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White Grubs and Grub Treatment: White grubs are beetle larvae. The most notorious white grubs of these groups are the Japanese beetle, masked chafers, Asiatic and June beetles. They are called white grubs because the larvae are white and have six tiny legs. White grub (larvae) do most of their damage in the summer.
   In the Fall, the larva burrow themselves 6 to 8 inches into the soil. They emerge in the early spring as egg laying beetles. The eggs hatch in the spring and the larva start growing and eating. White Grubs are difficult to control because often, you don’t know you have them until it is to late. Most of the time, the white grubs do not kill the lawn directly, but they eat they eat the tap root or crown root, than conditions of lawn stress or mild drought become fatal to a lawn. Adult beetles do not damage grass, but instead eat ornamentals and lay eggs back into the soil.
How do you know if you have white grubs?
A good early indicator that you have a white grub problem is you may see a a lot of holes in your lawn from birds or gophers feasting on these insects. Once white grubs have been through an area, the grass turf will be only about an inch deep and it will come out fairly easily.
White grubs are partially protected by the thatch layer in your lawn and the depth to which they live under the soil. It may be best to use a long lasting pesticide to get rid of white grubs.
What do white grubs look like?
White grubs are between ½ inch and an inch, although they may be a little smaller in the early spring. White grubs typically live two inches under the surface of the soil. The damage caused by them will leave you with dry wilted grass with a few green patches. The damage will be most apparent in the areas of the lawn that are the least healthy and the areas of grass with the greatest concentration of these grubs.
This website is all about helping you kill, control, and get rid of your white grubs. We have a page dedicated to Japanese Beetle, June beetles and masked chaufers.
(Sometimes you can cut down on the probability of getting insect infestations by regularly thatching and aerating your lawn.)
White Grubs and Cutworms: Five FAQs
A. What is the difference between a white grub and a cutworm?
Q. Cutworms are moth larvae and white grubs are beetle larvae. Cutworms are usually a little longer (1-2 inches) than white grubs (1/2-1 inch long). White grubs are white (hence the name) while cutworms are brown or tan-colored.
Q. How do they affect the lawn?
A. Both cutworms and white grubs live in the thatch layer of the lawn during the spring and summer. This spongy layer on the soil’s surface protects them and allows them access food and water. White grubs eat the grass roots, causing the lawn to wilt and then dry out. This leaves the grass more likely to die when stressed, such as during heat spells and droughts. Cutworms eat the actual blades of the grass, killing the top first.
Q. How can I tell if I have an infestation of these pests?
A. A great way to spot it early is to notice if birds are putting a lot of holes into the ground, looking for these grubs to eat. Gophers will also eat them. The grass will start looking worse too, but then the problem is getting pretty bad, and wilted and dry grass can have other causes.
Q. What should I do about white grubs and cutworms?
A. A long-lasting pesticide is best for both of these pests. Since cutworms are the most active at night, apply a contact herbicide just before it gets dark. Once they ingest the pesticide with the grass, they will die. Since white grubs burrow deeper into the ground (6” or more) in the fall and stay there through the winter, it is best to use a pesticide for them in the spring and summer months. It may take more than one application to solve the issue.
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