Brown Patches of Grass may mean Grub Invasion

Grubs are getting ready to spend the winter underground and are bulking up by munching away at grass roots. Their damage is evident by brown patches of dead grass and grass that lifts from the soil like carpet. An unusual number of birds pecking at the lawn looking for the tasty grubs or skunks digging for the juicy tidbits can also be signs of grubs.

One way to check for grubs is to lift a 1-foot square section of lawn and count them. If you see six or more, treatment is recommended. Replace and tamp down with your foot the lifted turf and water well. For the best count, check several places in the lawn.

The problem solver is Greenview Grub Killer, which contains Dylox, a fast-acting insecticide that controls grubs and sod webworms, which can also damage the lawn.

A sodworm starts out as a tiny, white moth. © Photos Purdue University and Kansas State University

The active ingredient of Dylox is trichlorfon, an insecticide that can be used to control other bugs, including fleas and ticks. It kills on contact within 24 hours of application, which is why watering it in is so important.

Dylox is considered a selective bug killer, working only on the insects listed on the package. Its advantage is that it kills any size of grubs, while competitors’ products usually work only on the smaller, recently hatched grubs. Dylox’s effectiveness lasts about two weeks and there’s no long-term residue that remains in the soil.

Greenview's Grub Killer with Dylox can be applied in September; however, it needs to be watered in well for it to be effective. Always read and follow label directions.