Does Your Lawn Have a Grub Problem?
Protect your lawn - click here for your grub forms & sign up now! We will be treating for grubs in May and June. If you should choose to wait, the next time we will treat for grubs is from September to October. Americans like having green lush lawns and beautiful landscaping around their homes. This environment requires food and water to keep your yard healthy and looking good. Unfortunately, those same requirements are also what attract unwanted pests. These lovely little fellows are "white grubs", the larva of the June beetle of the genus Phyllophaga, of which there are over 100 different species. Phyllophaga larvae and other larvae of the family Scarabaeidae are often referred to as "white grubs". Larvae of the Phyllophaga are fat grubs which lie in Cshaped positions. They are whitish in color with dark areas at the rear and a brownish head. The adults are beetles.
Life Cycle
The adults lay eggs in the soil. Grubs live in the soil and feed on roots of many different plants. White grubs may be active in the soil throughout the year, but different species take varying times to complete their life cycle of 1 to 4 years. The adults do not feed on grass. (Beetles)
Symptoms of Grub Damage
Plants affected by grub feeding may suddenly wilt. Grubs can kill small plants and gnaw cavities in root vegetables. Species of white grubs that feed on grass roots cause yellow patches in lawns. In many cases you may be able to lift back dead patches of your lawn like a carpet where grubs have been feeding. What will replace these areas that have died off, will be weeds? Heavy infestations of grubs attract raccoons, skunks, armadillos, opossums, crows, ibis, and other birds, which make holes in the lawn and garden to feed on the grubs. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, grubs alone cause an estimated $234 million in damage each year- $78 million in control costs and an additional $156 million for replacement of damaged turf.
Southern Chinch Bug.
Chinch bug adults are about 1/5 inch long, black with white patches on wings, which are folded over the back. Young nymphs are reddish-orange with a white band across the back. Body color darkens and becomes black as nymphs reach adult size. Activity is reduced in winter in northern Florida, but all stages are present year round in most of the state. Eggs are laid in leaf sheaths or crevices and cracks in nodes and other protected places. To monitor, first part the yellowing or declining grass to look for moving insects on plants and in thatch. Insert a metal can with both ends cut out near damaged turf. Fill the can with water and wait 5 minutes for chinch bugs to float to the top. Examine at least 3 or 4 places. Cultural controls include reducing the amount of water soluble nitrogen fertilizer used. Mow at the recommended height for St. Augustine grass. Minimize thatch buildup. Monitor and spot treat the damaged area and a 5 foot area surrounding it, if necessary. None of the commercial St. Augustine varieties are completely resistant to chinch bugs.
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