Lawn grubs

[kroppe]

Again the yearly battle with these beasts is in full swing. Every year I apply Grub-Ex, on a monthly basis. I am not impressed with this product. It probably knocks them down a little, but surely does not eliminate them.

I know that I have sod webworms (see the moths) and Japanese beetle (they're in my roses) larvae in my grass. Also have a ton of cicadas (the shells are in the shrubs), but I don't think these critters hurt the grass.

Some of my neighbors lose large chunks of their lawns every year to these nasty things. Any suggestions for high effectiveness insecticides?

[roger23]

I have the same Problem I have not found anything that really works all that well,my neighbor has used every lawn service company in the Toledo area with same results they just come back and re apply the stuff again

[Salami]

I have some moles I can sell you guys! They love those grubs.;)

[roger23]

I had them at the cottage they drove the dog nuts,I don't know what we did but all of a sudden they were gone

[The Nailer]

The best product for grubs is "Merit" I used to buy it at Bordines in Oakland County, now the lawn service I use puts it on. You need to apply it in mid-July I think for best results. If you're too late you can use diaozine (not sure of spelliing) it helps kill the grub, the Merit kills the larvae.

[target-panic]

Milky Spore................is supposed to controle them for long periods of time, but the initial cost is quite high. I just did my first application this summer.

[frznFinn]

Second the milky spore. We did the powder-wel worth the money.

[Chawazz]

Grub-X and Merit (I think it's renamed now) work and work well, but it's about timing. We had a serious problem with grubs around here a couple of years ago. They ended up being European Shafer beetle grubs (look sorta like Japenese beetles only brown color). Many yards got hammered, (including mine) except the yards where people put down grub control.

These products work by killing the young larvae, so the soil has to be "poisoned" as the eggs hatch and the young larvae start to feed. Then you wipe out that year class of grubs and they don't eat the roots of your grass.

Since the products are a pellet, the whole idea is to water it in well and saturate the soil at the right time. Most of the products are effective for a month or so once in the soil. So you have to have the life cycle timed correct.

The local Extension office may have more info for your local problem.

[MPT]

I don't have the problem but my nursery man says this stuff will eliminate grubs. There is an application rate on the bag so it could be true.

[kroppe]

Thanks again for all the input guys. My lawn has small patches of damage, but others on my block have huge areas of devastation, so I guess what I have is not the end of the world.

I put down Grub-Ex monthly; the package says one treatment per year. And I still have grubs. Last week I put down a treatment of Ortho Bug B Gone Max, with permethrin. I'm going to throw a cocktail of chemicals at these things until they are gone. They are really horrible here in southeast PA.