Is this grass grub & how to best treat it?

sooby, Jun 2, 5:04am
hi folks,

Was doing some yardwork & noticed three of these bugs in soil near a patch of dead grass, is this grassgrub: https://trademe.tmcdn.co.nz/photoserver/full/387314151.jpg ? Here is the photo of affected lawn: https://trademe.tmcdn.co.nz/photoserver/full/387314121.jpg . Pretty sure the grass received enough water over summer, so thinking perhaps some crawly critter underground is contributing.

What have you guys used to kill fix these little critters?

kendall40, Jun 2, 5:57am
Neem granules worked for me.

piquant, Jun 2, 6:02am
Yes, that is grass grub. You will need a Diazinon based product - the easy way is what they term "prills" (almost granules looks a bit like chook food!) and that is spread when the grubs are feeding close to the surface and that is February to April. Moisture is needed to activate the insecticide, especially when soil is dry (which it usually is at that time of the year!) so forecast rainfall or a spell of irrigation will get you the best results. It is so frustrating that you need to wait so long as often you are not even aware the grub is there until this time of the year when suddenly you are faced with bald spots on the lawn. But it is not a cheap exercise so follow the instructions carefully so you are maximising your chances of success and try not to dwell on the fact that you have a less than attractive lawn till you can rectify the problem. Good luck.

samanya, Jun 2, 6:04am
Looks like grass grub to me.
I have about 1/2 acre of lawn just like your pic. (plus the effects of 10 months without any beneficial rain)
Whatever I use will cost a fortune!
There's a certain time of the year that it's best to treat your grass for this little pest, but I can't remember exactly when . from May on, I think, you'd be best to Google.
I know that LawnGuard has been used in the past, but is being taken off the market . probably because it's toxic & I've heard that there is a replacement coming.

samanya, Jun 2, 6:08am
How did you apply the Neem granules?
On the whole lawn or just the bald patches?
What ratio?
I'd love to get my big lawn looking great . atm it's looking like ****!

skin1235, Jun 2, 6:24am
not so long back the flavour was DDT, we spun it on like flour on the bread board, usually once every 4 or 5 yrs ( it would take that long for the flying parents to re infect from the neighbours) DDT is gone now, too poisonous, then Daiazanon became the flavour, that to is too poisonous so is being withdrawn

but check the labels on the bottlesof insecticides at the garden centre, you'll probably find Daiazanon in another formular that has slipped past the garden nazi, if so buy 4 or 5

kendall40, Jun 2, 7:21am
I simply sprinkled them on the bald patches of lawn but I cannot remember what time of the year it was, but it was probably when I noticed what a mess they made of the lawn! You can use it in liquid form but I sprinkled granules where they were a nuisance. Neem seems to work well generally on nuisance insects, maybe because I'm a bit lazy and don't like to use sprays!
Edit to add that Neem takes time to work as it seems to disrupt various actions in the insects etc rather than just wiping them out immediately. But I have found that it certainly does work!

ceebee2, Jun 3, 10:48pm
If your area is not plagued by cats, then another longer term option may be to build a nesting box for the starling which in turn feeds almost exclusively on grass grubs. Plenty info on the net re building / locating the starling box.

samanya, Jun 3, 11:48pm
Thanks, kendall40, might try that next time . will do some research as to the best time to apply & hopefully next summer I will have a decent lawn!

vitaminh, Nov 5, 3:41pm
Would they not tear the lawn to bits getting the grubs out?