Turf Grubs
Lawn grubs occur naturally in most lawns. Severe damage to a lawn can occur when a large infestation of grubs is present. Grubs such as army worm can eat an entire average sized lawn over several nights.
While on the farm all turf is treated regularly for grub prevention, however, having your lawn 100 per cent free of lawn grubs is almost impossible.
Grubs may be present in neighbouring areas and because your lawn is shooting new leaf, which is soft, lush and green, they can be more attracted to your turf and shift over freely.
Lawn grubs are more active in the spring and summer months, and seem to be more prominent when the weather is humid and mixes of sunlight and afternoon thunderstorms.
6 tell-tale signs there are grubs in your lawn:
Birds regularly feed in your yard.
White cocoons appearing under the eaves or gutters of your house.
There are lots of brown moths (around 2cm in length).
Withering and or dead patches of lawn appearing (as the grubs eat the leaf you will find exposed thatch). If you pay cost attention to these areas you will find that the leaf has been eaten and only the stalky runners are left along the ground level.
Green droppings within the lawn. Normally these are in small clusters with single droppings being less than 1mm in width.
The turf blade will have small holes or bite marks in it.
Webworm
Treatment: Lawn grub and beetle killer
Army worms
Treatment: Lawn grub and beetle killer
A grub’s life cycle is a little less than a month, but new turf also attracts the grubs because of the soft leaf of the new shoots and in time, as the turf matures, it will become less susceptible.
HOT TIP: Try getting a big piece of cardboard or hessian (1mx1m). Wet it down until it’s moist but not sopping wet. Put it over the lawn (preferably in an area where the green meets a dead spot). Let it sit there for about 15-30 minutes. Then pull it back to check the area that was covered, it should have bought the grubs up to the surface.
Treatment and prevention
Head to gogreenwithenvy.com.au and look for our grub and beetle killer. Make sure you always read the labels correctly and use according to these instructions with the correct safety equipment.
Sometimes 2-3 treatments maybe required to help break the life-cycle of the grub. The best time to apply is early evening as they are more active during the night.
What we recommend: Apply the grub and beetle killer to the whole area of concern. The sand is safely covered in the active ingredient which will kill the pest. Make sure that the application is even across the whole area. We recommend the sand as this is a safer application and preferably apply in the afternoon or late evening.
Leave it on the surface for the evening and then give the area a little water in the morning to wash the chemical into the thatch where the grubs live. Repeat this again in 10 days as it won’t kill the eggs. This should then break the life cycle.
Additional preventative measures:
- Spray the white cocoons under your houses eaves with insect or fly spray. Once sprayed remove the cocoons with a broom.
- Turn lights off outside if not in use as the moths that lay cocoons and eggs are attracted to these.
Enquire with our friendly team for a sharp price on your turf today