It happens every year in late summer and early fall. A new generation of grubs hatch in many area lawns and begin their feeding frenzy. But, they are small, weak and near the surface, making them vulnerable to pest control efforts.

Grubs are the larvae of European chafers and Japanese beetles. They are white, soft and crescent shaped. The adults are big and brown with a hard shell, Around here, they’re called June bugs. You may have seen, and heard, them hit your windows during June and July. The number of these beetles you saw flying around and smacking into your windows can give you a rough indication of how bad the grub infestation will be this fall

The most definitive way to confirm the population living in your lawn is to cut one foot squares of sod at various places in your yard. Roll the sod back and count the number of grubs feasting on the grass roots. If there are six or fewer grubs in each patch, they won’t do enough damage to warrant treatment. If there are seven or more per patch, your lawn needs treatment.

Fall is the best time to treat. The grubs’ small size and position just under the surface results in very effective control. As the weather cools, the grubs burrow down into the soil to overwinter. When they return to the turf root zone to begin feeding again in the spring, they are much larger and stronger, and it takes stronger pesticides to control them.

These large grubs pupate in late May or early June and morph into adults, reproduce, lay eggs in the turf and die. When the eggs hatch, the little grubs burrow down into the turf and the cycle begins all over again.

If you are a Birchcrest lawn care customer, grub control is included in our service. If not, we will be glad to send one of our turf professionals to inspect your lawn, report our findings and treat if necessary.