Tips on controlling Chafer Beetle Larvae in your lawn

Chafer Beetle Larvae are the larvae of the Common Chafer Beetle or more commonly known as the May Bug that can be seen flying around on warm early summer evenings. Chafer grubs are white, comma shaped, fleshy grubs with brown heads and 3 pairs of legs on the front segments of their body. Grubs live for 1-3 years before adult beetles emerge. Patches of dead or dying grass similar to that caused by leatherjackets are caused by the grubs. Early and correct pest identification is so important.

The larvae are one of the most common and damaging types of pests to turf and grass, the garden chafer beetle.

Chafer Beetle Larvae can live in the soil for up to three years and in the spring consume vast quantities of your grass roots, literally stripping a lawn bare in a very short period of time. Their initial presence is noticed by the feeding activity of large birds such as Crows and Blackbirds on the infested lawns. The next thing you notice are large patches of dying grass and some that has been ripped up by the feeding frenzy of birds and other mammals like Badgers and Foxes.

We are fully aware that her weather has been really wet for months and damage caused by feeding larvae will go un noticed for a weeks until the lawn areas dry out a little, then oddly shaped areas may appear! We have seen a few adults flying around but it has been too wet for the majority of them.

For control of Chafer Beetle Larvae use Bayer Provado as a water soluble chemical insecticide product or Nemasys Biological Nematode Control Products.

Read more about Chafer Beetle Larvae hereChafer Beetle Larvae Photo Credit: Meredith. Copyright Acknowledged