Last week we covered the dreaded topic of fire ants. This week we are covering another topic that may have your skin crawling… white grubs (also known as grub worms.) Think these little bugs are not a problem in your lawn because you haven’t seen them when you go outside? Think again!
Grub worms live underground, making their lawn-harming methods that much more devious. That’s pretty bad news for people that own a lawn and regularly do everything they can to keep it in tiptop shape. Don’t feel bad – grub worms can get the best of anyone. But before you grab some garage equipment and go Rambo on your front lawn in an ill-fated, do-it-yourself approach to stopping the worms, we ask that you take a deep breath, relax, and read on….
The good news is that we have some tips below on better understanding your enemy. Though we are simply offering information on the insect itself, always call a friendly and professional Austin lawn care company to take care of any pests in your lawn that you may be encountering!
Root Damage
White grubs can cause serious damage to lawn grass, ornamentals and trees by attacking the roots. You won’t even see them do it!
To understand why they cause root damage, you must first understand what grub worms are. Grub worms are larval versions of June Beetles. It’s already April so if hearing “June” and “beetle” in the same sentence doesn’t send chills down your spine, I don’t know what will!
As the name implies, you need to be on the lookout for white grubs in the early summertime. Always consider consulting a professional Austin lawn service when dealing with a matter as serious as a lawn infestation in these coming summer months.
Because they are in a larval stage, grub-worms need to feed of nutrients so they can hatch in your soil and turn into a (not really) beautiful beetle. But to reach that beetle stage, your roots are the victims. Some white grubs can be found in the soil of many lawns and be, overall, inconsequential. The problem starts when you have a large number infesting your lawn. You will first notice a small area of your lovely lawn grass be morphed into a wilting and brown patch. Then you will see the same thing happen to another patch. And repeat! Luckily, a professional can come out to save the day!
We Can Help
If you ever encounter or have a suspicion you might encounter white grubs, be sure to call the Austin professional lawn care experts at Emerald Lawns. You can reach us at 512.990.2199. We care about our customers and will leave you (and your lawn) satisfied with our work.
For further reading on white grubs check out this ehow guide and this guide from the Texas government.