There are a lot of things that can kill your lawn, ruining that idyllic landscaping that you’ve worked so hard to achieve. Overwatering, under-watering, fungus, over-fertilizing…
And grubs.
You’ve likely heard about these pests from a multitude of sources. They’ll eat your lawn and leave unsightly, dead patches around fresh, green grass. But what are they exactly?
A Grub’s Life
Grubs are the white, C-shaped larvae of a scarab beetle. In late June and early July, the adult beetles emerge from the ground to mate, feeding on ornamental plants like roses in the meanwhile.
Come July, the females start laying their eggs in the soil, which hatch about two weeks later. After hatching, the grubs start feeding on the roots of grass close to the surface of your lawn. This is the time to take action, when grubs are at their most vulnerable.
Late August is when damage is usually noticeable. With their damaged root systems, grass starts dying in large patches across your lawn, and the grubs begin molting as they advance towards adulthood. As temperatures start dropping and winter approaches, they dig deeper into the soil, going beneath the frost line until the cold season passes.
By late spring, the grubs have become pupae that are resistant to insecticides, and they emerge as beetles from the ground in late June to early July, completing their life cycle and starting all over again.
Protect Your Lawn
There are a multitude of commercial insecticides available at your nearest hardware store or home and gardening store. To protect your lawn, apply the insecticides as the directions indicate. Different types of beetles require treatment at different times of the year.
Also take note of when you’re applying insecticides. Preventative control insecticides are different from curative control. Preventative insecticides need to be applied earlier in the year to prevent infestations, and the curative insecticides are designed to attack grubs while they’re actively feeding and growing.
Fortunately, grubs won’t hurt anything if you choose to install a custom wooden fence, gazebo, or pergola on your lawn or landscape. If you live in Mequon, Whitefish Bay, Wauwatosa or anywhere else in the Milwaukee metro area, give us a call for a free estimate!
