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Tackling Pests Early: How Grubs Ravage Maryland and Virginia Lawns
- On July 15 2025
Does the thought of insects beneath your feet make you squirm? The last thing anyone wants is critters chewing on their beautiful lawn. At Agrolawn, we believe the best way to protect your lawn and your peace of mind is by getting ahead of pest problems before they have a chance to settle in. Having the skills to identify grubs and take action early with a grub control service is your best bet for solving a growing insect issue.
An Overview of Virginia's and Maryland's Common Lawn Pest: Grubs
Do you suspect that your lawn is becoming a snack for grubs? Take a closer look, and you'll soon have the answer. With a bit of attention, you can determine if these soft-bodied insects are guilty of making your lawn into a feast. Grubs eat the roots of susceptible lawns, causing irreversible damage. Understanding the unique signs of a grub problem is the first step in protecting your lawn.
Everything You Need To Know About Grubs
What are Grubs?
Grubs aren't actually a species - instead, “grub” is a common phrase for beetle larvae. Grubs are immature, C-shaped insects with soft white bodies and brown heads. While they can come from many different insect types, grubs all do the same thing: eat away at your lawn's roots. Grass roots are pivotal in maintaining your lawn's total health, density, and resilience. Grubs can put these factors at risk by damaging the foundation of your lawn's health.
When are Grubs Active?
Since grubs are the offspring of many different beetle types, they don't have a specific active season. However, they are long-time loitering insects that can live within the soil for 1-3 years. Grubs will feed on roots within the first few inches of topsoil, leaving your lawn's foundation weak and vulnerable to erosion and foot traffic.
Signs of Grub Damage
- Irregular brown patches in grass or a straw-like appearance are common signs of infestation by many insect species, including chinch bugs and grubs.
- Japanese beetles flying over turf indicate the presence of grubs feeding on grass roots beneath the soil.
- A squishy lawn and delicate turf that can be pulled up easily suggest severe grub damage beneath the soil, especially if the soil patch pulls grubs along with it.
- The presence of wildlife feeding in the lawn is a sure sign of grubs. Voles, raccoons, and blackbirds, as well as other birds, will dig up lawns in search of grubs, causing even more severe and visible damage than the grubs alone.
The Importance of Managing Grub Damage Early
Early action can make the difference between a thriving lawn and one that requires costly restorations. Grubs often cause permanent damage that cannot be reversed by regular lawn maintenance, requiring extensive reseeding to restore the lawn's previous lush appearance. When you've noticed signs of grub activity, the damage is already well underway, and calling your lawn care team ASAP is essential.Jumping on pest control early can save you a world of stress and maintenance fees. Acting early doesn't just limit the damage; it also makes treatment more effective. Working with trusted experts to find a solution to your insect invasion can halt a growing pest population. With fewer beetle adults laying eggs, you'll have a better chance of smothering grub infestations before they become unmanageable.
The Grub Solution: A Lawn Care Program With Grub Control
The best way to manage grub damage early is to prevent the problem before it happens. Selecting a lawn care program that includes grub control helps strengthen your lawn and protect it from pests. A healthy lawn boosted by regular fertilizer applications is better equipped to resist permanent grub damage. Grub prevention is easier and cheaper than its treatment, so every Agrolawn lawn program includes grub control. We'll take care of the problem before it ever begins.Grub prevention is a solution formulated to manage and eliminate white grubs in the soil. These preventative treatments contain pesticides that target newly hatched grubs before they have time to cause root damage.
Agrolawn's Grub-Preventing Lawn Care Options
We never want our customers to worry about a grub problem. That's why both of our lawn programs — AgroBasic and AgroPlus — include grub control. Whether you select a starter program with seven visits or a comprehensive program with aeration and overseeding, you can rest assured that grubs will be covered. We apply a grub preventative in late spring or early summer, which remains effective for a year. We will take care of it, so homeowners don't have to worry year-round.
Will Aeration and Overseeding Affect The Grub Preventative Treatment?
While both Agrolawn's lawn care programs will defend your lawn against grubs, AgroPlus, which includes aeration and overseeding, will do an especially good job. An aeration service will loosen compacted soil and help your grass roots grow deeper and stronger. Overseeding is a follow-up service to aeration, which improves the density of your turf. Both of these services contribute to a healthy, pest-free lawn.
Should I Hire a Lawn Care Professional to Deal with Grubs?
Yes! Agrolawn's pest control experts go above and beyond to ensure customers receive a successful grub control experience. Our goal is to give homeowners peace of mind with a grub preventative that lasts all season. Additionally, we've hand-picked the most reliable products for the job. All of Agrolawn's grub control products are registered with the Maryland Department of Agriculture's State Chemist's Section and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, ensuring that we always deliver a safe and effective application.
