The If you are a lawn lover, you take great care of your lawn. If even one blade goes from a deep green to a straw yellow, you’re going to notice. One of the most notorious pests for damaging lawns in Colorado would be grubs.
What are grubs?
To put it simply, grubs are the larval stage of beetles in the scarab family. They range vastly in size dependent upon species. Generally, they are a milky white color with a red or orange head and six legs on the front side of its body. They are usually in a C shape and live beneath the soil. Japanese beetles and June bugs are common species of culprits you can find within your lawn. With grubs you will see your lawn go from green to a yellow; this is because they eat away at the root system. A healthy root system is key to having a beautiful lawn; so it’s easy to see why the grubs have got to go before they get too cozy.
Cycles of Grubs:
In late summer to early fall adult female beetles begin to lay eggs. They will dig into the soil, lay eggs, and then cover with grass as best they can. Eggs typically hatch a month or so after being laid. At this time the grubs are very tiny. It is not unusual to have no visible damage from the grubs. Even if they are chomping on the roots of a lawn; they may not be big enough yet to do serious damage.
When cold weather approaches these hatchlings will migrate further down into the soil to avoid being killed by the frost of winter and go into hibernation. As soon as temperatures rise again in the spring; the grubs will migrate towards the roots and begin their all-you-can-eat buffet. This is the time you will notice a negative shift in your lawn’s health if you’ve got a grub infestation.
Fortunately there is a solution to keep the integrity of your root system and get rid of pesky grubs. There are two cycles that grubs go through, this is usually in the spring and in the fall. An insecticide treatment will most likely kill off all of the beetle larva (grubs) and leave your lawn damage free. The adult beetles have die off by this point so there won’t be any new eggs laid that you’d need to be worried about. If you experienced damage from grubs in the spring, it is highly advised to treat for grubs in the fall to avoid it being a recurrent issue.
At Erbert’s Lawns we have a Weed Control and Fertilization program that is designed to bring your lawn to optimal health. With once a month visits from one of our Lawn Technicians, you’ll have the same set of eyes on your lawn to notice any changes to your lawn’s health, big or small. If your lawn is showing signs of grub activity, we will know and be able to communicate that to you and offer solutions. Give us a call or text today 303-948-6631!
