Gruesome Grubs: 5 Facts You Need to Know

Got grubs in your lawn? Here are five fast facts from your local lawn pros to help protect your lawn from damage.

Fact #1 - Appearance: you need to know how to spot them

Grubs are the larvae of various scarab beetles, including Japanese beetles and so-called “June bugs.” These little nasties often appear white, with dark red-heads and black mandibles. They’re soft and shaped like the letter “C,” with legs near their heads.

Fact #2 - Lifecycle: you need to know when to find them

Grubs awaken after winter and immediately begin feeding on tender grassroots when ground temperatures begin to warm. Generally, they turn into pupae in late spring, which then morphs into adult beetles. By summer, these adults emerge from the ground to feast on flowers, trees, and other lawn and garden vegetation. Later in the season, they mate and lay their eggs in the ground, which hatch in autumn. As soon as they hatch, the new grubs eat as many grassroots as they can find before hibernating underground for winter. Once the following spring arrives, their destructive lifecycles begin again.

Fact #3 - Warning Signs: you need to know what to look for

Unless you want to dig up your entire yard, grubs can be relatively tough to find. However, your grass gives some telltale warning signs if these hungry pests are invading it. Once the mowing season begins in spring, look for brown patches that never turn green. Then, carefully lift a piece of affected lawn - if grubs are the culprit, you’ll be able to easily pull up grass and find all its roots are gone.

If you have an irrigation system or routinely water your lawn, similarly hard to explain dead patches in late summer and early fall can point to a grub infestation. Likewise, an influx of animals, including moles, skunks, birds, and raccoons, may be a sign of grubs since these critters love to eat them. And they’ll cause quite a bit more damage to your grass as they dig through it, rooting around for grubs.

Fact #4 - Elimination: you need to know how to get rid of them

Grub control that is applied in the early spring and summer will hopefully do the trick. But, unfortunately, grubs aren’t easy to stop once the damage is done, so awareness and timing are crucial. So, how do you kick those grubs to the curb? The answer is right in front of you. As a locally-owned lawn care company, we do everything possible to make sure our customers love their lawns.

Our Grub Control Program is designed to protect your lawn from grubs and grub damage.  First, it includes a one-time application for your entire lawn to prevent grubs from causing damage. It also includes a special guarantee that if grubs do cause damage to your lawn this year, Lawn Pride will take the steps needed to kill the grubs and repair the damage at no additional charge.

Fact #5 - Future Prevention: you need to know how to stop them

Our Grub Control Program will provide you with specific instructions for watering – a key factor for an effective outcome after the application. 

Next, talk to your neighbors, or at the very least, keep a close eye on their lawns. If warning signs about grub problems are present next door, there is a greater chance that grubs and will spread to your yard, too. Lastly, be prepared for next year! Now that you know all of the facts you need to know about grubs, you’ll be aware of the timing for a grub application when the spring comes along next year.

Are you looking for a local pro to help control grubs in your lawn? Contact us today! We’re skilled at taking care of grubs before, during, and after they infest lawns across Central Indiana. Our effective treatment process controls grubs fast and stops the damage before it’s done.