They could be creeping in your lawn without you even knowing it at first. These little creatures are about ½ in length, white in color and C shaped. They typically lay their eggs in the summer and multiply rapidly. Eventually, grubs turn into adult beetles and come out of the soil to mate and lay eggs which hatch into more grubs.
Lawn grub damage is usually visible from late summer and peaking in the early fall. One of the first signs is brown dead spots on the lawn.
How to tell if you have a grub problem
You can do a quick test by picking a control area, dig up a 1 square foot and 2 to 4 inches deep lawn section (you can do any area but those with visible damage is preferred). If you have grubs you will see them curled up and spaced out throughout the soil. 1-4 grubs are to be expected on a healthy lawn, and no treatment is required. If you have more than 5 grubs per square foot, you will need a corrective grub application. If a patch of grass lifts up like a carpet with no roots holding it down, you likely have an infestation of lawn grubs.
More than 5 grubs per sq ft needs grub control application
How to treat grubs in a lawn
Curative Grub Control
If you know you have a grub problem there are some products that are used for corrective purposes and work almost immediately. We use Dylox Grub Control made by Bayer and can be applied anytime during the growing season (Spring, Summer, and Fall). Dylox should be watered in for at least 1 to 1.5 hours for best results to ensure the product makes it through the thatch layer to where the grubs are feeding. More applications may be needed for mature grubs. Follow a preventive grub application for the next 2 years.
Preventive Grub Control
If you do not see any grub damage but want to prevent any infestations then a preventive more lasting application should be applied. This application is recommended prior to, or just after, grub egg lay (beginning of Summer). We use Merit 0.5. and apply it first week of July. Both curative and preventative, Merit provides a more lasting grub control coverage.
| Product | Application | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Dylox 6.2 Granular | Kills grubs | Works for 48 hours |
| Merit 0.5 | kills & prevents | April - October |
| Grubex | kills & prevents | Spring - early summer |
Some helpful tips:
- Apply a grub control application in July as a preventive measure
- Repair dead lawn patches by overseeding to strengthen your lawn
- Keep an eye on other nearby properties, inform neighbors to avoid a bigger grub problem
- Mow the lawn before the grub treatment so that active ingredients reach the soil easier
Not only do grubs damage the lawn, their presence also attracts unwelcome wildlife. Animals such as raccoons, skunks, moles and other rodents will find a way to feed on the grubs. They will even build small tunnels to reach the grubs. These critters have no concept of “property lines” and can easily find their way into even a fenced in yard.
