When Do Grubs Inflict The Most Damage
To know when to apply the treatment, its necessary to find out the time of year when grubs do the most damage to your lawns. This is easy to pinpoint. The months of August through October see the most grub activity on your lawn.
These are evident by patches of drying grass as well as critter presence who are attracted to grubs and prey on them. Outside of these periods, grubs dont carry out substantial damage.
The Answer
When you notice grub infestation in the fall, its best to treat it during fall. This helps to significantly minimize damage to your lawns.
However, not sticking to proper timing wont achieve any results. Youll have to repeat such treatment in spring.
What About Preventative Chemicals
Both carbaryl and trichlorfon are insecticides used to reduce existing grub infestations. They work best, though, when combined with preventative treatments.
Products containing imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, or clothianidin, for example, will reduce 75-100% of lawn grubs when applied in June or July and watered with at least 0.5 of irrigation immediately after application.
Signs Of A Lawn Grubs
Patchy lawns with brown or bare patches are the tell-tale signs of a lawn grub infestation. Other signs to keep an eye out for include white moths flying around as the sun goes down, white egg sacs on your house as well as an increase in lawn grub predators such as birds or orange/black wasps.
Preferring a healthy lawn, lawn grubs are far more likely to attack a well-maintained lawn. This goes double for all forms of couch grass as they are more prone to infestation. While Sir Walter DNA Certified is more resilient to these pests and usually recovers quicker it is still susceptible to attack.
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When Are Grubs A Problem
One or two grubs per square foot are not really a problem. The thing is, grubs migrate. As soon as they get wings, the insects go back and forth from the ground to the trees to lay eggs.
Grubs thrive under the ground. So, you wont know your lawn has become infested until its too late.
Birds and skunks dig the grass down to access grubs and feed on them. If youve noticed a lot of birds on the turf of your lawn and holes that are unaccounted for, you very likely have a grub issue.
Does Grass Grow After Grub Treatment
Yes. After the grubs are killed with grub control treatments, the grass begins to heal and grow. Grub treatments also accelerate root growth in the grass.
Grubs do not kill a lawn or cause long-lasting damage a lack of water does. Maintaining moist soil can be a good way of ensuring your grass has a steady growth.
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Insecticides That Do Not Work On Grubs
Do not use products containing ONLY lambda-cyhalothrin, gamma-cyhalothrin, bifenthrin, deltamethrin, cyfluthrin or permethrin for grub control. Products containing only these ingredients will not work for grub control because the active ingredient binds with organic material and will not move down to where the grubs are feeding. These products work well for above-ground feeding insects that live on the grass leaves or soil surface, but not for insects that feed on the roots. At one garden center a clerk showed us two products, one containing only permethrin and one containing only bifenthrin, when we asked for products to control grubs. Neither of the products listed grubs on the label printed on the bag and neither of the products would have controlled grubs.
How To Get Rid Of Lawn Grubs
In most climates, grubs are near the surface of the soil. Theyre at their smallest and most vulnerable in August and September, so these are the best months to treat for them.
Sod Solutions recommends Dylox 6.2 Granular White Grub Insecticide, which needs to be applied with a broadcast spreader and watered within 24 hours. However, this product is toxic to wildlife, and shouldnt enter storm drains or drainage ditches. For a natural pest solution, try one or more of these options:
- Introduce nematodes beneficial, microscopic worms that feed on grub worms.
- Introduce milky spore, a naturally occurring disease that attacks grub worms but doesnt harm other plants or wildlife. The spores must be spread several times over two years, but they protect your lawn for 10 years or more.
- Create a bird-friendly habitat by placing birdhouses and birdbaths in your yard to attract insect-eating birds like robins, wrens and jays. Theyll eat the grubs, along with the beetles once they start to emerge.
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Should I Apply Grubex Before Rain
A very important tip is to water the grub control in within a few days. You can wait for a good rain heading your way, and apply the grub control before the rain. The chemical in some grub controls will break down in hot, dry weather. So if you leave the chemical on your lawn and not watered in, it wont be effective.
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Scuffed Lawn From Animal Damage
Skunks, raccoons, moles and birds will tear up your lawn to reach the grubs underneath. Ravaged areas of your lawn are a definite sign that somethings going on underneath the grass.
However, keep in mind that animals also dig for worms and other insects, so perform that roll-up check we described can reveal the culprit.
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Best Time To Apply Grub Control
Grub control comes in two types grub preventers and grub killers. Prevention is the best approach to maintaining a healthy lawn, but when you already have signs of grub damage in your lawn, you want to apply an insecticide for immediate control.
The best time to apply grub control is early spring to prevent grub damage that occurs in the fall. For grub killers, treat the lawn as soon as you see irregular brown patches of grass. You can also put down the treatment in the months of June and July to prevent grubs the next season.
Most grubs have a life cycle that lasts one year. Japanese beetles and European chafers turn from pupae into adult beetles during the months of summer. They lay eggs in your lawn which hatch into grub worms in the fall.
The newly hatched white grub worms remain dormant in the ground until spring when they start to feed on the roots of your turfgrass, causing brown patches of dead grass all over the lawn.
When you see your grass turning brown, check to confirm it is a grub problem and treat for grubs with a good grub killer immediately such as GrubEx.
- Grub damage signs start to show from early spring to summer.
- Prevention should be done a season earlier.
- Treat for grub damage by putting down grub killer when you see patches of dead grass.
What Month Should You Apply Grub Control
While it really depends on your region, you should be safe applying grub control in June, no matter where you live. If grubs have already started laying eggs at this point, they still havent had time to hatch, but in most regions, the egg-laying hasnt even started yet.
We know June can be hot, and the last thing you want to do is to head out and apply grub control, but thats when youll get the best results.
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How To Detect Grub Worms
Knowing how to detect grub worms is key to treating them. Visible lawn grub damage can be seen from late summer to early fall. Look for irregular brown patches of lawn that peel away easily from the soil, like carpet. To determine the extent of infestation or which areas require treatment, dig up small sections of lawn. Typically, more than five grub worms per ¼ square foot warrants treatment and lawn grub control.
How Can I Naturally Get Rid Of Grubs In My Lawn
If youre dealing with Japanese beetle grubs, milky spore is another natural bacterium that may assist. Allowing grubs to dry out is another easy method to destroy them. They can only grow in wet soil and will perish if there is a drought. If you dont water the grass, you may be able to get rid of them.
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Preventive Insecticides That Will Prevent Grub Damage Next Fall And Following Spring
These products are used to prevent future grub problems, not to control the grubs present in the lawn in the spring. They will not work on grubs found in the lawn from the middle of October through the middle of May. However, when applied in June or July they provide excellent protection against the next generation of grubs. So, if you need to apply the preventive insecticide BEFORE the grubs are there, how do you know if you need to use an insecticide or not? If you confirmed grub damage the previous fall or spring, meaning you found lots of grubs, then you may want to use a preventive insecticide for one or two years to build a more dense turf that will be tolerant of grubs. If you have treated for several years and you do not see evidence of grubs in your lawn or in the neighbors lawn, it may be time to stop treating. There is an erroneous philosophy being perpetuated that because we have European chafers and Japanese beetles in the area, it is necessary to treat every year or your lawn will be damaged by grubs. This is not true.
In addition, grub control products that contain the active ingredient chlorantraniliprole are safe for bees, even when weed flowers are sprayed. Finally, avoid spray drift or granular spreader drift to flower beds when applying thiamethoxam, imidacloprid, clothianidin or any insecticide for grubs other than chlorantraniliprole
A Few Grub Worms Are No Problem A Lot Of Grubs Spell Trouble For Your Yard Learn How To Spot Treat And Prevent A Lawn Grub Infestation
If you have a turf lawn, you almost certainly have lawn grubs. These destructive pests are present during certain times of the year in most parts of the U.S.
Your healthy grass can sustain a little lawn grub damage and be OK. But when grubs proliferate, they can really wreak havoc. Take action before its too late. Read on to learn what you need to about lawn grubs, including how to prevent and eradicate them.
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- Spongey-feeling grass.
- Grass lifts up like a piece of carpet because its roots have died off.
Of course, another sure way to tell if you have grubs is to actually see them in your soil. Dig down three to four inches in several different sections of soil. An occasional grub is not cause for concern. But if you find more than five grub worms per square foot, Sod Solutions says its time for immediate treatment.
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Lawn Grubs: How And When To Kill Them
* Editorial Note: LawnStarter may receive a commission if you purchase certain products mentioned in this article.
Is there anything more damaging than grubs in your lawn?
Few admire their looks. But, before dismissing them as nothing but gross menaces, grubs the larval stage of certain adult beetles are common in lawns and do play a role in the natural order of things .
David Shetlar is a professor emeritus with a doctoral degree in entomology at The Ohio State University. Hes also co-author of the comprehensive guide Garden Insects of North America, plus other pest management tomes including Managing Turfgrass Pests.
Shetlar chuckled brightly when asked if lawn grubs, commonly called white grubs, play a positive part in a lawns ecosystem. Everybody says grubs eat the grass roots, he said, but theres more to them than that. White grubs are eating the accumulated thatch and organic matter thats in the top inch of the soil profile.
Theyre sort of natures de-thatchers, he added. But the problem is, theyre eating that thatch, they do eat the roots and the crowns , which kills the plant.
Its when these de-thatcher populations grow out of control that the dreaded lawn damage takes place.
Short on time and just want to kill some grubs? Here are our picks for the best grub killers.
When Is It Too Early To Apply Grub Control
Having identified the ideal timing for grub control, its necessary to also understand when its not right to act on grubs. Attacking grubs in early spring will be a bad idea.
The reasons are simple
Having applied your pesticides at this time, it gets absorbed into the soil and disintegrates.
This results in a loss of potency. As such when grubs hatch between July through August, nothing is stopping them as they move on freely to feed or damage your lawns.
Its important to target the period when insecticides are still in high concentration around the root zone of lawn grass with. This should correspond with the hatching time for grub eggs.
Only then will you achieve the desired results.
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How To Treat For Grubs In Central Texas Naturally
In short, the temporary solution is not to have your lawns treated with chemicals. Your best long-term strategy is to change the landscape by adding diversity to where you have grass around your house. Add some native plants as well and provide some relief from the monoculture. Grubs naturally feed on certain plants, so if you have more of those around your house, they might not go for the grass.
That isnt to say that all grub control is bad or even evil. If we want a healthy lawn and dont already have native plants in our yard, then as a temporary fix or just for aesthetics you can have your lawn tipped to kill off most of the grubs.
Its best for this to be done before , but sometimes if needed it can be done mid-summer. This is because grubs tend to feed more in the fall and winter, then pupate underground over the winter and emerge as beetles in the spring/summer. Anyway, its important to not let your lawn get too far gone before trying to treat it for grubsthe larvae come out of the ground easier if there is no grass to mow and keep down.
One natural solution is to use the naturally occurring nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, which are microscopic in size and invades grubs. The worms release bacteria that kill them, but it may take up to three years for them to be completely effective in ridding your yard of grubs.
When To Apply Grub Worm Treatment
Once lawn grubs have been detected and treatment is necessary, you need to know when to apply grub worm treatment. The best time for treating grub worms is in late summer or early fall while the grub worms are still small and close to the surface.
Grub worms are less susceptible to treatment in the spring, as they are too large and no longer feeding. For this reason, insecticides are less effective. Spring rains can also make this difficult, as applications may be washed away.
When choosing insecticides for lawn grubs, its important to consider the various types. For fall treatment, Dylox is the most effective and fast acting available. However, two products worth consideration for use early in the season, Merit and Mach-2, can be helpful for prevention. These target the pests before they lay their eggs, killing them and any hatchlings before an infestation occurs. Always read and follow instructions carefully when using these types of products.
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What Constitutes An Infestation
Some insecticide manufacturers consider the presence of 10 or more visible grubs in a soil sample of one square foot taken two inches dee) indicative of a possible infestation.
Sampling should occur in early August in order to permit the initiation of treatment to control grub numbers during the following year.
Grub Control For Lawns
Left unchecked, white grubs in your lawn will continue their destructive course and will eventually sever the roots of the grass so badly, it will be unable to regrow. Having your yard re-turfed is expensive and time consuming. Protect your lawn by using OMRI Listed® and compliant Safer® Brand products for a healthy and organic lawn.
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When Is The Best Time To Apply Grub Control
Although, you should only start treating your lawn after you discover you have a grub problem. You dont have to wait till that time to take precautions.
As you already know, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Its usually better to enter into fall without fear or worries about grub infestation.
Preventative measures are usually best applied during spring and summer. Spring because, at this time, overwintering grubs are just beginning to come out. Summer is also a good time to go for grub control because what youll have to deal with are newly hatched grubs and not mature adults.
During spring, when the weather is a little warm, you can apply chlorantraniliprole products. While in summer, you can use thiamethoxam and imidacloprid to attack emerging grubs.
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How Often Should You Apply Grub Control
How often you should apply grub control really depends on the area you live. You shouldnt need to apply grub control more than once a year if you apply it at the right time. However, if you need to apply grub control every year depends on how prevalent grubs are in your area.
If you didnt see any grubs the year before, then chances are you dont need grub control this year. However, some areas simply get hit by grubs year after year. If you live in one of these areas, youll need to apply grub control every year to keep things under control.
Keep an eye on your lawn year after year, and apply grub control as needed. If you notice an uptick in grubs on years that you dont apply grub control, its probably a good idea to add it as a regular part of your yearly routine.
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