Grubs, also known as White Grubs, are a juvenile stage of Japanese Beetles or May/June Beetles. During July, adult beetles lay eggs in the soil. Those eggs hatch at the end of summer. The grub stage then feeds on the roots of the lawn. The grubs feed on the lawn during the fall, burrow deeper in the soil during the winter, come back to the surface during the spring to continue feeding, and then ultimately emerge as adults during the summer.
What damage do grubs cause?
When grubs feed on the lawn roots, they reduce the lawn’s ability to take up nutrients and water. This often leads to dead brown spots in the lawn. These spots will enlarge with time as the grubs continue to feed on the roots.
How do I know if I have grubs?
If brown areas of the lawn pull up easily, the roots are not attached to the soil, then grubs are the likely cause. You may also notice small white grubs in the soil at the interface of brown and green grass.
How do you control grubs?
Because adult beetles can fly in from anywhere, controlling the grub hatch is the ideal way to reduce lawn damage. Products can be applied during the late spring/early summer to control hatching grubs. If you already have actively feeding grubs, there are products that can be applied to kill the active grubs as well.
How do you manage the brown spots caused by grubs?
Unfortunately, grubs kill the grass. This means that the areas will need to be seeded or sodded to get the lawn back in shape.
Unsure if you have grubs?
Send in some photos so our experts can assess what might be going on. We will let you know what is going on or schedule someone to come take a closer look.