How to Get Rid of Grubs: A Lawn Owner's Battle Plan Against These Underground Menaces

I'll never forget the morning I discovered my lawn looked like someone had taken a poorly aimed weed whacker to random patches of grass. The culprit? Grubs. Those C-shaped, cream-colored larvae had been having an underground feast, and my Kentucky bluegrass was paying the price.

After years of dealing with these lawn destroyers—and helping neighbors tackle their own grub problems—I've learned that winning this battle requires understanding your enemy. Grubs aren't just random pests; they're the larval stage of various beetles, most commonly Japanese beetles, June bugs, and European chafers. Each spring, adult beetles emerge, mate, and lay eggs in our lawns. By late summer, those eggs hatch into hungry larvae that feed on grass roots until cold weather drives them deeper into the soil.

The Tell-Tale Signs You're Under Attack

You might have grubs right now and not even know it. The damage often masquerades as drought stress or disease. But there's a simple test I learned from an old-timer at my local garden center: grab a section of brown grass and pull. If it lifts up like a carpet—roots gone, soil exposed—you've got grubs.

Another dead giveaway is increased animal activity. Skunks, raccoons, and birds suddenly treating your lawn like an all-you-can-eat buffet? They're after the grubs. I once watched a family of skunks systematically work through my neighbor's front yard, leaving divots everywhere. The lawn looked like a miniature bombing range by morning.

The magic number to remember is ten. If you peel back a square foot of turf and count more than ten grubs, you've crossed the threshold from minor annoyance to genuine problem. Less than that, and your grass can usually outgrow the damage.

Natural Methods That Actually Work

Before reaching for the chemical arsenal, I always try natural approaches first. Beneficial nematodes have become my secret weapon. These microscopic roundworms seek out and destroy grubs from the inside out—nature's own horror movie playing out beneath your feet. The trick is timing and moisture. Apply them when soil temperatures hover between 60-70°F, and keep the ground moist for at least two weeks. I learned this the hard way after wasting $50 worth of nematodes during a dry spell.

Milky spore disease offers another biological solution, though it requires patience. This bacterial disease specifically targets Japanese beetle grubs, spreading through the soil over several years. Think of it as a long-term investment in your lawn's health. My uncle swears by it, claiming he hasn't seen a Japanese beetle grub in five years after initial application.

Here's something most people don't realize: healthy soil naturally resists grub damage. I've been adding compost and encouraging deep root growth for years, and the difference is remarkable. Grubs still show up, but my grass shrugs off their feeding like it's nothing. Strong roots can compensate for moderate grub damage, making chemical intervention unnecessary.

When Chemical Warfare Becomes Necessary

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, the infestation reaches critical mass. When I'm staring at large dead patches and counting 20-30 grubs per square foot, it's time for stronger measures.

Preventive grub control products containing imidacloprid or chlorantraniliprole work by creating a protective barrier in the soil. Apply these in late spring or early summer, just as adult beetles start laying eggs. The timing here is crucial—too early and the product degrades before eggs hatch; too late and you're trying to kill established grubs, which is much harder.

For existing infestations, products with trichlorfon or carbaryl deliver faster results. But here's where I part ways with many lawn care companies: these curative treatments work best on young grubs. By the time you notice damage in late summer or fall, those grubs are bigger, tougher, and heading deeper into the soil for winter. You might kill some, but many will survive to emerge as beetles next year.

I've also noticed that granular products seem to work better than liquids in my heavy clay soil. The granules need thorough watering to activate, but they seem to penetrate better than spray applications that can run off or bind to thatch.

The Cultural Control Revolution

After battling grubs for over a decade, I've become convinced that cultural practices matter more than any product you can buy. It starts with grass selection. While working at a sod farm one summer in college, I noticed certain grass varieties showed remarkable grub resistance. Tall fescues and perennial ryegrass, with their deeper, more extensive root systems, simply outcompete the damage.

Mowing height makes a bigger difference than most people realize. I keep my lawn at 3-3.5 inches during grub season. Taller grass shades the soil, making it less attractive to egg-laying beetles, while also maintaining more root mass to withstand feeding damage. My neighbor, who scalps his lawn to golf-course height, deals with grub damage every single year.

Irrigation practices can make or break your grub control efforts. Japanese beetles prefer moist soil for egg-laying, so I've adopted a deep, infrequent watering schedule. This encourages deep roots while making the surface less hospitable during peak beetle activity. Of course, this backfires if you're trying to establish nematodes or activate granular insecticides—another reminder that timing is everything in lawn care.

Regional Realities and Seasonal Strategies

Living in the Midwest, I've noticed our grub problems follow predictable patterns tied to weather. Wet springs followed by dry summers seem to create perfect conditions for severe infestations. In 2018, after an unusually wet June, every lawn on my street showed grub damage by September.

Southern lawns face different challenges. My cousin in Georgia deals with grubs year-round, thanks to multiple beetle species with overlapping life cycles. Her strategy involves two preventive applications—one in spring for overwintering species, another in late summer for the next generation.

The Pacific Northwest presents its own quirks. During a visit to Portland, a landscaper told me they rarely see severe grub damage because their cool, moist conditions favor natural predators and diseases that keep populations in check. Lucky them.

The Long Game

Here's what nobody tells you about grub control: it's not a one-and-done deal. Even after successful treatment, new beetles will fly in from neighboring properties. I've accepted this as part of lawn ownership, like mowing or fertilizing.

My current approach combines multiple strategies. I maintain soil health through regular overseeding and organic matter additions. I apply preventive treatments only to high-value areas—the front lawn and around the kids' play area. The back forty? It gets beneficial nematodes and whatever natural predators show up.

This integrated approach has reduced my grub problems from annual catastrophe to occasional nuisance. Sure, I still find the odd brown patch, but nothing like the widespread devastation of earlier years. More importantly, I'm not dumping chemicals across my entire property every summer.

Final Thoughts from the Trenches

After all these years of grub warfare, I've learned that perfection is the enemy of good lawn care. Those glossy magazine lawns? They're usually propped up by intensive chemical programs that I'm not willing to maintain—financially or environmentally.

My lawn has some imperfections. There's a spot near the maple tree that browns out most summers, probably from grubs. But the kids play on grass that's not drenched in pesticides, the dog rolls around without worry, and I sleep better knowing I'm not contributing to pollinator decline.

The real secret to grub control isn't finding the perfect product or technique. It's understanding that healthy lawns can tolerate some pest pressure, that timing matters more than application rate, and that sometimes the best solution is to adjust our expectations rather than escalate the chemical arms race.

Next time you spot a brown patch, take a breath before reaching for the sprayer. Pull up a section, count your grubs, consider your options. Maybe you need intervention, maybe you don't. But whatever you decide, you'll be making an informed choice rather than a panicked reaction. That's the difference between managing grubs and letting them manage you.

Authoritative Sources:

Brandenburg, Rick L., and Michael G. Villani, editors. Handbook of Turfgrass Insect Pests. Entomological Society of America, 1995.

Cranshaw, Whitney. Garden Insects of North America: The Ultimate Guide to Backyard Bugs. 2nd ed., Princeton University Press, 2018.

Potter, Daniel A. Destructive Turfgrass Insects: Biology, Diagnosis, and Control. John Wiley & Sons, 1998.

Shetlar, David J., and Jennifer E. Andon. "White Grubs in Turfgrass." Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet HYG-2510, The Ohio State University, 2017, ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/HYG-2510.

Vittum, Patricia J., Michael G. Villani, and Haruo Tashiro. Turfgrass Insects of the United States and Canada. 2nd ed., Cornell University Press, 1999.