Lawn Grub Facts
There are a few types of lawn grubs that damage lawns and grass that are common in the United States, including the June beetle, green June beetle, Japanese beetle, northern masked chafer beetle, and the black turfgrass ataenius beetle.
All of these lawn grubs can feed off the roots of a lawn, underneath the grass. Lawn grubs suck the nutrients away from the grass and kill it slowly due to a lack of food. Healthy lawns are capable of handling a few grubs, but over time, if the lawn is over encumbered, it can result in a dead lawn.
Most grubs, after metamorphoses, become beetles with a year-long life cycle. This excludes the June beetle, in which has a three-year life cycle. Timing may vary depending on the type of beetle or grub, but eventually, adults emerge from the soil, mate with another female grub, and lay eggs in the soil. This only takes two or three weeks during the summer.
Lawn Grub Bites
Lawn grubs aren’t known to bite but, have a slimy texture on their skin that can cause irritation. Symptoms include serious irritation, rash, scratching, and redness.
Lawn Grub Infestation
Lawn grubs don’t usually enter a household, but can still cause tremendous problems for landowners. Grubs are found underneath the soil beneath grass. They like to find extremely organic soil to feed off of and reproduce.
Small numbers of grubs shouldn’t cause much of an issue, but when they reproduce it can cause real problems since lawn grubs feed on grass roots, causing parts of the grass to die due to lack of nutrients.
Grubs awaken in the spring months and begin feeding on the grass. They then change into pupae that eventually change into beetles. Once beetles emerge, they begin to feed on not only the grass but the flowers that surround the area. Eggs are then laid to restart the process, which leads to a great number of grubs and destruction of the grass.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I have lawn grubs on my property?
Lawn grubs grow underneath the surface of grass. Spots in your lawn that have brown blotches or patches of dead grass may be that way because grubs are eating its roots. During late summer is when grubs feed and cause the most destruction. If you see this, try pulling back the grass. If it simply pulls up easily, it is because the grubs are eating the roots, which destroys the grass and leaves no anchor to the soil.
How can I treat my lawn for lawn grubs?
Different insecticides work to get rid of grubs. Although it may help with the grubs, it does not affect the eggs that have not hatched yet. This means the problem may come back after a certain amount of time and because they are in the soil, it may do more damage to the lawn.
Of course, you can reach out to our team of pest control professionals for assistance with a lawn grub infestation, or any other pest-related infestation that needs fast and effective pest control tactics implemented.