Insecticide For Chafer Grubs

Chafer grubs are the larvae of Scarabaeidae family and the most common species is Phyllophaga. They are one of the most damaging pests of turf, with fine white hairs, ranging from 1mm to 5mm long. French chafer grubs are the larvae of a flightless black cricket, and can cause extensive damage to landscape plants if left untreated. This article outlines two insecticides for chafer grubs and how we determine the best solution for your situation.

Insecticide For Chafer Grubs

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Chafer Grubs are the larvae of Chafer Beetles, of which there are six species;

1. The Welsh Chafer
2. The Summer Chafer
3. The Brown Chafer
4. The Cock Chafer
5. The Garden Chafer
6. The Rose Chafer

The most recognisable of these in the UK is the Cock Chafer, a large beetle which you’ll see between May and June. Hence their nickname, the June Bug.

That said, the problems caused in lawns are most commonly caused by the Garden Chafer and the Welsh Chafer.

The beetles themselves don’t cause any damage at all to your lawn. It’s the larvae, or Grub that’s responsible.

What Does a Chafer Grub Look Like?

Chafer Grubs typically have thick, cream coloured bodies that turn darker towards the back end. They have light brown/orange coloured heads and three pairs of legs.

Garden and Welsh Chafer Grubs are typically between 10mm – 15mm long and you’ll see them lay in the soil under the turf in a ‘C’ shape.

 

When Do Chafer Grub Attacks Occur?

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In order to effectively treat (or prevent) a Chafer Grub infestion it helps to understand the life cycle of a Chafer Beetle.

This infographic by Waltons explains it perfectly;

You’ll normally see signs of a Chafer Grub infestation when the grubs are close to the surface, just underneath the turf. Typically in Spring and Autumn.

They can also cause problems in newly cultivated soil and in neglected lawns.

Female beetles burrow into the soil during the summer. They lay their eggs and the larvae hatch out a few weeks later in early autumn when they start to feed on the roots of the grass. They live and feed in the soil for up to 4-5 years depending on the species, pupating over the winter and hatching out as adults in the Spring.

Chafer Grub attacks are very unpredictable.

They can cause huge problems some years and not others and your lawn could be riddled with them and your neighbours might be perfectly OK.

They’re almost impossible to predict but they’re simple enough to spot.

 

How to Tell if You’ve Got a Chafer Grub Infestation

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Chafer Grub invasions are pretty easy to spot.

Often times, patches of your lawn can become yellow and the grass can loosen. This is the result of Chafer larvae causing damage by eating the roots of the grass.

Yellow patches of grass could be caused by other things so if you see it, don’t automatically assume it’s Chafer Grubs. If parts of your lawn turn yellow, remove a small section of turf and if it’s full of grubs, then you’ve got a problem.

If that doesn’t give it away, this will;

This is the result of birds like Jays, Magpies, Rooks and Crows tearing up the lawn so they can feed on the larvae. In the worst cases, Foxes, Hedgehogs and Badgers will dig into your lawn to eat them.

Moles also feed on Chafer Grubs. If you live in rural areas, you might also start to find molehills appearing as they look for food.

 

What to Do if You Have a Chafer Grub Problem

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Depending on the severity of the infestation you may choose to do one of two things;

1. Repair the lawn
2. Replace the lawn

My preferred method is to replace the lawn, especially if the infestation is particularly bad.

Weight up the costs involved in repairing your lawn versus replacing it. If you’ve only got a small area of grass, it’s often more cost-effective to replace it (and you have a much higher chance of successfully removing the problem).

Repair the Lawn

If the damage isn’t so severe you might get away with repairing your lawn.

If this is the case, follow these instructions;

Insecticide For Chafer Grubs

Chafer grubs are a type of beetle that can cause a lot of damage to your lawn. They like to eat the roots of grass and other plants, which makes them difficult to get rid of.

Chafer grubs are most common in areas with warm climates. They lay their eggs in the soil and then leave them there until they hatch into larvae. These larvae will then eat the roots of grasses and other plants until they grow into adults.

To prevent chafer grubs from destroying your lawn, you should try using insecticide for chafer grubs. This will help eliminate any remaining chafer grubs so they don’t harm your yard anymore!

List Of Insecticide For Chafer Grubs