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Do I have a grub infestation?
Have you been noticing small, white, c-shaped bugs digging around in your yard? If the answer to that question is yes, you’ve been seeing grubworms. While they are harmless to humans, grub worms can be devastating to the health of your lawn or garden. Knowing how to spot grub worms, knowing how they got there in the first place, and taking immediate action is key to maintaining your lawn health.
Because grubs live beneath the soil’s surface, their presence is usually noticed only after the damage has started. Grub damage takes the form of irregularly shaped brown patches on a lawn. The damage usually makes its first appearance in August and is sometimes mistaken for drought harm. Unlike a drought-damaged lawn, grub-infested turf peels up easily from the soil because its roots have been eaten. Other signs of grub infestation are indicated by flocks of birds that descend on your lawn and damaged areas of grass. Birds, moles, and skunks feed on grubs, and will cause additional harm to your turf as they search for their next feeding.
What Is A Grub?
Grub Worms, typically called “grubs”, are small larvae that typically live in the soil of most lawns and gardens. Grubs are milky white with a brownish head. Measuring from ¼ to more than one inch in length, they have soft bodies with legs near their heads. They typically curl into a "C" shape when disturbed. Depending on the species, they may have a one-year to three-year life cycle. Annual white grubs begin their life cycle in mid to late summer.
Do Grubs Turn Into Beetles?
Grubs are the larvae of most beetle species. Beetle development happens in four stages. In stage one, a female beetle lays eggs in the soil around July. Two weeks later, the eggs hatch and emerge in their grub (or larval) form. In the grub stage, the larvae eat, shed their skin, and grow. By fall, when the temperature has dropped, grubs burrow into the soil and spend their winter below the frost line. By springtime, the grubs have moved back up toward the surface. They feed on roots some more before entering the third stage, known as the pupal stage. The insect emerges from its “pupae” stage, as an adult beetle, in late June to early July, in search of food and a mate, beginning the cycle again.
What Do Grubs Eat?
Lawn grubs eat organic matter as they travel through the soil. Their most common foods are the roots of plants and grasses. As these grubs mature, they eventually turn into the adult beetles of their species. Once they are adult beetles, they will eat the flowers and leaves of trees, shrubs, and vegetables. If left untreated, grubs can cause severe damage to your lawn.
How Do I Prevent A Grub Infestation?
Grub infestations can be prevented when you keep your lawn healthy. Fertilize, mulch, and keep your turf at least two inches high, as beetles prefer laying their eggs in grass cut short. Water your lawn sparingly, but soak the ground when you do. This encourages grass to grow stronger, deeper roots. It is also important to aerate your lawn regularly,because beetles prefer compacted, undisturbed soil when they lay their eggs.
How Do I Get Rid Of Grub Worms?
While there are many home remedies and DIY techniques to combat the presence of grubs in your lawn, the only way to be certain a grub infestation has been eliminated is to contact the best grub control in Maine. At Turf Doctor, we’ve been protecting lawns from grubs for over seven decades. Whether you need year-round protection or spot treatments, we have the treatment option to fit your lawn’s unique needs. If you’re in need of relief from pesky grubs, call the Turf Doctor at 207-622-6600!