Why Do Lawn Care Companies Insist on Grub Control?

You can be doing all the right things for your lawn…fertilizing, controlling weeds, and more…only to have a subsurface pest called the lawn grub ruin everything for you. Lawn grubs are sneaky pests that feed on your lawn’s roots.

Because they’re covertly doing this feasting beneath the surface, a problem with grubs often goes unnoticed until it’s too late.

And by too late, we mean your lawn will have died in the areas where grubs were eating. Since grubs eat roots, lawns with grub damage can mean the grass is no longer attached. Some report it comes out in handfuls, while others say their lawn could roll up like a carpet.

This is why lawn care companies insist on grub control.

Jump to Section:

• What Are Lawn Grubs (And Why Are They Such a Problem?)
• What Are Some Signs My Lawn Has Grubs?
• Why Do Lawn Care Companies Insist on Grub Control for Lawns?
• How Does Professional Grub Control Work?
• Choosing Professional Grub Control

In this article, we’ll dive more into the importance of professional grub control and what investing in it can mean for your lawn.

At the end of the day, we are always looking out for your best interest and we want you to be happy with your lawn care results.

What Are Lawn Grubs (And Why Are They Such a Problem?)

“Lawn grub” is the collective name for a few different species of beetles (like the Japanese Beetle and June Bugs) that are in the larval stage. After these white, c-shaped pests are born in the soil, they soon start feeding on the grass roots.

They’ll also eat organic matter in the soil, which will deprive the lawn of these nutrients as well.

One of the reasons why lawn grubs are such a problem (and lawn care companies often insist on professional grub control) is the fact that grubs can truly decimate a lawn. Obviously, without roots, your lawn cannot survive. This is why you’ll see your lawn turn brown from grub damage.

Since grass that grubs have eaten is no longer rooted in the ground, it might come out in handfuls or even “roll up like a carpet,” as some homeowners have reported. You will need to grow new grass in these areas with a service like lawn aeration and overseeding.

Even if the grass does not completely die off, areas that have been “feasted upon” can become thinned out and therefore more prone to weed growth and other problems.

People are often surprised by how quickly grub damage can occur. It often feels like things take a turn for the worse overnight. Your lawn might look healthy one day and have large brown areas the next.

Unfortunately, this is because the damage was occurring right under your nose.

What Are Some Signs My Lawn Has Grubs?

As we’ve mentioned, one of the biggest problems with lawn grubs is that they are so stealthy. People generally do not realize that they have lawn grubs until the damage is already done. Unfortunately, this is often a point of no return for the affected areas.

Later-stage damage will look like brown spots or areas of the grass that are noticeably pulling up.

Keep in mind, however, that brown spots do not necessarily indicate a grub problem. Surface-feeding lawn insects can also cause brown spots on the lawn. These are pests that feed on the grass blades themselves by chewing or sucking (the plant juices).

Brown spots can also be the result of drought, disease, nutrient deficiencies, and other lawn problems. If you’re seeing brown spots, you want to determine the cause as quickly as possible.

In addition, sometimes, grubs can be spotted earlier on with an increased presence of animal activity on the lawn such as birds and moles. Grubs are a main food source for moles, which are another destructive creature.

Moles can also destroy when tunneling through the lawn. The damage from tearing the lawn up can become severe.

Why Do Lawn Care Companies Insist on Grub Control for Lawns?

By now, you should be starting to understand why lawn care professionals recommend grub control. But let’s dive in deeper.

Protection of your investment in lawn care

Some people are surprised to learn that healthy lawns are even more susceptible to grubs than unhealthy ones. Since they also love to feast on organic matter, grubs will gravitate toward healthy, nutrient-rich soil.

This means that all of your investment in lawn care services like fertilization and weed control (which will make your lawn healthy) could be a waste if your lawn ends up being infested with grubs.

This is a key reason why lawn care companies insist on grub control for lawns. You might think of it like a protection in your investment in other lawn care services. It doesn’t make sense to pay for all of these services to grow a healthy lawn only to let it get infested by grubs.

Grub control and lawn care truly should go hand-in-hand.

Reducing mole damage to lawns

Another reason why professional grub control is so important in our area is that moles are such a common problem here. As we’ve mentioned, moles can do a ton of damage on their own. As moles tunnel through your lawn, feeding on pests like grubs, they can also cause serious damage to the roots, ultimately leading to the lawn's demise.

While grub control won’t completely eliminate a mole problem, it will remove a primary food source for them, making a noticeable difference.

Preventing costly repairs (and the stress associated with it)

It’s also worth mentioning that repairing a lawn damaged by grubs (or moles) is significantly more expensive than simply paying for professional grub control and preventing them in the first place.

When you have unsightly bare patches in the lawn from grub damage, you also have to deal with the aggravation of waiting for these spots to fill back in. During that time, your lawn might be more prone to problems like weed invasion.

As with many other aspects of life, a proactive approach can save you from numerous hassles, headaches, and expenses.

How Does Professional Grub Control Work?

The best approach to grub control is a preventive one. This involves using grub control products that will prevent these creatures from hatching. The timing of these products is important as they must be applied before hatching.

If grubs have already hatched, a curative product will need to be used, which will kill grubs on contact.

While we know that plenty of grub control products are available at local hardware stores, with a pest as potentially destructive as the lawn grub, you want to know that you’re getting effective control. A professional-grade product will help ensure this.

In addition, professional grub control also means working with a pro…and that’s valuable, too. They’ll know the optimal timing to apply products, ensuring you get maximum control.

A pro will also know the quantity of product to apply (and how to apply it). This is going to make a huge difference in the effectiveness of these products. They’ll use professional-grade application equipment that will also help deliver superior results.

Choosing Professional Grub Control

Because grubs (and moles) are such problems in our area, most lawn care companies do offer this valuable service. You’ll want to be sure that you are partnering with a lawn care company that you trust has your best interests at heart. That is, a company that will also give you helpful tips and advice to set you up for success.

At Lawn & Pest Solutions, we believe in an integrated pest management approach. This means that we will inspect your lawn for pest problems and provide further recommendations based on our findings.

We’re always on the lookout for lawn problems (not just with pests) and offering solutions.

Ultimately, we care deeply about ensuring our customers are happy. One of the reasons that we love the work that we do is that we thoroughly enjoy helping homeowners to enjoy their properties to the fullest.

We understand that problems like grub damage can be incredibly frustrating. But we’ll help set you up for success. With professional grub control, you can save time, money, and aggravation and have the healthy lawn that you deserve.

Ready to learn why Lawn & Pest Solutions could be your choice for grub control services in Memphis, TN and North MS? We’re excited to learn more about you and help you have the best lawn on the block. Get started today with a free quote. Together, we can create a customized plan that's perfect for you and your lawn.