Moist soil. Whether you over-water your lawn or have poor drainage, excess moisture creates an ideal habitat for grubs. Thatch. Beetles like to hide and lay their eggs in thick layers of grass rich in organic material so there's plenty of food for the larvae once they hatch.
Grubs can be found within your lawn during the late summer months after the beetles have laid their eggs around July. Female beetles lay their eggs about one or two inches deep in the soil. They will spend two to three weeks laying eggs and will each produce as many as 60 eggs in this time.
You can get rid of grubs naturally by introducing natural predators, limiting the moisture your lawn receives, deploying milky spore or beneficial nematodes, using neem oil, creating a grub killer with borax, and dethatching and aerating your lawn. Conventional grub control methods include carbaryl and trichlorfon.
Dish detergents disrupt the cell membrane of these soft, small insects and smother them to death. Grubs drown in dish soap and are suffocated by the fluid coating them. Dish soap has been shown to kill other lawn insects as well, and even dries out and kills fungus in lawns.
You will find grubs just below the surface of your lawn where they feed on the roots of your grass. They tend to emerge occasionally if the soil is moist and will also feed on plants above the soil.
A few grubs aren't harmful, but if there are ten or more grubs per square foot section, you have an infestation. Grub infestations do not go away on their own, and if they go unnoticed they get worse, so it's imperative to deal with them as soon as possible!
Skunks and raccoons are not the only creatures that will feed on grubs. Crows will search for them as well.
Make a homemade grub killer that targets beetles. One popular home remedy is to combine lemon juice, dish soap, and mouthwash with a bit of water in a spray bottle.
A chemical-free way to rid yourself of lawn grubs is to put a wet hessian bag over the affected area of your lawn. The grubs will attach themselves to the hessian overnight and you can then dispose of the grubs first thing in the morning. The more thorough method for you can use a chemical like Grub Killa.
There's actually no evidence that baking soda kills pests, despite what online blogs might tell you. (Common claims are that baking soda poisons, cuts, or dehydrates pests. In fact, a white powder that actually dehydrates pests is diatomaceous earth, so it's possible people get them mixed up.)
Applying grub control in late spring or early summer, typically between April and June, will help to disrupt the lifecycle. This is when grubs are in their earliest developmental stages, and the treatment will be most effective.
At the adult stage, grub worms turn into beetles that emerge from the soil. The type of beetle species varies based on the type of grub worm present. You may begin to notice beetle damage as they eat the leaves of your grass and other plants in your garden.
After all Grubs have been freed and Grubfather is lying in the centre of the room, he can be hit with the Nail. This deals no damage and only makes Grubfather laugh. Down-striking with the Nail causes the Knight to launch extra high.
Luckily, your lawn can recover! Schedule an overseeding service to help thicken your turf after a grub infestation. By spreading grass seeds across your lawn, your lawn will be filled with new, green grass that will fill in any bare or patchy areas that were caused by grub damage.
Imidacloprid is highly effective and long-lasting, providing up to 4 months of control. One of the benefits of imidacloprid is that it is safe for use around pets and wildlife, and is not harmful to beneficial insects. We consider imidacloprid to be the overall best grub killer.
It will take 10-14 days for the grubs to begin dying after the insecticide is applied. One trichlorfon product has “24 Hour Grub Control” in its name and would seem to indicate that it will kill grubs in 24 hours.
Raccoons and skunks can cause considerable damage to lawns digging for grubs, worms, and other insects. Skunks create holes by pushing their noses into the lawn and then using their front paws to dig out the area. There can be so many holes rutted out that they coalesce together into a large disturbed patch of grass.
Curative products with active ingredients, such as trichlorfon, are designed to kill grubs at any stage of development. If you've had grub problems the previous year and expect them this year, a preventative insecticide like one containing chlorantraniliprole or imidacloprid can be effective.
Pesticides for Grub Control
For fall Grub infestations, apply a pesticide that's labeled for Grub control and contains the active ingredient trichlorfon (Dylox) or carbaryl. (The active ingredient is listed on the front of the packaging.) Follow label directions carefully.
Marigolds: These cheerful blooms not only add a pop of color but also emit a powerful scent that repels grubs and other soil-borne pests. Daffodils: These early spring bloomers boast a natural insecticidal compound called lycoricine, which deters grubs and other insects.
Most white grubs complete their development in one year. The adult stages of white grubs are scarab beetles. Common names for some of the species include June beetles, chafers, and dung beetles.
Examine any burrows or nests in your yard to identify the intruding animals. The shape of the burrow's entrance can help differentiate between the diggers. Commonly found burrows and nests include: A few small holes less than 3 inches in diameter could belong to chipmunks, voles, Norway rats, or snakes.
APPLY BENEFICIAL NEMATODES
The more nematodes you have in your soil, the fewer grubs you'll have. This will reduce one of the food sources that animals are looking for.