What Are Lawn Grubs and Why Should You Care?
If your lawn is starting to show brown patches or feels a little soft underfoot, it might not just be a dry spell—it could be grubs.
What Are Lawn Grubs?
Lawn grubs are the larvae of common beetles, like Japanese beetles and June bugs. While the adult beetles are mostly just a nuisance, their larvae live underground and feed on the roots of your grass. That is where the real damage begins.
Why Are They a Problem?
As grubs feed on root systems, your grass loses its ability to absorb water and nutrients. This can lead to:
- Brown or dead patches
- Turf that feels spongy or lifts easily
- Sections of lawn that do not recover, even with watering
Left untreated, grub damage can spread and become harder to repair.
Understanding the Grub Life Cycle
Grubs go through four stages:
Egg → Larva → Pupa → Adult
The larval stage is when they do the most damage by feeding aggressively on your lawn’s roots.
When Are Grubs Most Active?
Grubs typically hatch in late spring and begin feeding through the summer, especially from June through August. However, the best time to get ahead of them is:
- Late summer into fall (August–October)
- Early spring (April–early May)
Monitoring during these windows can help prevent major issues later.
Signs You Might Have Grubs
- Brown, thinning, or dying patches of grass
- Turf that feels soft or spongy
- Grass that pulls up easily like a loose carpet
- Increased activity from birds, moles, skunks, or raccoons digging in your yard
When Should You Take Action?
In this area, if you find five or more grubs per square foot, it is time to consider treatment. At that level, they can start causing noticeable and widespread damage.
Stay Ahead of the Problem
The good news is, grubs are manageable when caught early. Preventative treatments and timely control products can make a big difference in keeping your lawn healthy through the season.
We carry a variety of options to help you prevent and control grub damage.
Stop in or give us a call. As always, we are here to help you find what works best for your yard.
