Keep an eye out for lawn grubs, they can destroy your lawn quickly!
During late Summer through to when the weather starts to cool off, Lawn Grub can be a real problem for your lawn. Couch lawns are affected the most and there are two main culprits, the Armyworm and the Sod Webworm. Both species can devastate your entire lawn in a very short period of time, so early detection is always benefical.
The most obvious sign that your lawn has lawn grub, is the brown patches of thinning grass within your turf area. The grub feeds on the root system of your lawn & can do alot of damage very quickly. Before treatment, flood a green section of lawn located near one of the brown patches with water. This will force the grubs to the top so you can identify them.
Armyworms are a brown/grey colour with black stripes. Sod Webworms have a transparent body but usually appear green due to their diet. Both are between 10mm – 30mm in length.
Armyworm – (Spodoptera frugiperda)
Sod Webworm – (Herpetogramma licarsisalis)
The Beneficial Insect
Ike Newman Wasp
Another great way to work out if you have lawn grub is to look out for the presence of the Ike Newman Wasp (Leptobatopsis Indica). This wasp (black and red in colour) uses the grub as a host to lay its eggs and will fly just above the turf looking for a suitable victim. To do this they bury themselves within the turf, so until you walk across the lawn you may not know they are present.
How do you treat lawn grub?
Well some would say leave it up to the birds. But this can be easier said then done if your territorial pet won’t let one thing step foot in your garden. Flooding your lawn with water will cause the worm to come to the surface. This will allow you to pick them up by hand or you can let the local birds take care of them. Alternatively an application of an insecticide spray may be in order. These are readily available from your local hardware store and it is essential that you read the directions carefully.
If you can’t locate any grubs but still have the damage, then they may have already reached moth stage. If this is the case, then treatment would not be needed & your focus should be on regenerating the lawn. Fertilising is not recommended in the really hot months of the year, so keep the water up and allow the turf to regenerate naturally.
Please remember insecticides have an effect on other animals in your garden so only use if needed.
Interesting Facts.
The Lawn Grub Moths lay their eggs on the underside of structures such as in the ceiling of your entertainment area, carport, fencing and under the eaves of your house. They choose these spots because they are drawn to the lights that are usually present, along with a nice dry surface to lay their eggs. Their eggs resemble furry brown patches (leathery in appearance) and should be removed to avoid increased infestation next season. The eggs can be easy swept off with a broom but if left, will hatch next season. Under the cover of darkness, tiny grubs fall on web like strings to reach the ground where they make their way into your lawn.
Did You Know….Curl grubs can also cause issues with your turf. Prevention is always better than cure, so tackling this issue before it gets out of control is the better option. Some insecticides treat a few different species of grub, making your job very easy.
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