Lawn Care Treatment for Grubs

Grubs are bad enough in your lawn, but worse when hunted by skunks and raccoons.

Grubs can transform an otherwise thick, lush lawn into a patchwork of dead and dying turf. Perhaps even worse is the damage animals like skunks and raccoons do searching for grubs. Detect grubs in your lawn early to prevent severe damage.

Identification

White grubs are thick, C-shaped, worm-like larvae that feed on grass roots, causing wilting and unsightly brown or dead patches. Find grubs in the late summer months by peeling back sod in affected areas and examining the roots. According to Cornell University, if you find 10 or more grubs per square foot of lawn, you have an infestation that requires treatment.

Treatment

Treat damaged turf areas in the late summer or fall when the grubs are vulnerable. To eradicate grubs organically, apply Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, a beneficial nematode (microscopic worm) that releases a fatal bacteria inside the grub. According to the University of Illinois Extension, this nematode can be purchased via mail order. The chemical insecticides diazinon or trichlorfon also can be used to curtail a grub infestation.

Prevention

To prevent grub damage, apply the insecticides imidacloprid or halofenozide in late July.

References

• Cornell University: Got Grubs? Count to 10
• University of Illinois Extension: White Grubs in Lawns
• Cornell University: Treat in the Fall - If at All

Resources

• Colorado State University Extension: Lawn Care