When homeowners notice brown patches in their lawn during late summer or fall, grubs are often the culprit. These destructive pests live beneath the soil surface and feed on grass roots, causing significant damage that can be expensive and time-consuming to repair.
The good news? Grub damage is largely preventable with a proactive grub prevention application.
what are grubs?
Grubs are the immature stage of various beetles, including Japanese beetles, June bugs, European chafers, and masked chafers. They have pale, C-shaped bodies and brownish-orange heads. After adult beetles lay their eggs in the lawn during summer, the eggs hatch into grubs that immediately begin feeding on the roots of your grass.
Because grubs feed beneath the soil surface, the damage isn’t immediately visible. As they consume the roots, the grass loses its ability to absorb water and nutrients, eventually leading to brown patches, thinning turf, and sections of lawn that can be pulled up like a loose carpet.
how do I know if I have grubs?
Before doing anything, it is important to make sure that the problem is actually grubs. When grubs are feeding on the lawn, they attack the root system making it drought susceptible and easily uprooted.
The first sign of grub damage will be thinning, lumpy turf with patches of dead grass. In heavily infested lawns, skunks, raccoons, and birds may further damage the turf as they search for grubs to eat.
The best way to confirm grubs is to cut a small section of the dead patch and peel it back. You will see the white C-shaped grubs under the grass and it will also be very easy to pull up like carpet. Healthy lawns may naturally have a few grubs, but finding 5+ per square foot is considered enough to cause damage and warrant treatment.
why grub prevention is better than grub control
One of the biggest misconceptions homeowners have is that they can simply treat grubs once they see damage. While curative treatments exist, they are often less effective and come after the lawn has already suffered injury.
Preventative grub treatments are applied before the eggs hatch, creating a protective barrier that stops young grubs before they can begin feeding on your lawn’s root system.Think of it like an insurance policy for your lawn: it’s far easier and less expensive to prevent damage than it is to repair it later.
timing matters
The most effective time to apply grub prevention is typically from mid-June through early August, depending on weather conditions and local beetle activity.
Applying treatment during this window allows the product to protect the lawn when newly hatched grubs begin feeding. Waiting until damage is visible often means the grubs have already been feeding for weeks or months.
a common misconception
Many homeowners assume that skunks or raccoons digging in their lawn during May or June means they already have grubs. In most cases, that’s not what’s happening.
The grubs that cause significant lawn damage typically hatch in late July through early August and feed throughout late summer and early fall. This means noticeable grub damage—and the animal activity associated with it—usually doesn’t appear until late summer or early fall.
If you’re seeing animals digging in your lawn in early summer, they’re often searching for other food sources such as earthworms, insects, or leftover grubs from the previous season rather than a new grub infestation.
This is exactly why preventative grub treatments are applied before the eggs hatch. By protecting your lawn early, you stop young grubs before they have the opportunity to damage your grass roots later in the season.
the bottom line
Grubs can cause serious damage before homeowners even realize there’s a problem. A preventative grub application provides season-long protection, preserves your lawn’s root system, and helps prevent costly repairs down the road.
If you’ve experienced grub damage in the past—or simply want peace of mind knowing your lawn is protected—grub prevention is one of the smartest investments you can make for your property.