If you find your lawn afflicted with the curse of the lawn grubs don’t despair. Treating and eradicating these pests is relatively easy.
What are they?
Lawn grubs can also be known as army worms or sod web worms. Despite their name they can all cause a lot of damage to your turf in a short amount of time. In fact, lawn grubs can feed on 30cms of lawn each and every night. You will need to be particularly vigilant in the warmer weather, usually September to March, and after heavy rain. Couch and Kikuyu varieties are usually the most prone to attack and Buffalo to a lesser extent. Once you have determined you are in fact under attack, you must defend your lawn without delay.
Treatment
Due to the rate at which lawn grubs feed (and move across your lawn), the amount of eggs they lay and the sheer numbers involved in an infestation delaying treatment can be disastrous. Turfco can supply advice and a fast acting insecticide such as Lawn Solutions Grub Guard to get the job sorted quickly and easily. Always follow the manufacturer’s handling and safety instructions and use a product designed especially for your type of lawn.
Each different insecticide product type requires a different method of application. It is essential you read all instructions to receive the outcome you need; no more lawn grubs. Lawn grubs bury themselves in the soil during the day and come out to feed at night. This means the best time to apply treatment is late in the day while the adults are active.
If you are treating during a dry spell remember to water the insecticide into the lawn. If you are lucky enough to have rain coming use the opportunity to your advantage. Apply the treatment while the rain is falling. To ensure that the grubs are completely eradicated, apply the treatment again in two weeks. This is an especially important timeframe considering the lawn grub’s lifecycle is 2 weeks long. A re-application at this point will ensure that any missed moths, eggs or grubs are eliminated. Unfortunately attack by lawn grubs can happen to any lawn and can occur numerous times during a season. Changing the active ingredient in the insecticide used from season to season can ensure there is no resistance to the treatment process.
What to look for
Keep an eye out for the moths and red coloured wasps with a long sting that hover above the lawn when grubs are present. The moths are the adult of the lawn grub and the wasp their predator. Also be mindful of higher than usual amount of birds (particularly ibis, plovers and magpies) flocking to and feeding from your lawn. Another clue is white or yellow cocoons on nearby fences, trees and under eaves. If any of these signs are present then chances are the lawn grubs are back. Treat immediately.
You might also like to keep one eye on your neighbour’s lawn too. An infestation on their property can very swiftly move beyond their fence line and into your yard. Lawn grubs are very fond of the new shoots newly laid turf provides. While you are already tending to your new lawn by watering to aid establishment watch for attack. Lawn grub moths can travel up to 5kms to lay eggs. While the lawn may look beyond repair after a lawn grub attack, the roots of the turf are largely unharmed; an application of fast acting fertiliser will give your lawn a boost for quick regrowth.
For information on caring for your lawn visit our Lawn Care Page.
