Nematodes For Lawn Grub Control
Beneficial nematodes can be introduced into the affected lawns to control Grubs. These nematodes work efficiently.
The nematodes munch on the larval forms thus they also prevent future infestation to an extent. Ive tried this method of control and I can say it works.
You can buy such nematodes on amazon.
Attract Birds To Eat Lawn Grubs
Another counterattack comes from Mother Nature herself, birds. Yes, birds can actually cause quite a ruckus themselves, but overall they are still beneficial to your garden.
You should take measures to protect your seeds from them, but they will also snack on the grubs which is ultimately something we want.
How can you attract birds to your garden? It is easy. Simply put up a bird feeder close to the problematic areas, and let them go to town on it.
This may be a more of a solution that is not very dependable and would be low on my list of remedies!
Grubs In Lawn: How To Get Rid Of Grubs In The Garden
Grubs in the lawn can go undetected until you notice patches of bare turfgrass in your lush, green lawn. Plump, white, hungry grubs live in the soil and gorge on grass and plant roots. Getting rid of white grubs in the garden is essential to keep lawn grass healthy and green. Thankfully, with the proper care, its possible to stop grubs from causing havoc in your garden.
Getting rid of white lawn grubs involves knowing how to identify them, where to look for them, and how to eradicate them. Of course, to get rid of turf grubs in the soil for good also means preventing them from returning.
This article is a guide to getting rid of lawn grubs using natural, non-toxic grub worm killers. Youll find out how to find the soft, white worm-like creatures and disturb their lifecycle.
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Chafer Grub Lawn Damage
Chafer grubs are the larval forms of Chafer Beetle. A severe infestation of these larvae causes brown patches in the lawn.
Chafer grubs devour the roots of the grass and could go unnoticed for months. They are only outed by critters when they dig out the lawn.
The aforementioned methods work well to eliminate chafer grubs but the most efficient way to get rid of them is by using Provado.
Provado Lawn Grub killer
Provado lawn grub killer can eliminate Chafer grubs and Leatherjacket larvae efficiently. Imidacloprid thats present in the insecticide is the miracle behind such efficiency.
Bayer Advanced 7002808 Complete Insect Killer
This insect killer is very easy to apply as it comes in a ready-to-spray container. It is fast acting and will kill insects within 24 hours of application and will remain effective for up to 3 months. It is effective against both surface and soil insects.
The Bio Advanced 7002808 Complete Insect Killer will also protect your interior space from insects that may want to come in side from outside, all you have to do is apply along the foundation of your building. It will cover up to 5000 square feet of space
Pros
- Kills a wide range of insects
- Effective against surface and soil insects
Cons
Heres the product on Amazon.
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How To Treat Grub Damage
After treating your lawn for grub damage, its vital to restore your turfgrass to its former lush, green appearance. For best results, repair grub damage in the fall or early spring. Treating grub damage at this time gives the lawn a better chance of growing and becoming healthy again.
To treat grub damage, the first step is to rake off dead grass and remove thatch. Next, use a lawn aerator to perforate the lawn with small holes. This action allows nutrients to get to the roots, prevents compaction, and results in a healthy lawn. Then, reseed the bare patches of lawn with grass seed.
After you have reseeded the lawn to repair grub damage, thoroughly water the grass.
Proper lawn grub prevention, natural lawn fertilization, and proper mowing will keep your turfgrass in excellent healthfree from white grubs.
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Prevention From Future Attacks
While products like Grub Killa will kill grubs that are currently in your lawn, there is no residual effect so there is no ongoing protection.
You can prevent lawn grubs attacking by using a product called Acelepryn GR. Acelepryn GR gives unmatched season-long grub control against a wide range of insect pests including African Black Beetle, Argentinian Scarab, Billbugs and several species of caterpillars including Cutworm, Sod Webworm and Lawn Armyworms.
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Homemade Garlic Grub Killer Spray
This homemade grub killer spray uses chopped garlic and mineral oil to create a robust solution that will kill grubs and their larvae. This is a handy homemade spray to have around to deal with grubs before they destroy your yard.
Homemade Garlic Grub Killer Spray Recipe
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 quart of warm water
- 1 tablespoon liquid dish soap
In a small container, mix the chopped garlic and the mineral oil. Place the bowl in the freezer and allow to sit overnight. The following day, add one quart of warm water to the garlic mixture and one tablespoon of liquid dish soap. Mix the solution well. Add the mixture to a spray bottle, and spray the affected area immediately.
What Are Grubs And How Do They Damage Lawns
Grubs are the larval stages of different beetle species, including Japanese beetles, June beetles, and European chafers.
These pests have soft, white bodies with a set of legs near their heads. When disturbed, they curl into a C shape.
Dormant during the winter, grubs become active when the weather starts to warm up. During the spring and early summer, grubs eat the roots of grass and other foliage and organic matter, causing extensive plant damage.
As lawn grubs turn into adult beetles, they leave the soil to mate and lay eggs. Adult beetles have a 13-year lifecycle.
Adult beetles lay their eggs near their feeding sites in July and August, creating new grubs that dig into the soil and eat grass roots, perpetuating the infestation.
Fortunately, it is possible to control grubs with methods like milky spore disease, which well discuss more later in this post.
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Prevention & Maintenance Tips
Applying a preventative grub control product in the spring or early summer will provide much better grub control than waiting until after the damage has occurred. Use a spreader to apply Scotts® GrubEx®1. Be sure to follow application directions. To activate the product, water immediately after applying. A drought-stressed, underfed lawn will show grub damage faster, and with fewer grubs per square foot, than a properly-fed, well-maintained lawn. A properly maintained lawn can tolerate more grubs per square foot than a stressed lawn. Repair dead patches caused by grubs with Scotts® EZ Seed®.
Introduce Natural Predators To Eat The Grubs
Grubs have plenty of natural predators. While predators like raccoons and moles will damage your yard, others wont.
Birds like chickadees, blue jays, and robins, for example, love grubs and will happily eat them all day long. Backyard chickens will also graze the yard and pick up grubs.
To use birds as a natural control method for grubs, make your yard as attractive as possible for the winged visitors.
Add bird feeders, birdbaths, and birdhouses around your yard. This will attract beneficial bird species and help keep your yards grub populations in check.
Pros: Easy, non-toxic, safe for households with kids and pets.
Cons: Birds may damage vegetable gardens or potted plants.
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What Are Curl Grubs
Many species of soil-dwelling grubs are lumped into a group commonly known as curl grubs. They get their name due to their tendency to curl up into a C-shape when disturbed. Curl grubs are also sometimes called white grubs. This is because theyre all white in color , with a blue-grey butt and reddish-orange head and legs. In their larval stage, it is difficult to differentiate between species.
More specifically, curl grubs are the larvae of a number of species of cockchafer or Scarab beetles. Common curl grub beetles include Japanese Beetles, African Black Beetles, June Bugs, European Chafers, the Blackheaded pasture cockchafer, and Christmas beetles. Adult beetles lay eggs in the soil, the eggs hatch into larvae, and the larvae grow and feed in the soil. Eventually, the grubs turn into beetles and emerge from the soil and the cycle repeats itself.
Acceptable Seasons For Grub Control
While early summer is the ideal time to apply grub control, what happens if you miss your window or if you want to get an early head start on things?
The truth is that grub control will have some positive results in both the summer and the fall, but during early spring and winter, its just about useless.
Thats because during the winter, grubs dig down further, and the grub control you apply will never reach them. Meanwhile, if you apply grub control in early spring, theyre only coming up to get out of the ground, and they wont go back in to lay their eggs anytime soon.
Youre better off waiting just a few more months to apply grub control at the appropriate time, that way you can prevent grubs from coming back next year!
Also, while you can apply grub control in the fall, its far less effective than if you apply it earlier in the year. Its better than nothing, but chances are youll still have some grub problems until you reapply the grub control next summer.
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Lawn Grubs Life Cycle
While there are variations depending on which species of beetle they come from, the larvae tend to be stout, white-to-grayish with brown heads, about 3/4 of an inch to 2 inches in length. These lawn pests tend to curl up in a C shape at rest.
The grubs get their start when the adult beetles lay eggs in your turf, usually in spring. After the eggs hatch, the grubs evolve in three stages, with grub damage greatest in late summer, when you will see areas of your lawn thinning and yellowing. Later, irregular brown patches appear in your turf.
There are two major white grub species that cause problems in Ohio. Thats the Japanese beetle and the masked chafer, said Shetlar about his home turf.
Japanese beetle grubs are widespread invasive insects, and their white grub larvae are bound to be found in lawns all over the country too, not just Ohio. Other chafer species besides the masked chafer beetles also lead to white grub infestations and can establish in lawns beyond the states borders.
Other types of common lawn grubs around the United States include the larvae of the May and June beetles, green June beetle and the black turfgrass ataenius.
Its irrelevant which species it is, advised Shetlar. They cause the same kind of damage.
How To Get Rid Of Grubs Naturally
If you are not attracted by synthetic treatments, use natural ones. Well share several popular methods with you.
1. Apply milky spore powder, i.e. natural bacteria that infect grubs when they feed on the infested lot. The powder is only effective against Japanese beetle. The product provides stable results regardless of weather conditions. However, the effect depends on the number of grubs on your lot, as the more there are, the faster the deadly grub disease spreads. Moderately irrigate the soil with water. In some cases, the grubs infected during late fall can survive until spring. They wont develop any more, though, and will eventually die.
2. Use neem oil, a natural insecticide made of the evergreen Indian tree. This organic biodegradable substance does not have any substantial side effects, as the Environmental Protection Agency estimates. Mix neem oil with water and spray damaged grass. The insects consume this insecticide as if it were a natural hormone. Once ingested, neem blocks real hormones and the pests forget how to eat, lay eggs or even fly. Even if they manage to lay some eggs, they wont hatch. At the same time, neem oil wont harm useful insects. In addition, it has a repelling effect as its presence and smell scares off the insects that consume leaves. It does not yield quick results, but in the long run, you will end up with a balanced environment.
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Best Recommended Company For Grub Control And Prevention
Grub control can be confusing and time-consuming for many homeowners, and some find the waiting period concerning because you wont know if the treatment has worked for several years in some cases. Hiring a professional lawn care company to handle your treatments is often a better idea and yields faster, guaranteed results.
We strongly recommend TruGreen as a professional lawn maintenance company. It provides a huge array of services to help remove grubs and other insects and keep your lawn and property looking beautiful and lush. Its prices are reasonable, its results are based on a soil test and science, and it guarantees your satisfaction. Check out TruGreens plans and services to find one that works for you.
Read our TruGreen Review to learn more about its services.
- Large variety of plan options tailored to homeowners wants and needs
- All services are backed and performed by TruExpert Certified Specialists
- Services provided in 49 states
our rating9.5
Edit: A Note About Bees
It has been brought to my attention that some species of nematodes may be harmful to bees. This is particularly true if theyre directly exposed to the initial nematode application . Nematodes may also harm the larvae of burrowing bee species. Therefore, please take caution when applying nematodes in your garden. For example, only treat target areas, and do so low to the soil. Avoid spraying plants, especially those with flowers. Apply nematodes in the evening hours when bees are not active. Do not treat soil where known soil-dwelling or ground-nesting bees are present. It should be noted that we have a very robust bee population in our garden of many species, including honey bees, bumblebees, and native solitary bees. We have not noticed any ill effects post nematode application in our raised garden beds.
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What Chemical Products Can I Use To Control Grubs In My Lawn
If you have a severe grub infestation and want to use a chemical product to control grubs, you have a number of widely available options.
From about late April into early June, you can effectively use a product with the active ingredient chlorantraniliprole to control all species of white grubs we have in New Hampshire. This chemical also controls caterpillars such as webworms and armyworms. This product is most effective when the grub is actively feeding so applying it 2 to 3 months in advance of severe grub feeding from June to August is recommended. This ingredient is in two widely available products: GrubEx® and Roundup® For Lawns Bug Destroyer. The U.S. EPA designates this chemical as a low risk pesticide due to its low toxicity to bees and other beneficial insects.
Some products registered for controlling grubs just have a pyrethroid, such as products with the active ingredient Gamma-Cyhalothrin, commonly found in the Spectracide® Triazicide® Insect Killer For Lawns. According to research from Michigan State University, products that only contain lambda-cyhalothrin, gamma-cyhalothrin, bifenthrin, deltamethrin, cyfluthrin or permethrin do not work for grub control.
In most cases, whether its early spring or fall, its preferable to simply wait until the next appropriate window for using a preventative product that gets better results and is more targeted. Learn more about current insecticide approaches for white grubs from UMass Extension.
Why Do Lawns Get Grubs
Lawn Grubs find a place in lawns that have suitable conditions for their growth. Lawn grubs proliferate if the lawns wet in June/July.
Lawn Grubs are also known to like Ryegrasses. They can attack any lawn, but they multiply only when the lawns suitable to them.
Identifying their presence is crucial if you want to have an upper hand on the pests. Lets see what the signs are.
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Apply Grub Control Pesticide
Grub control insecticides that contain bifenthrin, imidacloprid, or carbaryl are very effective at killing grubs in an already established lawn. Insecticides containing these active ingredients such as GrubEx, Merit, and Sevin are mostly systemic and kill when they come in contact with the grub worms.
There are liquid grub killers and granular grub killers on the market. Therefore, to get rid of grubs in your lawn, do the following:
- For granular pesticides, apply using the regular garden spreader and water the treatment into the soil to kill the grubs.
- For liquid grub killers, mix with water according to the label and spray the infested areas thoroughly to ensure the pesticide goes deep into the soil.
It is important to choose the best, most effective grub killer for this purpose. Scotts GrubEx is one of the industrys most trusted grubworm destroyers.
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Timing is key
When using a pesticide to control grubs, you have two options: a grub preventer, or a grub killer.
Grub killers act almost immediately, meaning you need to apply them as soon as you see lawn damage from grub worm activity. But for grub preventers, they have a lasting effect and mostly prevent grubs from the next season.
As such, make sure you apply grub control at the right time as per this guide and the label of the insecticide youre using.
What Are Grub Worms
They are essentially nothing more than small, wriggly larvae laid by adult beetles and hatching out as little white worms. In all life stages, theyre especially harmful to your garden and need to be dealt with as soon as possible.
They nibble on the roots of your plants and later in life, chew up the leaves of your crops.
Because of their damaging nature, its imperative to get rid of them from your garden as soon as theyre spotted. If not, youll be in for a rough time dealing with them as they mature.
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