Grubs Rubbing You the Wrong Way?

White grubs are the larval stage of several types of beetles, including Japanese Beetles, Masked Chafers and June Beetles. The adult beetles don’t do any harm to lawns, but the grubs can completely destroy turf if they’re not prevented or controlled.

Life Cycle

These insects go through four life stages: egg, grub (larva), pupa and adult (beetle). Beetles lay their eggs in lawns in mid to late summer, and the eggs hatch two to three weeks later. The grubs live in the soil under the thatch layer, feeding on grass roots through late fall. They then overwinter in the soil and feed again in the spring before pupating and emerging as adult beetles.

A Hidden Threat

Since they’re hidden below the thatch layer, grubs can go unnoticed while they eat the roots out from under your lawn. Often, the first sign of trouble is dead spots in otherwise healthy turf. That’s why it’s important to perform a periodic grub check early in the summer if dead patches are present. You can do this by pulling up a small patch of turf with your hands. If the turf pulls up easily and you see white grubs in the soil, control will be needed.

Control

The best method of control is prevention! Not all of our clients have Grub Preventer as part of their Turf Health Care Program. Call Kim Gottschalk to make sure you have it in your services or to add it to your program. Sometimes, the population of white grubs can cause damage despite preventative treatment. We offer a curative treatment in the late summer or early fall upon request.

We Offer Two Services to Prevent or Control Beetle Damage to Lawns:

White Grub Preventative Insecticide Application

Service Description: Apply insecticide containing imidichlorprid as an active ingredient to deter the buildup of white grub populations in turf. Applications are timed to correspond with the adult emergence of three beetle species that cause the most damage to turfgrass.

There are seasons when some populations are not adequately controlled with the prevention treatment. If a substantial white grub population is found in turf in late summer or early fall, an insecticide containing trichlorfon will be applied at a curative rate for an additional charge.

White Grub Curative Insecticide Application

Service Description: After white grubs are found to be present in turf, apply insecticide containing trichlorfon at a curative rate.

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