people have beautiful green grass with no signs of trouble. However, most are not so fortunate. Many experience thin patches of grass or brown spots due to lack of rain from the previous summer or a lack of fertilizer. However, there’s another reason for brown or dead patches, and that reason could be grubs.

Do you notice that creatures are digging up your yard, such as raccoons, skunks, or opossums? If this is happening, your grass could have a grub problem. Also, animals aren’t the only things that like to feed on grubs. If you see birds constantly picking at your grass, that could also be a sign of grubs.

Can you take sections of your lawn and pull it back? Grubs feed on the roots of grass. When they accomplish their tasks, you’re left with nothing but dead patches that you can peel back as if they were pieces of loose carpeting. So if your grass turns brown and pulls up easily in July and August, you may have a grub problem.

You don’t have dead patches, but does your lawn feel like it’s a sponge when you walk on it? Again, because the grubs love to feed on the soil and roots, your grass is getting lifted as they do this. In this case, take a section of your grass, around a square foot, and peel it back. If grubs are present, you have a problem.

How Do You Go About Grub Control?

Understand that no grass is going to be grub-proof and some grass is more susceptible to grubs than other grass. Any grass can become a victim to these creatures. To control these pests, you have to kill them before they hatch. Waiting until the damage has occurred makes grub control difficult. Also, once grubs have been successfully dealt with, the damaged lawn needs to be repaired. Some areas can be repaired with just a regular sprinkling of water, but some areas may require more care than just water. Often, it’s difficult to tell what the right way is to fix grass that has been damaged with grubs.

Proper lawn maintenance is the key for a beautiful lawn. You’ll want to prevent weeds before they sprout. This can be tricky because weeds, particularly dandelions, etc., are meant to spread, and they are meant to be hardy. There are many lawn treatments on the market, but if you don’t follow directions and safety precautions, they can represent a health problem not only for you but also for surrounding plants.

Also, knowing when to apply such products is important for them to be effective. Even things like mowing your lawn too short can create damage for your yard and encourage the growth of weeds. It’s also important to know when to water your lawn. Watering in the early morning is ideal. While watering at night, without the benefit of the sun drying the grass, opens the door for moisture and lawn disease.

A professional lawn care service can give you the peace of mind that your lawn and garden are appropriately taken care of. Lawn care is a science that when done right can provide you with lasting benefits, especially when it comes to serious pests, such as grubs. For more information about the services we offer on grub control please contact us.