If you have moles tunneling in your lawn and or skunks digging up your lawn, chances are your lawn is full of Japanese Beetle Grubs. And make no mistake about it, the grubs are silently destroying your lawn from the roots up.
Japanese Beetle Grubs silently destroying a lawn.
Japanese Beetle Grubs quietly feed on the roots of your lawn. You don’t even know they are there unless all of sudden you have a lot of mole tunnels or suddenly, usually in the fall, skunks start digging in your lawn like crazy. Or even birds will make small holes in your lawn, or even your flower beds looking for grubs to eat.
Japanese beetle grubs still in the larva stage.
Yeah, yeah, I know, you can buy mole traps, super sonic mole scaring devices, you can stick chewing gum in the tunnels etc. But that doesn’t solve the problem.
You have to get rid of the grubs!
The grubs are destroying your lawn and they are going to hatch into Japanese beetles next summer and the beetles will not only destroy your landscape, but they will lay even more eggs in your lawn and the process just keeps repeating itself and exponential gets worse.
Let’s start by understanding the life cycle of a Japanese Beetle.
Japanese beetles remain in the larva (grub) stage until about June here in the east. Basically as soon as the soil temperatures start to rise the larva start working their way toward the surface of your lawn. Instinctively, they burrow deep in the late fall to reach a place in the soil where it is warmer as the outside air keeps getting cooler.
Over the winter they pretty much hibernate. Not moving, not eating. But come summer the heat draws them to the surface and in late June, early July the start hatching into flying insects. The Japanese beetle stage. In the beetle stage they have a huge appetite and start devouring all kinds of plants in the landscape. Doing an incredible amount of damage.
This feeding frenzy goes on for weeks, the beetles mate and the females lay eggs in your lawn, each beetle laying 50 eggs or more. The eggs quickly hatch because of the warm soil temperatures and the larva quickly develop into grubs that also have a ferocious appetite. But their diet consists mostly of the roots of your lawn. The grubs quietly eat away at the roots of your lawn, out of sight, but none the less very busy eating the roots to your lawn to the point that if you grab a patch of grass you can simply lift it up, realizing that your lawn is no longer rooted into the soil.
Japanese beetle grub lawn damage.
I knew that I had some grubs in my lawn but I procrastinated about doing anything about it. Then one day I came home and notice that big patch of grass had literally been pulled out of my lawn and was missing. I said something to Pam about it and she said; “Yeah, that happened when I was mowing. When I turned a big piece of grass just came loose.”
Hello? That’s not a good sign.
I didn’t even have to look because I knew, but as soon as pulled back another piece of grass that clearly was not attached, I could clearly see that there were more than just a couple of grubs. Then as I looked at other sections of the lawn I could see that the lawn did not look good. Lots of brown areas. Not great big brown areas but a lot of brown blades of grass. Clearly the lawn was in trouble and drying out even when it shouldn’t have been.
I knew that I had to take some action.
Two things that I’ve learned about Japanese Beetle Grubs over the years.
Years ago at a different property I had a similar experience. They were so bad that they actually ate the roots of some ornamental grass that I had in the landscape beds. I had moles tunneling all over my lawn and come fall skunks were digging everywhere.
The solution? I made one, pretty heavy application of a lawn insecticide labeled for grub control.
Problem solved. The skunks quit digging, the moles moved on and never returned. No mole traps, no super sonic mole chasing devised used. Just a simple application of a lawn insecticide.
The other thing that I learned about Japanese Beetle Grubs?
At home our house is located in a small sub-division. Everybody has nice lawns that they take pretty good care of. Everybody has nice landscapes and during the summer we all get attacked by Japanese beetles. Of course with all of the nice turf grass in the neighborhood it’s the perfect environment for Japanese beetles and Japanese beetles grubs and it’s a problem.
At the nursery the situation is very different. I’ve got thousands and thousands of plants, but very little Japanese beetle damage. Why is that? And no, I don’t spray a ton of insecticides in the nursery. So far, in five years that I’ve owned that property I’ve never sprayed an insecticide.
My theory as to why I don’t have much of a Japanese beetle problem at the nursery?
No turf grass. All around the nursery there is very little turn grass. Lots of weeds, lots of weedy fields, but very little in the way of grass. No place for the Japanese beetles to lay their eggs. That’s my theory, make of it as you wish.
What about my Japanese Beetle problem at home?
Skunk damage to my lawn.
I got lucky, the skunks are just getting warmed up. I’ve seen them dig up a lawn so bad that it looked as if it had been rototilled.
Skunks digging up a lawn, this is mild skunk damage.
Knowing that this damage would only get worse I decided that it was time for an application of a lawn insecticide. This is the one that I chose to use for no other reason except that I’ve had good results with Bayer products in the past . . .
Controlling Japanese Beetle Grubs in a Lawn.
A Few things to Keep in Mind When Trying to Control Japanese Beetle Grubs.
Japanese beetles lay their eggs in August.
For the month of August and September Japanese beetle grubs are close to the surface, feeding on the roots of your grass. That’s the ideal time to treat for them. When the soil is still warm and they are close to the surface.
As it gets colder outside the grubs burrow deeper in the soil and hibernate for the winter.
Timing is everything.
Japanese beetle grubs are actually on a three year life cycle. You can treat in the spring just as the new eggs are hatching and at the same time the one year old grubs are ready to emerge and eat up your plants. But August is a great time to treat because the mature grubs are still very near the surface.
Questions, comments, mean things to say? Post them below.
When living im Maine, japanese beetles would eat my whole garden, and all the leaves on my apple trees! They were horrible! The only thing that worked for me was milky spore. I treated my lawn and garden with it for 3 years. They fly for 3 miles, so I was getting them from all my neighbors as well. After the 3 years we saw a definate decrease and could just pick them off and into a bucket of soapy water. Thank goodness!!
Tammy,
That’s great info to have, thanks for sharing.
Hi my name is your mom and I am your mom
So I had issue with moles in my yard couple of years ago and had tried everything with no success until someone told me to get a wind chime and hang it outside. They are all gone. I haven’t seen one mole in about 1.5.
???
After terrible damage last summer due to skunks or raccoons digging up my lawn, I applied beneficial Nematodes to the lawn early this spring. So far…. (it’s August 11th today) it seems to be working. The skunks are digging tiny pilot holes, but they aren’t finding anything to eat, so they don’t pull up a whole section of turf. My yard has had no pesticide or insecticide applied in decades, so I didn’t want to start now. There is often an undesirable secondary effect when using an insecticide/pesticide/herbicide. So if you would prefer to avoid the pesticide, try beneficial Nematodes.
Just to clarify, I recently moved to this new property. I used the milky spore, with success, at another property. That’s why I have tons of Japanese beetles here. I just applied milky spore this year.
You know what also works well? Milky spore. It’s a long-term thing though. It takes a while to start working, but it works for many years. Last spring we had a really hot day and hundreds of Japanese beetles were springing out of my lawn. It was the most gratifying thing to see though, because my guinea fowl ate them before they could go very anywhere. I was really surprised they like them because they usually don’t eat hard-shelled beetle-like bugs. They love Japanese beetles. So this is my two pronged approach two those awful bugs.
We also have armadillos and wild hogs where we live. They are mostly cute little animals that subsist on stuff that lives under grass – the same way those poor little grubs and moles do! If we don’t kill the grubs the lawn looks like a war zone. I guess the best advice I have for folks is this. Use the dam poison and get rid of the grubs! If you don’t want to use the poison, then make friends with the things that eat grubs!
That actually works, to the extent nature intends. We had a mole issue and they moved on once they got rid of most of the Japanese beetles, and aerated the soil. Also an Armadillo made little 2-3″ wide holes everywhere before that, but again moved on when the grubs were gone. (not completely of course but we had WAY fewer than before) I think we need to put up with a little more natural solutions.
Dylox is poison. I don’t do chemicals.
water is a chemical
NO it is not!. Its a combination of naturally occurring ELEMENTS! smh
I have moles or voles in my yard, but only around and under my shed. I treat the yard with grub-x. no skunks. I have holes all around the shed and under the split rail fence. dont know hole to get rid of them.
Mike,
Moles and skunks have taken over my entire yard. Just some weeds and mostly brown dirt spots left very little grass.
If a use the grub killing product you mentioned. I’m wondering about re-seeding the yard. How long do I wait ?
Meri,
The insecticide will have no effect on your new grass seed.
I live in Western Washington state. And on July 31, 2018, I applied grub control chemical Imidacloprid (Bayer Merit 0.5g systemic insecticide) to the lawn.
Mole activity not only continued, but got MUCH worse, and still is 5 weeks later. Researching this, I read that mole activity would increase for a couple weeks after application as they desperately try to find new food sources. But this has been 5 weeks now and the bugger(s) are REALLY tearing up the lawn every day.
I also read that about 60% of mole diets made up of earthworms and and other insects. Only a fraction is grubs, their preferred food. This might explain the radically increased activity as there are plenty of worm in the lawn.
As my property is surrounded by unfavorable grounds for moles and their food sources (i.e. dry pasture, a gravel road, and a neighbor who does not water his lawn which is dead except briefly during springtime). I’m considering trying a Castor Oil & dish soap spray mix to repel the moles. But this requires reapplication every 30 days or so. I have a BIG lawn. so that would be VERY tedious and time consuming.
So given my property’s location and circumstance, what else can I do to get rid of them?
Thanks!
Tony,
All I can say is that when I applied insecticide to my lawn, they just flat out went away. Maybe not over night, but they went away. Consider another application? I know people who have tried the castor oil thing to control voles and got little to no results. Others report good results. ???
I’ve heard garlic works as a repellant too, but anything is better than a systemic pesticide. I cannot believe it is legal to sell and buy such a product. I went around and stomped their tunnels in, and when they started to run out of grubs they left, too much trouble having to re route all the time I guess. They did reduce the Japanese beetle population significantly, and aerated the lawn. We have fescue which gets reseeded in fall anyway.
Hello Mike really enjoy your emails. One question , if I put this granular down by Bayer for grubs would that be a problem with chickens picking them up?
Just wondered if any one had experience with this. Many Beatles this year in NE Oklahoma.
Thanks
Dana
Dana,
I honestly don’t know but since they are ingesting the grubs it might not be a good idea.
Bayer makes a systemic pesticide, very toxic, I would not use it especially with your hens around.
I have done much reaserch on mole problems, and I can tell you with confidence that if you consult any experts on this topic and by experts I am mostly referring to agricultural extensions to Universities all over the country who are generally highly regarded for their research and conclusions, and most will tell you that trapping is the only viable option if you want to get rid of moles. Moles do not eat grubs exclusively, they also feed on earthworms which are abundant in most lawns or gardens and are benificial for aeration and soil enrichment. So if you use insecticides you may get rid of the grubs but it most likely won’t solve the mole problem because you haven’t eliminated all of their diet, some reaserch shows that the mole activity actually increased in some instances as they expand their search for worms. And if the poison also kills some worms, that’s naturally not good for soil and the grass that grows in it!, And in order to try and maintain a leathal amount of the poison,in the soil it would need reapplication several times. And then you cross your fingers that the mole(s) will ingest enough to kill them. It seems to be logical that killing them instantly or at least very quickly is more humane also! I have tried some of the alternatives without success, I trap them and they are gone before they have babies, trapping works period.
Bill,
All I can say is that I had an extensive mole problem years ago. I treated the lawn for grubs and the moles left. Gone. If you trap them you are leaving the food source and if you don’t have moles you are still likely to lose your lawn because the grubs eat the roots off the grass and your lawn dries out and dies. When skunks find that you have grubs in your lawn they will completely rototill your lawn digging for grubs. So the moles are only part of the problem. At the end of the day it’s a each to his own. You can choose to deal with them or not, it’s your call.
Putting that much systemic pesticide out is hazardous to all living things. Traps would be more humane and safe, a way better idea. Systemic pesticide works within the plant causing something that eats it to die, I cannot believe anyone would even think that is a good idea. It doesn’t just kill the list of “unwanted bugs” it shows on the label. By killing off predatory insects and possibly even birds, frogs, lizards, the bug you are trying to remove will come back more easily and you will have more problems in future seasons. Dousing an entire yard with toxic chemicals is always a bad idea. I had hoped people figured that out by now.
I am always concerned about applying any kind of insecticide particularly to my lawn. I have water coming into my house from the well, The insecticides if I were to apply and that will not happen, it would get into the water table and that makes me very couscous
Thanks Mike,
but this grub product will also kill off beneficial bugs in your yard, like worms. How do I know
I used to have tons of night crawler worms in my grass until I used this product. Not now all gone
it kills beneficial bugs as well as EVERYTHING in the grass. I had to go to a fishing shop and buy new worms to put them back in my yard. Bayer products not always the best. More on the poison side.
what do you have that is organic that will kill them and not worms ?
Moles, Armadillos and Skunks. Moles really make a mess, can’t say I like them, BUT. Armadillos are nomadic and even though they make quite a few 2-3″ holes in the lawn, when they have taken out most of them they leave. I figured it needed aerating anyway. Reseeded in the fall and had WAY fewer (like I saw 2) Japanese beetles the following season.
Chemical insecticides kill off all the bugs, so without the preditory insects the bug you’re trying to get rid of will likely be much more of a problem in the long run.
Moles and armadillos… seriously, that is what they do. They make a mess of your grass, but aerate the soil also. Expensive sod I can see being upset, but fescue should be over seeded in the fall anyway, about when they finish their aerate project.
Systemic pesticides are banned in several countries so they must have unlimited lobbyist budgets here. I asked the EPA why it is not banned here (they actually answered) the answer was even more frightening…”there has not been sufficient research to prove those products are harmful” When I asked “then how was it approved in the first place?” got no response.
Hi Mike just one question . I like the idea of Bayer grub killer but as far as killing the ants , I would say this . I d’ont want to kill my ants for the simple reason that we many many peonies and the ants are beneficial to the opening of the flower itself. Please correct me if i,m wrong!. So what would you do different or are there other alternatives .
Ray,
I don’t worry about ants around my plants.
Systemic pesticides should be banned, don’t like the idea.
While using grub control is it safe for my dogs? thanks MIke……..( my dog got sprayed by skunk the other night) that was awful ….
Sue,
Read the label on the bag or the company website.
Stinks like &$*! but not nearly as toxic (to everybody) as the insecticide.
No.
Skunk stink won’t kill your dogs, enough toxic pesticides might.
Mike – I’ve read most of the moles/skunks/grubs comments above – very entertaining & informative. I live in Georgia (suburb just north of Atlanta), and have lived in this area for about 30 years. Since I bought this house 10 years ago, I’ ve had problems with chupmunks! They dig into everything – including my potted plants. Any suggestions?
Cheri,
I too have chipmunks but they don’t bother me. I have no idea how to reduce them.
I’ve heard that sprinkling cayenne pepper around potted plants will deter chipmunks and squirrels. You have to reapply after a rain.
Cayenne pepper and Irish Spring soap.
Hawks are the most effective solution for chipmunks. We are blessed with four of them in the neighborhood. Sadly, they don’t help with grubs / Japanese beetles though.
Bucket trap. 5 gallon bucket half full of water with sunflower seed floating on top. Place a board for them to climb up. Funny thing – I caught 3 one night and found them laying beside the bucket. Something had taken them out so it could eat the sunflower seeds.
I’ve had very good, long-term results with Milky Spore. It’s a biological that lives in the soil and persists for about twenty years. When I used on a lawn in southern Virginia years ago, the moles stopped at the property line in a particularly bad year for grubs and moles.
Thanks for the feedback Jim.
I have no lawn but plenty of gophers and moles that dig under my 1500 gallon water tank. Part of the main reason I haven’t put a lawn in is the mole and gopher infestation. Does anyone have any suggestions for getting rid of them? I have an acre of land with a few bushes, trees and blackberries. My garden consists of wood boxes lined with both 1″ chicken wire and 1/2″ square wire because the moles got through the chicken wire. The tunneling gets so bad the ground eventually sinks. The tunneling around my water well piping and equipment is concerning. Appreciate any ideas or suggestions you may have. Thanks, Sandi
Sandi,
Sounds more like Voles which are more difficult to get rid of.
Milky spore
Mike… Have you considered the use of beneficial nematodes? As a totally organic method of Japanese Beetle Grub control, beneficial nematodes are the best. Several million dehydrated nematodes are mixed with water and applied to the soil, activating the very hungry nematodes to burrow and hunt down grubs of all types. The nematode lays several eggs on the grub which then hatch and cannibalize the grub. It only takes one nematode to kill one grub, but the cycle releases an additional several hundred nematodes into the soil.
Nematodes are not expensive and one application will remove the grubs from your problem areas for years… and years. I made one application in my vegetable garden in 1978… and still, there are no Japanese Beetle grubs on that property.
Albert,
No I haven’t given it much thought, never really looked into it. But definitely worth a try.
Mike what is good for getting rid of Gophers, excuse me for getting off subject here, but I have gophers instead of what you mentioned and I am in California in the desert they have ripped up my lawn so bad and I am in tears with it so far and have tried just about everything to get rid of them and short of running water down one of their holes and making him come to the surface and stepping on his head which caused him to drown, sorry for the gory stuff Mike but they are tearing up my beautiful lawn, which is now torn up and looks ugly and is now dangerous to walk on, I have not tried the traps yet but I think there is success with those either, any suggestions? I am at my wits end already with these things
Darrel,
I feel your pain but I don’t have an answer. See this; http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7439.html
How long before your lawn is safe for pets to walk on?
Lance,
I’d read the label on the bag for that info.
i live in the ft worth, tx area where august is still summer in full swing. would august still be the right time to use either the bayer or the milky spore? thx
Augie,
I’d yes because the grubs don’t go deep until the soil cools off.
Don’t use the Bayer, its extremely toxic.
Hey Mike, I really enjoy your ideas ! But I have a new one for you–Have you ever tried nematodes? You buy them by the thousands and you can’t see them, You dilute them into a sprayer and spray your entire property . They eat all grubs which get rid of beetles, mosquitoes,fleas –Now the best part here in Virginia I sprayed 2 years straight and didn’t have to spray again for over 8 years. Best part no grubs eating my iris, no fleas, no mosquitoes! I get them from Plants Alive.com. It has to be done in the wet part of spring so the nematodes can be wet and get down into the ground.
Sandra,
Somebody else just mentioned nematodes, I have to give that a try.
I looked up nematodes… it’s roundworms, pin worms, hook worms etc…
I’m sorry but that just seems to be putting worms in your yard that your pets and Children (or yourself) play in and are susceptible to.
I don’t think I’LL choose that option.
These worms lay their eggs on grass blades to be picked up by barefoot individuals or eaten by pets (who eat grass).
Just my opinion. May not be worth a cent. But it’s mine. Lol
Have a Great Day
That’s nonsense, nematodes are so small u can’t see with the eye and put some down 20 years ago and still have no problem with grubs where nematodes were put. . Round worms and the like are NOT beneficial nematodes period
Hi Mike, Thanks for the information. I have problems with moles in my vegetable garden as well as my lawn. Could it be the beetles in my garden, too? If not, how do you recommend getting rid of moles in my garden? I got lucky once while tilling and actually tilled one up! ( Sweet victory for a moment) Thanks for the articles.
Teresa,
Traps in a veggie garden.
I have not have a problem with my spacious lawn, but huge problem with Japanese Beetles in my organic vegetable, fruit and berry garden, The plum tree, grapevines, roses and some vegetables are the main problem by them. I have tried Milky Spore, as well as other things but cannot get rid of them. Someone said I needed moles who go underground and eat the grubs of the Japanese Beetle. Is it wise to introduce a mole into my vegetable, berry and fruit garden in light of the destruction they can do?
Ester,
If you have beetles on your veggies they are probably coming from a variety of sources.
Ester: moles and skunks are both carnivores, not plant eaters.. The problems with moles is they leave these long open tunnels under the surface which voles and other vegetable eaters travel thru and munch on the roots of plants which moles ignore in their search for animal protein — like Japanese beetle, May beetle and June beetle larvae.
I welcome moles, and step down the tunnels the moles make so the voles, etc. can’t run along them. I also use a mulching blade on my lawn — which doesn’t look like a golf course like our neighbors lawns do. Ours is a lush lawn and i welcome all sorts of other plants to grow — violets, 3 or 4 kinds of clovers, various old-field flowers. Our lawn is a complex and lush ecosystem. I find that lush lawn is partially caused by letting our lawn grow fairly high (6-8 inches) and mulch-blading it which lets the cut grass compost and enrich the lawn. Last year, we had a plague of Japanese beetles (adults) and this year we have some — but not enough to eat all the leaves off our Rose bushes, Cherry trees, Apple trees, and etc. — as they did last year
Oh, and i add: we don’t fertilize our lawn, and even tho we’re not certified Organic, we take care of our lawn and garden organically
A good article. We tried Milky Spore and it really did not make a noticeable difference. We also had the lawn sprayed in September and not a big difference the next year. I run around several times a day with a small container of soapy water and try to teach the bugs to swim – they are not very adept.
I hesitate using a chemical as we have several dogs and cats that a good pets and I don’t want to use anything that will harm them. We have a young coon hound that digs up voles (and rabbits and other critters) and eats them. So I need to be careful of her. Looks like Milky Spore is my only choice, in addition to the swimming lessons. But, our pond full of catfish love them!
Hi Mike,
We’ve had an extreme problem with Japanese beetles over the years here in North Carolina. Especially with our roses. We haven’t seen the beetles yet this year but our lawn is riddled with holes and the ground is very soft in many spots. I assume we have moles. Our lawn is mostly clover these days and I don’t know what to do about that either. I can see in the photo of the bag of grub insecticide that you need to keep it away from children. What about pets? We have a beagle and besides being a scent dog, he likes to lick everything. If we were to use the insecticide, would we have to carry him to a safe place to do his business? I want to get rid of the grubs without killing my dog in the process.
Thanks,
Laura
Laura,
You really have to read the label on the product for these answers.
It’s good to know what eats up the lawns; however I am not a fan of doing business with Bauer, especilly since they just bought out Monsanto. And did you know they are going to drop the name Monsanto on the Monsanto products..
Do you have any other suggestions for dealing with infestations besides these Bad Boys (Bayer and Monsanto) ? ? ?
No, just those two.
Hello Mike
Turf grass is the number one crop per acre in the USA, plus the perfect home for Japanese Beetle larvae. Why not just reduce your lawn and starve the larvae?
Please have your readers contact their State AG Extension for local solutions. There are organic and chemical controls that have been researched by your tax dollars.
The Extension people want to help and are knowledgeable..
You can use milky spore, it takes longer but lasts for years and is ecologically safe. I Don’t use any chemicals or products from Bayer, they created the chemicals used in the holocaust for Germany. Also, the chemicals in those products run off into the water and kill fish & birds that forage where it is spread.
Beneficial nematodes. You’re welcome 😉
Milky spore is supposed to work on grubs. It takes a while to do the job so you have to be patient. Please do not use poison on your lawn if you have animals they will have toxic build up and end up with cancer.
It’s almost impossible to avoid Bayer bc they own most of the pharmaceutical products in this country, and most of the lawn products one way or the other. There’s really only a small handful of companies that own everything – not to mention you’re eating their food at the store. Most organic companies unless they’re small and local (and seeds are now an issue also) are owned by large corporations. They’re not stupid, they know a good business opportunity when they see it. The only way out to me is permaculture – grow your own good, we use heirloom seeds, we buy heirloom food starter plants, and do our best. I personally love Bayer Advanced for Roses and Flowering Shrubs – it’s a fantastic product. I don’t worry about my roses or rhodies or clematis bc Bayer will take care of everything, fungus, insects, Japanese beetles, everything – so my roses and shrubs look wonderful. It doesn’t mean I agree with them – but I do need their products at this time in my life. You follow your heart and see if maybe another planting style would work.
We have reduced our grass way way down – and used more and more ground cover plants, its hitting the whole west coast to stop planting grass. Use creeping thyme, phlox, Bishop’s Weed, Periwinkles, or a whole host of other kinds of plants that don’t need water, don’t need much at all and you don’t have to mow at all. Eliminate mowing is a possibility. You can also buy Eco-grass which is what we have in the front yard – this year we have Dallas grass out there and its really annoying and a few other weeds irritating me – but usually weeds don’t take root if your grass is real tight and there’s no room for them to grow
Right now almost everything we find in catalogs is patented. Most nurseries are selling high numbers of patented plants. So good luck with your journey – but research it well, really well. =
Great! Thank you for your advice.
I live about 30 miles south of Atl. GA and we had almost no Japanese Beetles this year (and I don’t use insecticides except on fire ant mounds). I spoke with the owner of local pest control company and he said he had not seen many beetles this year either. I have two ideas as to why. One is FIRE ANTS, they have taken over the south and are protein eating ants. The other is that we had a hard freeze late last spring that destroyed about 80% of our peach crop and perhaps it killed off the grubs before they emerged but our freezes rarely last long enough to freeze the soil, so I suspect the fire ants are the main reason.
Greg,
That’s an interesting idea. Good for grub control but not good over all.
I live in Scottsville KY and the Japanese bettors destroyed our fruit trees. I tried everything except your suggestions. So can I go ahead and try Bayer product at this time? Didn’t think it would hurt the lawn as it’s not perfect and seriously I have fallen from the holes. Then what month next year to apply? Excellent information as we will look for that 3 year results!
Jeanette,
I’m not sure that making an application now would do a lot of good, but maybe do two applications next year. One right before the beetles emerge and one later after they have laid all of their eggs.
Hello Mike,
I’m always delighted at the new things I learn from you.
As far as your double heavy duty application of the grub specific insecticide, was that liquid or granules?
I have never used chemicals but my poor yard is shot from the little buggers. However, I have cats, and other wildlife. If it is a spray, I can keep everyone inside while it dries. If it’s granules, I guess the grubs win.
BTW, I’m on the Illinois side of the Quad Cities.
Thank you
Jennifer
Jennifer,
What I used was granualar. My lawn looks great right now, my neighbor’s lawns are trashed from skunks and grubs. But I would wait and apply next summer and get the grubs when they are close to the surface. August 1st is usually a good time to treat for them.
To get rid of tiny biting ants & fire ants I found “Swagger” Men’s Body Wash, by Old Spice just a few pumps of solution mixed with warm water in a Ketchup squeeze bottle does the trick …DEAD on contact and will not pass the circle I make around mound..
I have a non chemical solution for ants. 3 TBS of Franks hot sauce, 1/2 tsp. Dawn blue, 1 quart of water…whisk all together and pour into nests and spray areas also. May take 2 applications for fire ants but it will take care of the problem!!!
I just read the article on grubs. Concern is the Brayer product you showed-will it kill the earthworms?t
Darlene,
It could, you have to decide.
Mike is correct. My horticulture instructor in college said that killing out the grubs with
the granules will kill the earthworms, which add nutrients to your lawn and also the good bacteria that adds nutrients. It takes one year for your lawn to recuperate after your application. It is your choice.
Hi Mike,
Thanks for the excellent review on the grubs. We live in a rural area and have had a Japanese beetle problem attacking my rose bushes for years. I had no idea about the grub stages, etc. I’m bad and never researched it. You always give the best advice and info. Thanks again so much.
You’re welcome Sandra.
TY Mike for all of your postings that helps novices such as I, to attack some of the problems we homeowners face. The infestations of Japanese beetle’s is especially bothersome and costly if let go. I will get some of the bayer and treat the lawn. I am wondering if (since It is now beginning of Oct). if it would be a waste of time and money?
ps we live in southern Wi.
Steve,
It very well could be too late. The grubs will start working their way to the surface in late spring, you might treat then, or treat in August before they burrow deeper.
thanx again Mike for all the info and replying directly here
And thank you for the information I enjoyed reading on the grubs I have a lot of I need to get rid of them
I solved the problem by removing all the weeds (useless lawn grass) from my yard and now strictly grow vegetables and fruit and got rid of all my expensive lawn equipment for a good used tiller. I grow my own food year round while I hear people in the grocery stores complaining about the high costs of their food. Eventually, as the population keeps growing, all weeds….er….grass will go the way of the dodo. Several Asian countries already plant vegetables and fruit trees in the medians in roads and along sidewalks.
In some areas, growing vegetables in your front yard is actually ILLEGAL. Not sure about paving over the front. So for the time being, most people still need to have lawn in the front.
Yup. Earl’s got it. Milky spore.Apply year 1 and year 2. Lasts for about 10 years. The milky spore (bacteria) multiply in the soil and become more effective with time. Organic and a great solution. We have very little lawn so the lawn isn’t the biggest problem. At least not at our house. We do have lots of manure and the grubs seem to especially relish sheep manure. But the milky spore is the long term, no chemical insecticide solution.
The use of Milky Sore and not jnsecticides act to maintain more favorable
soil biotic condotions which enable better plant responces..
Nice article.Mike! I bought Milky Spore close to 10 years ago. It seemed pricey at the time but after other “solutions” with poor results, (including mole traps,) I applied the Milkey Spore. I had few beetles the first year and havent had any since!
Thanks Earl.
Mike, thanks for the article . I’ve been needing to treat for grubs for some time but My yard had lots of flower beds. Will this treatment kill earthworms? Didn’t want to do that.
Carlton,
The insecticide most certainly is not good for earth worms, so you have to make that choice.
Mike,
I’ve been pretty proud of my lawn this year, having finally got to the point of fertilizing early, rather than late. In mid- April I used a basic 12-12-12 fertilizer, testing the amount being dropped first, before going over the lawn. Not too much, not to little from my drop spreader.
My lawn has looked great ( a lot of rain has helped ).
But now, June 3rd, I notice many circular patches of brownish blades of grass appearing, making the lawn look weak and sickly.
My neighbor has a riding mower, a new Toy, and he volunteers to do my grass as well, when he cuts his.
But… his lawn is flat as a pool table, while mine is a bit undulating. He cuts his lawn short, and though I ask him not to cut mine the same height ( I prefer it to be higher, especially for the upcoming hot weather ), and to raise his blades. I think he forgot, though when questioned he says that he DID raise the blades. He’s an old geezer, like me, so I wonder if he really did what he says..
.
Or do I have premature signs of grub activity beginning? ( but in circular patterns.? )
.
Is there anything I can do to make those areas look healthy again ????
.
I do plan on insisting that it be cut taller, and I soon plan on re-fertilizing, but with a lower NPK ratio, and slow release ( Milorganite, actually )
.
Any other suggestions to bring my lawn back ?
.
Thanks, Hank, near Detroit
Hank
This time of year? Little to no fertilizer and water, water, water.
Small round brown patches are often caused by sod webworms. The “worms” are the larvae hatched from eggs dropped by those little white moths that flitter around at night, you can easily spot them with a flashlight. A single moth can lay hundreds of eggs. You can use an insecticide, or just water and fertilize appropriately.
You are right to have your lawn cut higher. When cut higher in summer the grass shades weed seeds and they cannot germinate. Cut low in the fall before winter so the weeds are suibject to freezing temps which kills them. For the best lawn, over seed with fescue. It has many roots and won’t let weeds come up. Get the;;low growing type.
As for beetles , spay your bushes that they eat. They won’t have a chance to breed and burrow in the ground. AND complain if the county puts out traps because they just call the beetles to your area!
Moles must go after other things too for I got rid of the beetles and still had many moles. I found the best way to get rid of them is flood their runs with water and drowns the babies!
we also switched to fescue, ours is creeping red fescue in a mix of tall fescues that grow and then fall in puffy swirly patterns like a meadow all over the yard. It’s so beautiful we wonder why we ever cut the lawn before. Now we never cut it unless there’s weeds, which means seed seed seed the lawn heavy and water it
Hi Mike!!
Should I treat for grubs and fertilize my acre of grass (slowly turning to pure weeds I think due to moles) in the spring when the ground warms and the fall?
I live in NH….Anne
Anne,
Treat for weeds in the spring with a weed and feed, treat for grubs in July or August.
We have suffered from grub infestation in the past where our lawn had many brown areas and after about 5 years of doing only the 5 fertilizer applications my husband pre pays a lawn service for to get weeds controlled and fertilized. Well we applied grub control once a few years back but never kept up the maintenance. I know SHAME ON US! Well I took over yard maintenance now because I honestly don’t think the word “maintenance” is in his vocabulary. He’s a great guy and good about a lot of stuff overall it’s just not a maintenance sorta guy when it comes to home and yard work. He mows the yard himself, but you have to twist an arm to get him to trim, sweep or prune anything. Now I’m retired so I hired the lawn service to do our grub treatment as well. They just applied a GRUB KILLER last Friday April 14th 60 day guarantee so we’ll see. Or they can reapply the granular treatment if I see more grubs. I did a test patch to check that there were active grub larvae within the top 3 inches of the soil when this KILLER is supposed to work. Then they do a GRUB PREVENTER treatment in August/Sept which has a full one year warranty. So I’ll get that too and hopefully within a couple years I’ll get my yard grub free????? I just figured we were paying to fertilize a crappy looking yard where there is so much insect damage, multiple bare spots, animal digging that the money really was wasted because the lawn wasn’t treated for all the other problems. The lawn company kept making suggestions to do other things but he wouldn’t spend the money or do the work himself. This fall I’m also doing aeration and overseeing and I just got a soil test done too. I may sound like you think I’d buy anything including the kitchen sink but really I will keep a sharp eye out and have the techs coming back to reapply treatments as needed but not being a PIA customer, just one that takes pride in my yard and wants my lawn looking lush and nice. I’ll repost at end of season and let you all know if it was worth the MONEY.
Thanks for the information Mike! Even though your article is a couple years old, it was helpful. We recently moved to the country and we’ve noticed a lot of grubs while we were doing some planting of shrubs and trees. I didn’t realize those nasty grubs were beetle larvae. Also, I thought moles ate earth worms? But maybe they eat both grubs and worms. 😉 We will follow your advice and get them knocked out in spring and fall. Enjoy God’s beautiful green earth!
Jill,
See this, this is my most recent article about Japanese beetle grubs and skunks. https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/10/skunks-digging-moles-tunneling-why-are-they-digging-up-my-lawn/
Hey Mike, I live in TN and my problem is vols. Do you think this treatment would work on them?
Thanks Leo
Leo,
I’m not sure, but see this article on voles https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2016/03/controlling-voles-in-your-yard-and-garden-organically/
Snarky remark, the Dawgs took care of the Vols Saturday! But yes, voles can be a problem for landscape trees and bushes. Walter Reeves, our local Saturday morning garden radio show host says there are two or things you can do to reduce vole damage. 1) do not mulch right up to the base of the plant. 2) use mouse traps baited with peanut butter (but cover them with a flower pot or small box to keep birds from getting caught. 3) get a cat.
Hello Mike,
My husband, also Mike, and I are wondering if we put down a weed and feed granular application in June, can we then apply Grub Killer Plus in early August?
Thanks for your interesting and informative articles.
Doris
Doris,
I think it would be fine as long as the lawn is watered well between then and now. But I doubt that the grub killer plus contains much nitrogen so I’m sure it will be fine.
Mike! I’ve saw the grubs, the moles and our grass isn’t doing great…. did not connect them to Japanese beetles! But, have those too. they love my knockouts. Thank you for your instructions.
Hey… this was supposed to be my husband’s nursery business, mainly. Everyday, I wind up watching or reading something that you have published on the internet. I can’t stay away from the business center….. I believe you and your efforts have put us on a different path and changed our future. I just wanted to say Thank you. Thank you and God bless you and your family! Jan
Jan,
Thank you for your kind words and wishing you both the best ever!
Mike, What about Milky Spore mold for treating the grubs? It is non-toxic to anything but the grubs and works for many years.
Patricia,
I have written about Milky Spore and it is said to be effective but it takes a number of years before it really starts working effectively and in the meantime you cannot treat for the grubs at all. For some it’s the best thing ever, for others they want more immediate results. I first wrote about Milky Spore many years ago in this article. http://freeplants.com/moles.htm
Thank You for all the excellent info.
i had an idea about Japanese beetle control.
How about taking a nice big bug zapper and open it up enough so the beetles can get in.
Then take one of the scented bait traps and removing the scent lure insert it into the bug zapper. If the beetles like the lure as much as i hear perhaps remove the bottom of the zapper so the dead beetles can fall clear. Into a container.
Then your poultry can have nice toasty bug treats !
Thank You again !
Hey Mike,
We had a serious mole problem until I adopted an outside female cat. I only fed her once a day in the summer and for the first few months I had her I was finding pieces of moles everywhere. Wa La ! ! Mole problem solved. However, she does nothing about the skunks and armadillos. LOL ! ! So I plan to try the Bayer insecticide this year to get rid of the grubs.
Bayer might show pictures of bugs that it (you) are targeting, but fact is it is poison and could be deadly to all bugs good and bad including earthworms, predatory insects, even birds, frogs, your cat, skunks, armadillos etc. We had an armadillo making 2″ holes all over the lawn, flowerbeds. I was amazed at the precision, he must be able to hear or smell exactly where the grubs are, the holes were not very big at all. At first I was aggravated with all the little holes but I figured the lawn needed aerating anyway and the following year we had hardly any Jap Beetles! The armadillos are nomadic and move on when the job is done. I don’t know about moles, but the cat does her best to keep them away, and without grubs they seem to have moved on too.
Hello, I’m in Savannah, GA, I read your article today about grubs, moles and skunks. THanks!!!
Yesterday our yard was OK, today there are all kinds of tunnels. The moles are back. In July and
September I put some stuff to kill the grubs. I guess I did not put enough down. Can I treat the lawn
NOW with Bayer’s grub killer. Called Trugreen, they couldn’t help me. He said it was too late.
The temperature is still in the high 70 and 80’s during the day. Oh, do I have to ask my neighbors to
do the same, one yard in connected to mine. PLEASE give me advice. I think those grubs have eaten
my new sod that I laid in the spring. BE
Bonita,
At this point I’d wait until next August when the grubs are very near the surface. Your lawn should fine until then, most lawns never get treated.
hi i was wondering . i no i have moles because i have bugs in the grass. but i have 4 plum trees and i didn’t want to put poison into the ground and poison the plums. i want 2 be able to make jam with the plums… but this last year i only got about 30 plums… So i guess i will go ahead with using the bug killer… But what if the trees give me alot of plums next spring?? The trees are 20 years old… And i didn’t have plums the first seven years. I don’t no what kind of plums they are my mother planted them… And she said it would take 7 years to get plums. thank you for your time.
Angela,
I wouldn’t put an insecticide around trees or plants that you intend to eat fruit from.
Great info. Thanks. Just what I was looking for; too bad it is so late in this year, but, God willing, there will be another August in my life on Planet Earth, and if there isn’t, then for me, the grub problem will not matter.
Hi good article. I was wondering if we should buy Japanese Beetle trap to put out in spring to reduce the number of beetles prior to treating the lawn in August?
Andrew,
If you do, hang the traps away from plants that typically get eaten by the beetles because the traps really are powerful at attracting Japanese beetles and will lure them from the neighbors yard to yours.
Hi Mile, Do you have any experience with ground squirrels? They have invaded the fields here and are now right next to my garden! I’m afraid they’ll be In it next year.
Alice,
I’m sorry, I know nothing about them or how to control them.
Dear Alice,
Try planting rosemary. I take the sprigs, even dead ones, and put them in the flowerpots that squirrels love. Love instantly turns to hate – they will not go near the rosemary – living or dead.
Thanks for this info Mike. Perfect timing for me. Two days ago I noticed my yard was torn up and wondered what was going on suddenly! Your photos and article gave me the answer. In August you wouldn’t have had those photos to post and I probably wouldn’t have paid much attention to the article if you would have published it in August because I trapped a few moles this summer and so it appeared I had my mole problem under control for the season. I think I’ll put some grub control down today at least in the problem areas. We’re still having warm weather for October so I think it will help knock the population down,
Moles do eat earthworms. I’ve read about a study that found that earthworms make up about 60% of the typical mole’s diet. I also read of three “natural” grub control methods considered safe and effective – milky spore, neem oil, and nematodes. Milky Spore doesn’t bother spiders, worms, bees, insects, pets or people. It works on grubs, but I’m not sure if it is only Japanese beetle grubs or other lawn grubs as well. Neem oil inhibits egg laying, growth and feeding of lawn grubs. Nematodes work good for the European chafer grubs as well as Japanese beetle grubs. It is safe for earthworms, people, pets, and most beneficial insects. I plan on researching these more for the most effective time and method of application and cost, but may need to resort to chemicals to get the situation under control in the short term.
I appreciate you newsletters Mike. Thanks for the good work.
Julie,
You are absolutely right. Short sighted people who just like to complain fail to realize that even though the information would have been ideal sent in August, a lot of people might not have paid it any attention because the problem wasn’t at full speed yet. Secondly, I’m in this for the long haul, I’ve been writing articles like this and offering them to the world for free for almost 17 years now. Now I have a really good article with photos, about Japanese beetle grubs that we can send out next August.
Thanks, Mike, for a good article. I tried milky spore about 20 years ago, it seemed to help for a while. We had Japanese beetles so bad that they destroyed a peach tree and an ornamental plum. When we had moles digging in the lawn a few years ago, started having Trugreen treat the lawn, that helped. P.S. I visited your plant sale recently, you have very nice plants!
Thanks Chriss, I appreciate you coming to the plant sale and hope to see you in the spring.
I read on ohio univ ext that moles actually prefer earthworms over grubs. That was 2 wks ago. I bought 2 bags of this stuff. It said after 24 hrs dead.NOT!!! Not even after 2 wks are they dead and moles are making my yard look like cropcircles…..i even went thru 2 mega pks juicy fruit last weekend. Im losing my mind. But i have to say….what i have noticed is ive found more grubs under, around or whatever… Crabgrass, and other kinds of grass that isnt turf grass. I dont understand. Even after sitting and spending hours pulling up this grass and 3 chickens having hi protein dinners for couple days, i still have issues. I resorted to pouring pesticides down the holes today. Im in desperate mode here. I cant believe i even did something like that!!! But now im gonna have to seed also. My question is can i use a grub killer and seed at the same time? Im just gonna try another brand i guess and pray for the best…….
Susy,
Yes, you can use a product for grubs then simply over seed. The insecticide won’t interfere with the seed germination. I think some patience are in order here. The moles don’t know that you killed the grubs. Years ago when I dealt with the is first time I made the application of the grub product, probably on the heavy side, and that’s all I did. It took some time, but he problem was solved.
Thank you.
Is it possible that the grubs or moles are responsible for our Arborvitae newly planted tree dying? It was watered sufficiently same as the other one planted at the same time that lived..
Thanks for all your e-mail advice.
John & Juanita
John & Juanita,
I’m sure the grubs had nothing to do with the death of your arborviate. If it is newly planted I’d look at three things. Too dry, too wet, planted too deep. The top of the ball should be at least one inch above grade so the roots can breath.
What is the solution?
Delores,
The solution is to get rid of the grubs. If that’s what your asking?
Some sort of bug (probably Japanese beattles?) has attacked my rose bush for the last three summers. This past summer I fought back with a pesticide and was some what successful; however, now we’re seeing more holes in the yard and I’ve been told it’s moles. My question to you is, since we’re located in the DC/MD/VA area, and it’s already October 6th, is it too late to put the Grub Killer down?
Debra,
That’s the million dollar question. I just applied mine last week because I noticed the problem right before I left for vacation. I’ll make another application next year, probably in mid August. I think if you apply it now it should be fairly effective, your climate is pretty much like mine and it was quite warm here today. If you want to wait until next August, you can. I really wish I knew what to best tell you.
Nice timing……..October
Dear Anonymous,
I truly appreciate your support. You typed exactly three words. Me? I had to go to store buy the bagged product come home take photos, peel back my grass take more photos, apply the product, then spend approximately three hours editing the photos, uploading each them twice, once to be edited, once into the post, then I had to write an article that is probably 1,200 words. And believe it or not, I do have a life going on and a couple of businesses to run. I think I want your job. Just type three words and go somewhere else on line to say something nice about somebody else.
hahaha, Mike….I love you….your grit….!
I have to say though, we used to have moles…..didn’t treat for them or for grubs. Don’t know what happened or how we got lucky, but….shuuuuuh….don’t say it out loud…..the moles are gone. And only on occasion do I find one in my pots as I’m bumping them up….and they quickly become chicken feed!.
Thanks Sharon!
Well said, Mike! Keep up the great work!
That was the perfect response Mike.
Mike, good article, and I don’t mean to be rude or disrespectful here, but if the best time to treat for grubs is August, why did you wait until the 6th. of Oct. to post this? It would have done more good if I had read it in July.
John,
You are absolutely right. I knew I had to do it, wanted to do the article, take photos etc. I was busy with plant sales in September then I left for a week of vacation. I truly wish I had gotten this article out in August, but time is the ever elusive thing.
Mike, We have had such a draught in the summer here and our well water will not support watering the 3/4 acre we own so we just wait it out. The rains started back a few weeks ago and now almost all the neighbors’ yards are totally green but ours which has a lot of brown patches still. I have worried it is grubs a lot but thought it was too late to treat them. Is there a way to tell their status according to the ground temperature with a plant thermometer? Things to SLOWLY be looking better but I’m not sure it still isn’t grubs. I would prefer it is just taking longer for our long to green up as our neighbors have a lot of weeds and such. We are one of the few who treat our lawn completely. Then again because we are we probably have more roots for the grubs to feed on! What a frustration….you take good care of your lawn and so you have lawn destroying grubs and have to pay big to get rid of them! UGH!
Linda,
I feel your pain. A lousy, weedy lawn full of thick bladed field grass is much easier to maintain. Just had this conversation with Pam over dinner not an hour ago. I don’t know about checking soil temps, but see if your grass comes loose when you pull on it. I’m concerned that your lawn might have suffered irrevesible damage during the drought. People always say; “Don’t worry about the brown grass, it’s just dormant, it will come back.” That’s not always the case. There’s a fine line between a lawn that has gone dormant because it hot and dry and lawn that has died. I’ve pretty much lost my lawn twice to drought since moving into this house.
If I were you, I wouldn’t worry about the grubs right now, you can treat for them next August when the time is ideal. But I would be over seeding with some good quality grass seed. You don’t have to go to a lot of trouble, just sprinkle the seed over the brown areas right now, it will be up by spring. Look for a blend of Pennfine fescue when shopping for seed.
Thanks for this answer Mike. It has been terribly dry in my part of ND and my lawn is brown except the part that is weeds and pigeon grass, lol. I’ve been wondering if I should be putting out some seed this fall.
I have areas in my lawn that need to be reseeded and I still haven’t gotten that done. But I will sometime in the next few weeks, probably near the end of October. Later than I’d like, but it should still work.
Is it too late right now to do the Bayer grub control application.
Colleen,
That’s the million dollar question. I did mine on October 1st. Too late I know, but that was the first chance that I had. I will do another next August.
I hope I can keep track of your excellent article on Japanese Beetles and Grubs., but your timing sucks! This is October, so I need to wait until either next spring–or even better, October of next year. Hope I don’t forget where I put your article in the meantime. Excellent information. THANKS!
Jerry,
I apologize on the timing but don’t wait until October, make the application next August. I wanted to get this out sooner but you have to understand that first I had to take the photos, treat the lawn, then it takes several hours to create a blog post like this one. I’m only human, I do the best I can.
You do a great job! People could do some research on their own, rather than be upset with you!
I’m not a fan of insecticides but the one thing I hate more than that are Japanese Beetles. So, I will be applying that grub killer. What I’ve done in the past is kill the parents before they lay the eggs. I use Sevin on my plants only in the month of June when I see them devouring my roses. It may kill beneficial insects during that short period of time but that’s a price I’m willing to pay. I’ve done this for 3 years and this year, we had many less beetles killing our plants. Although, they can come from neighboring lawns even miles away, they were much reduced. It was worth it to me.
Oh, I didn’t mention that I tried many organic remedies including nematodes and milky spore and drowning the beetles in soapy water before resorting to insecticides. Nothing is anywhere near as effective.
CR,
I agree, I’ve written about Milky Spore in the past, it’s good in theory, it’s great marketing, but I’m not sure that’s it a practical way to deal with this problem. Milky spore is a very difficult application process, then it takes years to really work as I understand it. I wrote extensively about this years ago here; http://freeplants.com/moles.htm
If you have a vegetable garden infected with grubs milky spore is one of few choices. Use it on lawns with pesticides for early use. Milky spore may take years but then it is there forever. Application is easy. Take coffee can and put 15 holes in bottom. Attach to pole 6 inches up( duct tape) Walk around and tap on ground every 4 ft
Interesting way to apply the milky spore. Thanks for sharing that.
Great article Mike! I am experiencing this situation right now – early October. I am certainly going to try the “Grub Killer” this weekend.
Our law.n is mostly weeds but it is about 3 acres in size and too expensive to reseed . As long as the weeds are green I’m ok but the moles are having a ball digging tunnels everywhere. I bought something at Lowes to spread but it was expensive and didn’t go very far. Do we have to just commit a fortune to have a nice lawn?
Joy,
It appears to me that yes, we do have to commit a fortune to maintain a nice lawn and trying to do so is frustrating. So people don’t spend a dime and just mow what comes up and I’m not saying that’s a bad thing. I often wonder I fight this battle. My dad never did, our lawn as a kid was probably 90% creeping charlie.
Mike, I’m wondering if the grub control you recommend has any detrimental effect on earthworms or pollinators ? some of my smaller bumble bees nest in the earth. As a home gardener I hand pick chafers and june bugs off my plants – Japanese beetles are not here – yet. But there are plenty of grubs from chafers and june bugs already so I would like an earthworm friendly solution to this destructive nuisance.
Raun,
I don’t know the answer, possibly research the manufactures website to see if they mention earth worms at all.
Hi, Mike and Ruan.
I happen to use Grub-X, (It’s a Scott’s product) and I inquired about the earthworms, etc. They told me it does no harm whatsoever to earth worms. Any good gardener and/or farmer certainly does not want to kill the earth worms. The more the better!
By the way, I am not pushing any product. That’s just the one I used. One is just as good as the other.
Also, if your lawn is pretty close to your neighbors, you might want to treat all the lawns that apply. If your neighbors have the same problem, they probably won’t mind sharing the cost. I did that with my neighbors three houses down each way, right and left. You be surprised how effective it is if the beetles are not coming over to feed from your neighbor’s untreated turf.
Joe,
You make an excellent point about getting your neighbors on board as well. You can get the grubs out of your lawn, but Japanese beetles from the neighbors most certainly will still end up in your yard.
Our daughter had them in her vegetable garden last summer munching a great deal on them. Then she grew “Four O’Clock’s” around the garden from seeds. It’s a pretty annual flower. Japanese beetles absolutely love them and then die from it. They must have an intoxicating effect on them because she found most of them upside down on the flowers. The success was not 100% but the number still feeding on the veggies was insignificant. I will plant these next year because the beetles always attack our Sweeping Pussy Willow tree.
Karuna,
Interesting theory. I wonder if they died before or after they laid eggs?
It was around July early August when I heard about it. I’m not sure when they typically lay their eggs.
I have had long lasting results with milky spore. It can last up to 10 yrs but only 4 the last time as my whole neighborhood has a problem with moles. My next door neighbor could not believe the difference. He had mole tracts everywhere and I had none. It can be tricky to apply, it is a bacteria in powder form that you apply every few feet in a grid. I like the fact it does not use chemicals but I wondered if that Bayer product worked as well. I had a beautiful rhodedendron that was 4 feet high that just fell over due to the roots being eaten up by the beetles. That was 5 years ago and no damage since but this fall have noticed a few incursions on the border of my lawn so I will try again. It is a little late now due to the fact the nighttime temps are the 50s so I will wait until spring. Meanwhile I use a castor oil product temporarily as a repellant. Thanks for all your help Mike.
Bj,
You’re welcome. I love the concept of Milky Spore but from I’ve read it can take years to be fully effective. http://freeplants.com/moles.htm
Hi Mike. Good luck with all the hate mail you will be getting for using chemicals. I’ve seen the fall out from the haters before, but you weather like a pro! Thanks for information. Keep inspiring!
Thanks Rob, I appreciate your support.
I don’t have any lawn yet the skunks go crazy at night. Should I buy the grub killer plus anyway?
Nancy,
Do some digging around looking for grubs before you apply a treatment.
Hey Mike,
From what I’ve read, Japanese beetles are attracted to lush, green lawns because they’re the perfect spot for laying their eggs. It makes sense that they wouldn’t go too far to feed, if it’s available close by. So I think your theory about the nursery is spot on.
But if they’re attracted to lush, green lawns, that makes you a target every year if your neighbors aren’t killing the grubs in their lawns. So you’d have an annual job of laying down insecticide.
I’ve had horrible problems with grubs in the past, and holes all over the yard from skunks and starlings eating them. And I did the annual insecticide thing. I finally got fed up with the chore of putting it down (and the cost of buying it) about 5 years ago, and decided to do a Milky Spore application. I saw results the first year, and better results every year after. It’s supposed to be good for upwards of 15 years. I can’t swear to that yet, but I’m very happy so far.
One other thing I have to consider is, I have a big vegetable garden, and I use the grass clipping as a mulch in there. Whenever I DO use a chemical on the lawn, I have to bag up the clippings and put them out for the trash. Another chore! And since I’m pitching the clippings, the garden gets overrun with weeds…yet ANOTHER chore! So, for me, the Milky Spore has been a wise move all the way around. .
James,
I won’t argue that point, I often wonder about this treadmill of trying to maintain a nice lawn.
Patches of the yard at the farm come up bird’s-foot trefoil and /or red clover when the rest dries out. It actually looks pretty nice.
Another comment if I may, Mike. The milky spore thing is supposed to be real good IF YOU DO NOT DISTURB the soil. That’s the way it was explained to me. If you till the soil for veggies or flowers you are disturbing that soil. This kills (I guess) the spores. I don’t know. But I do know if you disturb the soil the spores are less and less active.
My husband just found a few Grubbs the other day. We do organic gardening, so do we have an alternative? Surely there must be something natural that will get the job done. At least that’s what I’m hoping.
Jeanne,
Milky Spore is an alternative. I wrote about it here a long time ago. Others are replying to this article claiming good results with it. Take a look at this article http://freeplants.com/moles.htm
Hi Mike, I will try the Bayer as suggested, but what are your thought on BT? I have read that it is a longer/organic cure??
True?
Steve,
I don’t honestly know, but worth researching for sure.
BT is excellent for caterpillars. Grubs are not caterpillars.
Is the insecticide safe for dogs and children and should we wait until next August
Beth,
I am going to refer you to the manufacture’s website for that information, I’m really not qualified to speak on that. I’m sure there are plenty of precautions on the bag that can be found on their website.
If i remember correctly, after soaked in with h20 24 hrs.
Milky spore is an organic treatment that is very very effective. It sure got rid of my voles and grubs. I noticed a huge difference the very next spring/summer.
Linda,
I am happy to hear that. I wrote about Milky Spore years ago but I’ve never tried it. This is the fist time I’ve applied my own insecticide in a long time.
Don’t moles also eat earth worms.? I have many earth worms because I don’t use pesticides and have not in years. I also have moles and skunks. It’s a ongoing problem unfortunately.
Carol,
They probably eat both. Skunks, I’m pretty sure they eat grubs, not sure about earth worms.
Great article. Do you have a similar one for European Crane Fly larva control. I live in western Washington state.
Gary Thomas
Gary,
I don’t, I’m not familiar with Crane Fly larva.
you said to treat in August…this is October : (
is it too late???
Cindi,
Good question. I treated my lawn on October 1st. Late I know, but that’s when I got to it. There were still grubs near the surface so I made the application but I’m sure I missed a lot. I’ll treat again next October.