How to identify & control grub bugs and chinch bugs. Both are lawn insects that cause severe damage to the grass. The difference is that they each thrive in different environments. Grub bugs kill the grass by cutting off its roots whereas chinch bugs attack the lawn’s surface. Both of these types of lawn insects can be treated and prevented.
Grubs are beetle larvae. They are off-white “C shaped” worms with tiny legs. Grubs feed on soil near the grass root, severing it as they eat. This causes the turf to pull up easily (like pulling up loose carpet). Grub bugs can attract raccoons and other creatures like skunks, which can dig large holes in your lawn causing major damage. Prevention is key to treating grub bugs.
Prevention is the ideal treatment. This treatment is applied prior to lawn insect infestation. Once a grub bug problem exists a curative application for grubs needs to be applied. Both types of treatments need watered thoroughly. Once grubs have been treated they take 2-4 weeks to die. This is slightly different than cinch bugs.
Chinch bugs love the sun and are difficult to see. Chinch bugs damage the turf-grass at the surface. Brown or yellow “dead” patches may form in the lawn. These heat loving insects are active between May and late September. Lawns that are watered properly throughout the summer have a higher tolerance to chinch bugs. Prevention is key.
Chinch bug damage can be minimized with grub prevention treatment. This treatment is usually applied between April 15th and June 1st. Once cinch bugs are a problem, treatment needs to be curative. After treatment, chinch bugs usually die within 1-2 weeks. This treatment does not fix damaged lawns. Proper watering practices will help repair the damage caused by chinch bugs.
My wife has recently gotten into gardening and I want to help her take care of the lawn and any gardening projects she has. I really appreciate you bringing up the threat that grubs can bring and suggesting ways to treat them because we know that insects are a given when dealing with gardens but other animals getting involved like squirrels or raccoons can be a hassle for us to handle so if we can prevent that from happening, that would be a better solution. I’ll be sure to take your article into account and look for any lawn treatment services that can help us prevent critters from ruining my wife’s projects. Thank you!