In the world of grubs and lawn damage, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Getting the right product down at the right time can all but eliminate these brutal pests from your lawn.
What Are Grubs?
Grubs are the immature or larval stage of Japanese beetles and other types of beetles such as European Chafer beetle. They all look similar and cause similar damage to turf grass roots. For the most part, the grubs are C-shaped, plump and white with a brown head and six pro-legs. Adult beetles lay eggs in the lawn typically in late summer to early fall and hatch soon after. It is these young grubs that are the target of the preventative treatments.
Lawn Damage
After the eggs hatch, the new grubs feed on the lawn’s root system in the fall. When they feed on the roots, they destroy the lawn’s ability to absorb nutrients from the soil. The grub activity is obvious as the infested areas leave dead patches that you can pull up like pieces of carpet.
Another sign of a grub problem is rodents digging in your lawn. Skunks commonly dig for grubs and tear up the lawn in the process. Putting a preventative grub control product down in the summer is key to avoiding grub damage in the fall.
Protect Your Lawn
Preventative treatments are by far the best option for grub control. There are two main products used to prevent grubs in lawns using different active ingredients..
The first is neonicotinoids. There is quite a bit of controversy over these products and their impact on pollinators. As long as the licensed applicator follows all the label directions when applying these products, these risks are greatly reduced.
There is another product with a very different mode of action that is extremely effective against grubs and caterpillars and has no known toxicity towards bees and other pollinators. This product is called Acelepryn for professional applicators and is also available to homeowners in a granular formulation known as Grub-ex.
Timing Is Critical
The timing on the two preventative products is different so be sure, again, to read and follow all label directions to get the best results. Neither of these products are meant to control mature grubs already established in the lawn. There are other products meant to kill grubs in the lawn.
What If I Have Grubs Now?
In most cases, if you have grubs in your lawn in the spring they are not actively feeding enough to do significant damage. But if you do currently have grubs feeding on and damaging your lawn, you will need a chemical control that is fast acting. One trade name for this type of product is Dylox. This and other products are available from a lawn care service or as a homeowner product. Again, read and follow all label directions for best control.
There are a lot of variables to consider in grub control and choosing the combination that works best can be a little overwhelming. If you would like to leave the decisions up to the professionals, contact your local lawn care company for a quote.
Get More Info From The Pros!
Looking for more information on grub control or just ready to let the professionals take over your lawn care needs? The Grassmaster Plus team is ready and willing to answer any questions you have and can provide you a free quote on your lawn care services for the season. Contact our local office today!