Lawn grubs are pests that have the power to destroy your lawn.
If you have just one or two, you could rest easy.
But in large numbers.
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as they feed on grass roots, they cause sections of the lawn to die.
Luckily, there are ways to eradicate them before they cause widespread damage.
Read on to learn how to remove lawn grubs and keep them from returning.
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Identifying Lawn Grubs
A grub is the soft.
wriggly and wormlike larva of a beetle.
They measure about a 1/2-inch long, are white, and are usually found curled up into a C-shape.
Dung beetleKristian Bell / Getty Images
Lawn grubs have soft bodies with legs near the head.
What Do Grubs Turn Into?
Grubs eventually become adult scarab beetles, which emerge from the soil to mate and lay eggs.
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The adult beetles don’t do much damage to yards.
Scarab beetles with stout, metallic bodies will emerge to mate and lay eggs in early summer to midsummer.
First, small irregular patches of a lawn will appear brown, dry, and wilted.
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Damage also pops up if raccoons and crows tear up the lawn to feed on grubs.
Both types of damage can be extensive during a severe outbreak.
Cut into the soil and look for their presence.
BillbugBrett_Hondow / Getty Images
More than ten grubs per square foot is a red flag.
The presence of grubs may indicates that beetles are laying eggs on your lawn.
An active IPM program is the best plan for dealing with any lawn pests.
Periodic scouting is the best defense, mainly when grub eggs are laid in late June.
(Insecticides such as Merit help prevent grubs in the egg stage.)
It’s also best to wait until a new lawn is established before applying grub-killer chemicals.
Organic
Keeping yoursoil healthywith the right jot down of organic matter can deter grubs.
It can be a lengthy process, but it is organic.
Some nematodes are natural enemies of white grubs.
There are many different types of nematodes, some beneficial and others not.
Tip
Beetles lay their eggs in moist, irrigated soil.
A natural preventive method is to avoid watering your lawn during midsummer dry spells.
The lawn may turn brown and go dormant, but a grub problem is less likely.
Billbugs are prevalent in most of the United States except in Florida.
Adult billbugs are creamy or brown but not metallic.
They chew holes in the grass where they lay their eggs.
Adults and their larvae are equally damaging since they feed off the grass roots.
Here are some tips to keep your lawn as healthy as possible.
Use a preventive insecticide that will stop grubs from infesting your lawn.
You almost alwaysneed intervention to kill or prevent grubs.
White Grub Management in Turfgrass.
Clemson University Home and Garden Information Center.
United Staes Environmental Protection Agency.
Protecting Pollinators While Using Pesticides.
Ohio State University Extension.
West Virginia University Extension.
How to choose and when to apply grub control products to your lawn.Michigan State University Extension.
