Got Grubs?

Grubs and beetles are common lawn and garden pests that can wreak havoc on your plantings if not properly addressed. Japanese Beetles, Asiatic Beetles, and European Chafer Beetles are prominent during the months of June and July. While flying around, they lay clusters of eggs in the soil. These eggs hatch into grubs between July and September, where they stay just below the grass line in root zone, feasting on the roots of the grass. From October until the middle of March, when the soil starts to get cold, these grubs migrate deeper into the soil where they go dormant. They resurface between mid-March and early April where they continue eating grass roots until they enter their pupae stage, then they hatch into beetles. They then emerge from the earth around June, when the cycle starts again.

It is easier to prevent these grubs that it is to cure their presence, however, here at the Co-Op, we have the products that you need to treat and prevent! The best curative product is Bayer 24 Hour Grub Control. Apply during the spring and fall months when the grubs are mature.

Bayer 24 Hour Grub Control contains Dylox as the active ingredient which allows grubs to be killed on contact. Dylox works through contact and ingestion, and the chemical degrades within a few months. This product delivers results within 24 hours by killing grubs overnight. This is a soluble crystal that needs to be watered in with ½ to 1 inch of water within 24 hours of application. This controls grubs in the spring and developed grubs in the fall. Bayer 24 Hour Grub Control also has the added benefit of killing ticks.

Applying a preventative like Scotts GrubEx is often the most economical way to control lawn grubs. Put this product down just prior to the beetles emerging; in our area, this is best applied in the first two weeks of June. The beetles will soon be laying new eggs that will hatch into a brand new batch of hungry grubs. GrubEx lasts a number of months in the soil and will control these vulnerable new hatchlings.

GrubEx is a Scott’s product, which is best applied in early summer and kills grubs through the season. Given the grubs are killed in the fall, they do not migrate deeper into the soil and reemerge in the spring to cause an issue the following year. This prevents the beetles from hatching and starting the process again. Scott’s recommends using 2.87 pounds of GrubEx per 1,000 square feet of lawn. Similarly to Beyer 24 Hour Grub Control, GrubEx needs to be watered in with ½ to 1 inch of water after application.