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Controlling and Getting Rid of Grubs in the Lawn

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grub up close

If you had a problem with grubs in your lawn last year, this is the time to apply a preventative grub control treatment to keep them from becoming a problem again this year. Waiting until activity is seen to start getting rid of the grubs in your lawn could mean you need a major lawn overhaul. In some cases, it is not as much from the grubs feeding on the root system of your lawn, but from raccoons, skunks, armadillos, or other foraging animals digging through your lawn, looking for an evening snack.

What Are Grubs?

Grubs are the larval stage of a scarab beetle. There are at least seven different species of beetles that produce grubs that damage lawns to varying degrees. In the Midwest, Japanese Beetles and Northern Masked Chafers are the most prevalent. In the South, Japanese Beetles, Green June Beetles and Southern Masked Chafers are the most common species. In the Northeast, Asiatic Garden Beetles, European Chafers, Oriental Beetles, Northern Masked Chafers and Japanese Beetles as the most common culprits. The Pacific Northwest usually does not have a serious need for grub control, but May Beetles will show up every now and then. Some of these are native to the US and others are imported. The beetle that seems to cause the most damage is the Japanese beetle, as the adults feed on many trees and flowering plants. The female adult lays her eggs in turf areas, which then hatch into lawn-damaging grubs. The Japanese beetle adults will start hatching soon and begin feeding. In some southern areas, the adults may already be active.

What Do Grubs Eat?

Grubs act like mini sod cutters and feed on anything that is on front of them. They eat soil, roots, thatch, and other organic material. If a lawn is being watered on a regular basis, you may not even know that they are a problem until some skunk, raccoon or armadillo comes along and rips up your lawn.

skunk and raccoon damage

How Do I Prevent Grubs?

In order to get rid of grubs in the lawn, the best defense is to apply a preventative grub control now, before the eggs hatch, to prevent them from becoming a problem. The insect control material has to be watered well in order to move it into the soil where the insect can come in contact with it. Contact your local Spring-Green office to schedule this important preventative application before it is too late.