As summer gives way to fall, many homeowners start to notice brown patches creeping across their lawns. While it’s easy to assume the grass is just suffering from drought stress or seasonal changes, the real culprit could be living right beneath the surface — grubs. In this Healthy Lawns segment, Dr. Jim explains the telltale signs of a grub problem.
How Grubs Damage Your Lawn
Grubs are the larvae of beetles, and they feed on grass roots. As they chew through those roots, your lawn loses its ability to absorb water and nutrients. The result? Grass that turns brown and dies off in patches, making it look as though it’s suffering from drought.
If enough grubs are feeding fast enough, your lawn can start showing signs of serious damage in a matter of days.
How to Check for Grubs
The simplest way to check for grub damage is to grab a handful of your lawn and give it a gentle tug.
If the grass pulls up easily and rolls back like a piece of carpet, you’ve likely got a grub problem. You’ll even be able to see the grubs themselves — small, white, C-shaped larvae — in the soil beneath.
A few grubs here and there (one or two per square foot) usually aren’t enough to cause damage. But if you’re finding 8 to 12 or more per square foot, that’s when they start to cause real harm. At that point, they’re eating the roots faster than your lawn can recover.
The Secondary Problem: Wildlife Damage
Unfortunately, grubs attract more than just your attention. Skunks and large birds like crows love to dig for them, tearing up your lawn in the process.
If you’re seeing chunks of turf flipped over or shredded overnight, that’s a clear sign that animals have discovered your grub population — and they can cause extensive damage fast.
What You Can Do
If you suspect grubs are taking over, it’s important to act quickly. Early detection and treatment can save your lawn before the damage becomes widespread. Seascape Lawn Care offers professional grub control treatments to protect your yard and keep it healthy year-round.
Don’t let grubs ruin your lawn this fall.
Contact Seascape Lawn Care today to schedule a lawn inspection or treatment plan — and take the first step toward a greener, healthier yard.
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safest products and our technicians pride themselves with safety and environmental protection measures. SeaScape will call ahead before all lawn care applications and weeds are always spot-treated to avoid unnecessary ‘blanket’ applications. After all treatments, our technicians will clean driveways and walks of all products.