Are Lawn Grubs the Culprit Behind Your Brown Patches and Dead Grass?

Lawn grubs—yuck. They’re tiny and hidden inconspicuously underground, but they could be destroying your lawn right now. If you’ve noticed brown patches, thinning areas in your grass, or turf that pulls up like loose carpet, lawn grubs may be the cause. These sneaky pests feed on grass roots, cutting off your lawn’s ability to absorb water and nutrients.

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What are Lawn Grubs?

Lawn grubs are the larvae of beetles like Japanese beetles or June bugs. They hatch in late summer and feast on your lawn’s roots through early fall. When left untreated, grub infestations can cause serious damage to lawns, which typically becomes visible the following spring.

How to Spot Grub Damage

Look for these signs that your lawn may be infested with grubs:

• Irregular brown patches that don’t respond to watering

• Spongy or loose turf that lifts easily

• Increased presence of animals like raccoons or skunks digging in your yard

• Birds pecking constantly in the same spots

To check for grubs, peel back a square foot of turf in a damaged area of lawn. If you see more than 10 grubs per square foot, it’s time to take immediate action.

Treatment of Lawn Grubs

Timing is everything when it comes to treating a lawn grub issue. The best time to treat grubs is late summer or early fall when they’re small and actively feeding.

Tiger Pride Lawn Care specialists can help you apply a grub control product. Depending on timing, we can use a preventive solution or a curative one.

Keep your lawn healthy by watering regularly, mowing it frequently, and aerating it to help your grass resist grub damage and recover quickly if an infestation occurs.

If you’ve struggled with grub damage before, a preventive approach each year is a good idea. Remember, a healthy lawn starts from the roots up, and keeping grubs out of your lawn is a big part of that.