Garden chafer (lawn grub)

Symptoms

Irregular yellow-brown patches of wilting turf in late summer and autumn that can be rolled back like a loose carpet because the C-shaped white grubs have eaten the roots underneath. The lawn feels spongy. Secondary damage often follows: birds, badgers and foxes tear the turf apart at night to dig out the fat grubs. In early summer the small (8-11 mm) bronze-and-green adults swarm over the lawn at dusk.

Plants affected

• Smooth meadow-grass (Kentucky bluegrass)
• Goosegrass
• Hairy crabgrass
• Meadow foxtail

Common questions

How do I recognise Garden chafer (lawn grub) on Smooth meadow-grass (Kentucky bluegrass)?

Irregular yellow-brown patches of wilting turf in late summer and autumn that can be rolled back like a loose carpet because the C-shaped white grubs have eaten the roots underneath. The lawn feels spongy.

Do I have to report Garden chafer (lawn grub)?

No. Garden chafer (lawn grub) is not a notifiable organism, so there is nothing to report to an authority. Treat it as a normal garden problem.

How is Garden chafer (lawn grub) treated?

Mainly with biological and cultural measures — removing affected material, changing the conditions that favour it, and treating with agents approved in your country. The exact steps and their timing depend on the plant, the season and where you live: Dr. Phyto works them out in a free diagnosis.