the white grub

GRUBS

In order to control the enemy, you must first understand it. This will help you create a plan of

action for battling the white grub and its alter-ego, the Japanese beetle. Declare war on them

before they wreak havoc on your lawn, ornamentals, and trees.

Meet: The Grub. Grubs are one of the most common lawn pests in the US and also one of the

most damaging to grass. The white grub is the larval stage of a more commonly known pest, the

Japanese beetle. The larva is approx. 1/2 inch long and is off white in color with a brown head.

According to Lance Walheim, Bayer Advanced expert and author of Lawn

Care for Dummies, these pests are so common in lawns that consumers now

spend more than $100 million annually to control them.

What is a Grub Worm? The grub worm is not exactly a worm, like your friend, the earthworm.

Grub worms are basically beetle larvae, or the babies of those beetles. Unlike earthworms that

fertilize your soil to make your plants and flowers healthy, grub worms ruin them by munching

on the roots of your plants, flowers, and grass in your lawn or garden. A healthy lawn can handle

a few grub worms in the soil and will do little or almost no apparent damage. After the eggs of

the beetle hatch and turn into larvae, they tunnel underground and start eating roots they see.

However, when there are more than 15 to 20 grub worms per square foot in your lawn or garden,

then that is a real problem. You surely will notice that you have a grub worm problem when the

condition of your lawn radically deteriorates.

Signs of Grub Worm Infestation Grub worms are real pests and can cost you a lot when they

damage your favorite (and expensive) plants and flowers. Here are some of the common signs of

grub worm infestation:

• Droopy leaves

• Green-gray or brown patches on your lawn.

• Grass easily“peels” off.

• Ground feels spongy to the feet.

• Sudden death of plants, grass, or flowers.

• Appearance of moles, armadillos, or other pests in your lawn.

Grub Worms: Why you should Get Rid of them Grub worms feed on the roots of plants and

the other things planted in your garden. Such actions severely affect them and eventually lead to

wilting, or the death of these plants. Roots of plants are very important organs. They are the ones

responsible of absorbing water and other essential nutrients from the soil to make the plant grow.

With them damaged or eaten up completely, the plant has no other means of absorbing nutrients

and water from the soil. When the roots are damaged, it may not be able to absorb the water and

nutrients the entire plant needs to function properly, that is why you see your plants, flowers, and

your grass droop, turn brown or gray, and eventually die. Aside from damaging your garden,

when there is a serious grub worm infestation, it will attract other animals or pests that feed on

them, making the problem even more serious. Examples of such creatures that eat grub worms are

armadillos, gophers, and moles. Though these creatures eat grub worms, they leave nasty burrows

and instantly damage your lawn or garden.

Eliminating Grub Worms? What to Do? Beetles usually lay their eggs during early summer.

After these eggs hatch, they turn into nasty pests, known as grub worms. Grub worms then tunnel

underground and feast on the roots of plants and grasses until the winter or fall season. If you will

notice, this sort of problem is like a cycle and it seems that there isn't a permanent solution to get

rid of them. It is a cycle because these grub worms will soon mature and turn into adult beetles,

and again, laying eggs in your lawn or garden that soon will become grub worms.

Natural way to Getting Rid of Grub Worms Here are the steps to rid your lawn or garden of

these grub worms naturally:

1. You already know you have a grub worm problem, now you have to determine when the

beetles start laying their eggs.

2. Nematodes are the natural enemies of grub worms. They infest and kill these pests.

However, they are only effective on young larvae. This is where your research will come

in. Once it is the season of beetles to lay their eggs, purchase nematodes from a gardening

store and follow the instructions indicated. Spray on your lawn or garden.

3. To offset the damage caused by the grub worms, keep your garden or lawn watered.

Abundant water will make the damaged roots easily absorb water.

4. Robins and other songbirds love grub worms. Have them in your garden and you will

have to worry less about those pests. This is probably the best long-term solution you

have.

Grub worms are serious pests especially to those gardening enthusiasts. These solutions will help

you get rid, or at least keep the grub worms under control.

We carry a product in the nursery called Bayer Advance Grub Control. This is effective in killing

the grubs or we can send our chemical crew out to treat for you using industrial strength

chemicals. Give us a call today at 407-2727 for more information.