Nobody likes destructive pests, and grubs are a sign of one. Grubs, sometimes called white grubs, are the larvae of Japanese beetles, June bugs and European chafers.
Why grubs attract bigger problems
Grubs tunnel under your grass eating roots, and they get eaten by a lot of animals. Skunks, raccoons and opossums will tear up a lawn to get to a big enough group of them. Keeping grubs under control saves your grass and keeps hungry predators from digging it up.
The adults are a problem too. Beetles like the Japanese beetle eat the leafy parts of trees, rose bushes and other plants, leaving a skeleton leaf that can’t photosynthesize enough to stay healthy.
When to treat
Timing is everything. A patch of grass that keeps dying for no clear reason usually means grubs underneath. Midsummer is the wrong time to treat, because by then the grubs have turned into beetles. In fall, the beetles’ eggs hatch into grubs, which feed on your lawn’s roots until spring and turn into beetles at the start of summer.
Who to call for grubs
We recommend a reputable lawn or pest control service to diagnose and treat grubs. If skunks, raccoons or opossums are already digging up the yard, that part is ours.