When do grubs appear

By September white grubs are fully-grown and thus harder to kill. Severe damage to turf may have already occurred. If raccoons have found the grubs they will continue to return and cause additional destruction. In many cases it may be preferable to repair the damage through seeding or sodding without treating. If the old loose sod is still green it may reattach with adequate watering. Insecticide treatments after early October are not effective and are not recommended.

If you do treat it may not be necessary to treat the entire lawn. Treat grub "hot spots" determined by observation or sampling. Presently, trichlorfon Dylox or Bayer Hour Grub Control and Sevin are the fastest-acting, most effective homeowner insecticides for curative grub control. By the time damage is apparent it is much too late for preventive white grub products such as Merit and Grub-X. Neonicotinoids are systemic and are absorbed by the grass, killing grubs not on contact but rather when they feed on the roots of plants that have been treated.

Generally, these chemicals are best applied from mid-June to early August. There are also several preventative products that include both a neonicotinoid and a pyrethroid, which provides control not only for grubs but also caterpillars, billbugs, and some other lawn insect pests. According to research from Michigan State University , products that only contain lambda-cyhalothrin, gamma-cyhalothrin, bifenthrin, deltamethrin, cyfluthrin or permethrin do not work for grub control. This time of year late summer and fall , only curative products can be used to effectively control grub populations.

Ingredients such as carbaryl, trichlorfon or zeta-cypermethrin are curative and work on contact with grubs. These products can be effective, but are broad-spectrum and have a low residual, killing beneficial insects on contact as well as lawn pests like grubs. These products should be watered in well, immediately after application.

The later in the season these products are applied, the farther down the chemical needs to travel in the soil to contact the grubs. Learn more about current insecticide approaches for white grubs from UMass Extension. Also be conscious of drift. Only use chemicals to control grubs if necessary, and always follow all instructions on the label.

The products that are designed to be used for grubs in the lawn are not designed for use in gardens. Rather, techniques like crop rotation, tilling, and handpicking are better options. Not necessarily, because the adult stage of grubs are flying beetles that can travel to your garden from outside your property. Learn more about these beetles. However, they only work if used in the lawn in June and July. The chemicals carbaryl and trichlorfon that are considered curative treatments — they are short-lived products effective immediately.

Always follow label directions carefully when using any chemical pesticide. Any use poses a risk of harm to not just people, but other insects, including lawn-beneficial pollinators. One way to mitigate the damage: Mow your lawn just before applying so there are no weed flower heads to attract the pollinators to your temporarily poisoned yard. He also mentions research from a University of Kentucky entomologist suggesting you should choose one species of turfgrass over another.

Professor Daniel. What about those common organic recommendations for killing lawn grubs online, such as milky spore disease or beneficial nematodes? However, Shetlar did let on that the most experienced organic lawn care professionals may have the knack for using them effectively against white grubs. During this period, grubs amp up their eating, and the damaged and dead grass becomes more visible. Many factors can cause brown patches in your yard, like drought or disease.

However, if you see brown patches and other signs of grubs, it is likely time to start grub control treatments. Have a pest control company inspect your yard to discover the truth of the issue. Grubs are really only big trouble when they have too large of a population. To check for grubs, use a shovel to dig up a few small spots in the suspicious parts of your yard.

Grub worms are off-white in color with brown heads, chubby bodies, and three pairs of legs. They usually lay in a c-shape when they are exposed. If you see more than five grubs per square foot , you may have an infestation. Start a grub control treatment as soon as possible before the grubs create the next two issues on our list numbers 5 and 6.

Does your grass have a spongy or loose feel when you walk on it? The damage that grubs cause is quite unique and leads to some rather unusual symptoms. Grubs actually feed on the roots of grass, and so the damage they inflict occurs underground. As the grubs feed on the root structure, the connection between the root base and the green turf is weakened.