Are you wondering why your lawn has brown, dying grass patches? It's possible you're facing an infestation of grubs and other sub-surface feeding pests. Grubs are the larvae of certain beetles -- like May/June Beetles, Masked Chafers, and Japanese Beetles -- that feed on the roots of healthy lawns, especially during the spring and fall months.
Grubs can cause significant damage to you lawn's root system, resulting in large areas of dead grass turning brown. If left untreated, a severe infestation can permanently harm your lawn.
Grubs typically have a C-shaped body and can grow to be half an inch to three-quarters of an inch long. Early signs of a grub infestation include irregular patches of dry grass, birds gathering in the area, or sections of turf being torn up by animals like raccoons, possums, and skunks, as they search for grubs as a food source.
The life cycle of white grubs is relatively simple. During the summer, adult beetles fly around. Some species, like Japanese beetles, are active during the day, while others, like chafers, are active at night. After mating, the adult beetles lay their eggs in the soil. Once the eggs hatch, the small grubs start feeding on your lawn. At this stage, they are so tiny that they often go unnoticed along with their damage. In September and October, the grubs continue to feed and grow. By November, they stop feeding and burrow down 3 to 12 inches to create winter cells.
When spring arrives, the grubs move up to feed on the tender roots of your fresh springtime grass. By this point, the grubs have matured and can cause significant damage.
You can check your grass for grub damage by pulling on the grass surface -- if grubs have been feeding on the roots, the turf will easily come up from the soil, similar to lifting a corner of carpet, and you may even find grubs just below the surface of the soil.
We recommend using Purely Organic Products natural Grub & Feed Lawn Food 10-0-2 to combat and prevent grub infestations in your lawn. For the best protection, apply Grub & Feed twice in the late Summer -- July and August -- about 30 days apart. An additional application of Grub & Feed in the Spring (late March or April) will also help repel new infestations if your lawn has shown signs of grub damage in previous years.
Purely Organic Products provides a wide range of natural and organic plant care solutions for home and professional gardeners.
