Chafer Grub Damage

If you see birds, especially crows, magpies and jays, pecking at your lawn or notice that wild life, such as badgers or foxes, have been digging in your lawn you could have Chafer Grubs living in the root zone of your lawn.

Chafer Grubs (Phyllopertha horticola and Hopia philanthus) are the larvae of chafer beetle or May bug. The larvae are easy to identify their bodies are white in colour and curved like the letter C. There are 2 main types, the Welsh Chafer has brown head and the Common Chafer has a reddish head. Both have 3 pairs of legs at the top of the body.

When the problem occurs

Towards the end of May the adult beetles emerge from the soil. They lay their eggs into lawns and grassed areas. After approximately two weeks the Larvae hatch and start to feed on the lawns root system. Depending upon soil temperature they may move deeper into the soil over the winter period. The serious damage starts to take effect during Spring and Summer.

The initial signs of a Chafer Grub infestation are birds and wild animals causing damage to the lawn’s surface. The birds and animals are aware of the Chafer Grubs in your lawn and they see them as a ready food supply. As the larvae develop their appetite increases and you will see signs of yellowing and dieback of the lawn where they have completely devoured the root system. You can test if the root system has been attacked by tugging at the grass, if it moves easily away from the soil you can be sure the root system has been eaten.

As soon as you have any indication of a Chafer Grubs it is wise to take rapid action as the damage caused can destroy an entire lawn in a very short amount of time.

If you suspect that your lawn is infested with Chafer Grubs why not take advantage of the Lawnscience lawn review service. One of our fully trained lawn care professionals will be happy to arrange a free lawn review with you, during which they will identify the issue(s) and provide you with a fully costed solution for you to consider. To take advantage of this opportunity just click on the orange Help Please button below.

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