Many things cause brown patches on our lawns. Sometimes, the problem is easy to fix. A bit of extra water or fertilizer is enough to do the trick. What if that brown patch doesn’t respond, though? If you’re noticing brown patches, in conjunction with other problems, it could be the worth of grubs beneath the surface of the lawn. These sneaky buggers will do their damage stealthily until your lawn is thoroughly ruined. Detecting grubs can be tricky. Here’s how to tell if you’ve got grub worms hiding beneath the soil – and what to do about them.
Everything You Need To Know About Lawn Grubs
What Do Lawn Grubs Look Like
Underground, grubs look like white caterpillars. Their heads are a tannish-brown, and they are about an inch or less in length. Above ground, they look very different. Grubs are the larva of Japanese beetles, and when those grubs reach adulthood, they look exactly like how you’d picture a beetle in your mind. Because of this, many homeowners don’t realize they have a grub problem. You’re likely not going to see those grubs above the surface. You’re far more likely to notice the damage they’ve caused than spotting the actual grubs.
Why Grubs Are So Bad For Lawns
When adult Japanese beetles lay their eggs under the earth, these eggs will eventually turn into the C-shaped grubs we all know and hate. Grubs need to eat, so they chow down on the roots of your turfgrass. When grass loses its root system, it can’t grow and expand and, more importantly, can’t absorb vital nutrients and water from the earth—consequently, the grass above withers and dies.
Symptoms Of A Grub Infestation
How Many Is Too Many
The first thing you need to know about lawn grubs is that it’s impossible to eliminate them with 100% accuracy. Generally, fewer than five grubs per square foot of your lawn are not enough to be considered a problem. It’s when their numbers exceed five that you’ll have issues. And if you have more than 10 per square foot, your lawn is really in trouble.
Signs Grubs Are Present In Your Turfgrass
Brown Patches That Don’t Respond To Treatment
When you first spot a brown patch in your lawn, your go-to solution might be to give it extra water or fertilizer. If the problem is grub-related, neither of these things will help.
The Grass Texture Changes
When the roots of your grass are damaged, as we discussed above, they won’t be able to grow or absorb the minerals they need from the soil. It also affects how the grass feels when you walk across it. While grass should be slightly springy, if it feels like you’re walking across a yoga mat or a running track, that’s a good sign you’ve got grubs.
Your Grass Rolls Up Like Sod
Without roots to hold the grass blades in place, you might be able to peel back the earth like a fresh sod roll. If you can do this easily, you should be able to see those pesky grubs.
You Have Unwanted Animal Visitors
Remember that scene in The Lion King when Timon and Pumba dig up grubs to eat? Warthogs and meerkats aren’t the only critters that eat grubs. There are plenty of animals here in North America that love to dine on them too. Unfortunately, when birds, possums, raccoons, skunks, and armadillos love grubs, and they have no qualms about ruining your turfgrass to get them!
Why Get Grub Control In Spring
Whether you’re dealing with grubs or weeds, mosquitoes, or tree diseases, prevention is the best way to handle a problem. By treating your yard for grubs early in the season, you’ll tackle the problem before it gets out of control. And if you incorporate grub control as part of your annual lawn care program, you likely won’t ever have to deal with ruined grass again. Repairing turfgrass damaged by grubs can be costly. And if your lawn is over 50% damaged, you may even need to start over completely with a new lawn. Do your future self a favor and knock out grubs before they knock out your lawn.
Get Organic Pest Control Near Grapevine – Contact Organic Matter Lawn Care
Don’t let hungry grubs destroy your lawn this year! Spring is the perfect time to add grub control to your lawn maintenance. When you sign up for Organic Matter Lawn Care‘s lawn care program, we can include grub control as an add-on lawn treatment. If you’d like to learn more about this proactive pest control or would like to schedule an appointment, give us a call at 817-888-8961 or send us a message through our online form here.
Don’t forget to browse our blog for more helpful tips on keeping your yard healthy, green, and pest-free!
