Grub worms are a common issue in tall fescue lawns. Grubs, in most cases, are the larvae of Japanese beetles. After the beetles mate during the late spring and early summer, the females lay eggs in the soil. Once the eggs hatch, the grubs feed on the roots of the tall fescue grass during the warm summer days. As the soil temperature begins to fall, they burrow deeper in the soil, oftentimes to a depth of 4+ feet.

When the spring temperatures warm the soil the grub worms make their way back to the root zone to start feeding again.

During the summer, grub damage can often appear to be drought stress. Serious infestations will often cause large irregular patches to die. The tunneling of the larvae causes the turf to feel spongy underfoot and the turf can often be rolled back like a loose piece of sod.

We have a variety of treatments to combat grubs, from pre-treatments that stop grubs from being able to mature in the spring and treatments for adult grub worms when found in late summer early fall.