White Grubs/Japanese Beetles: Prevention and Treatment
White grubs are the immature, caterpillar-like stage of Japanese Beetles. Grub infestations can quickly, and secretively, knock out giant sections of your lawn.
And if that’s not bad enough, when they become adult beetles, they can destroy foliage of plants in your landscape and vegetable garden. When the beetles are done feeding, they enter back into your lawn to start another generation of lawn killing, foliage destroying insects.
Sound terrible? It is. If you suspect you have a grub problem, then consider making grub control a part of your lawn care program. Unicorn Outdoor Services provides a granular application for grubs and a 3 step control for Japanese Beetles.
How do you know if you have white grubs?
These 5 tests should help diagnose the problem:
1. Do areas of your lawn easily roll up? If you start to see areas of your lawn that look like they are dying, go over and see if it rolls or peels up like a piece of carpet. Grubs feed on the root system of your lawn. Since there are no roots to anchor your lawn, large sections should easily be separated from the soil.
2. Do you see irregular brown patches in sections of your lawn? After grubs start attacking your lawn’s roots, you will see the damage on the surface of your lawn. Since sections of your lawn no longer have roots to take in water and nutrients, you will start to see brown patches where your lawn is dying. Look under these dead patches and inspect to see if there are grubs in the soil under these patches.
3. Do you see evidence of animals digging in your lawn? Skunks, raccoons, crows, and other animals love feeding on grubs. If sections of your lawn look dug up, then check under these damaged areas to see if you have grubs.
4. Do you see beetles chewing on leaves in your landscape? In the summer months, grubs become adult beetles and they will feed on plants in your landscape. If you notice leaves that look like something is chewing on them, look carefully and you will probably see beetles. These beetles likely came from your lawn and will go back in your lawn to start the next generation of destruction.
5. Peel up a one foot section of lawn using a square edging shovel where you suspect there might be grub damage. Look through the soil to see if there are any grubs. If you count just a few then that is normal. If you count more than a few it means you have a grub problem. 10 or more in a one square foot sections means you have a serious infestation.
Life Cycle of a White Grub
Contact us today to give a free estimate on controlling these pests and insects.