# Found Grubs While Digging Soil Samples



## Ktungsten (Aug 27, 2019)

I was digging up soil samples to send off today and found both adult and very small sized grubs in about six inches of soil. Found them in different areas of the lawn. What would be the best product/treatment to put down this time of year? I'm north of San Antonio and have St Aug grass.


----------



## Gilley11 (Nov 3, 2019)

Dylox. That's what was recommended to me by someone who knows a lot more than me.


----------



## SwBermuda (Jun 9, 2019)

I'll join this party. Was doing some digging today in a little patch of my yard, area was dead and I'm going to put in a new sprinkler head. Check out what I found


----------



## 440mag (Jan 29, 2018)

Holy cow, you're "blessed" with 'em!

I prefer Live Beneficial Nematodes over chemicals - the more grubs they cannibalize and lay eggs in, not only do you have less grubs, you have more and more beneficial nematodes (= grubs gone for keeps!)

https://www.arbico-organics.com/product/omri-NemAttack-Pro-Sc-Beneficial-Nematodes/beneficial-nematodes


----------



## Ktungsten (Aug 27, 2019)

SwBermuda said:


> I'll join this party. Was doing some digging today in a little patch of my yard, area was dead and I'm going to put in a new sprinkler head. Check out what I found


Geez that's a lot. What will you use to treat them and when?


----------



## Gilley11 (Nov 3, 2019)

440mag said:


> Holy cow, you're "blessed" with 'em!
> 
> I prefer Live Beneficial Nematodes over chemicals - the more grubs they cannibalize and lay eggs in, not only do you have less grubs, you have more and more beneficial nematodes (= grubs gone for keeps!)
> 
> https://www.arbico-organics.com/product/omri-NemAttack-Pro-Sc-Beneficial-Nematodes/beneficial-nematodes


Is there a preferred time when to put out the nematodes? How much did you put out? You used a regular sprayer?


----------



## SwBermuda (Jun 9, 2019)

Ktungsten said:


> SwBermuda said:
> 
> 
> > I'll join this party. Was doing some digging today in a little patch of my yard, area was dead and I'm going to put in a new sprinkler head. Check out what I found
> ...


I'm going to do the nematodes first, never done that before so we will see how it goes. I'll put those nematodes to work Thursday. The shipment comes in Wednesday. Very interested to see what happens.


----------



## 440mag (Jan 29, 2018)

I'm excited for you! I latched into them when I infested my yard with wireworms buying soil amendment / extremely black and fine mulch from a fellow who was simply going to a nearby city and scoping up two-year old collected leaves!

NO known pesticide will take out wire worms but, by golly, those nematodes did (and every other form of "grub life" in our yard)!!!! And yet, they do not harm earthworms, go figure!

I try and apply them just before dark (or, at the very least after sundown depending upon warm / dry the soil is - the cooler and moister the soil the more active and healthy those little suckers are and as long as the ground doesn't freeze or frost over, the deeper they burrows down.

Nature's own little "seek and destroy" buggers, they are!


----------



## Gilley11 (Nov 3, 2019)

@440mag what rate and how did you apply them?


----------



## 440mag (Jan 29, 2018)

Hi, Gilley1 !

I always try to put them out when they - and thus the soil - will stay the coolest and moistest the longest. Extreme heat will kill the nematodes and they require moisture to survive (and reproduce).

That almost always means dusk if not twilight ...

The first time I used them was kind of comical looking back on it; I was in a bit of a panic over the damage being done by those wire worms and as luck would have it the delivery didn't arrive until very (very!) late in the day. It was late Spring early / early summer and so, I found myself finishing in complete darkness, ha-ha. The next time I ordered them I had my buckets ready - I filled buckets with water a day or two ahead of delivery so any chlorine or other chemicals the municipality adds to our water could dissipate - and my hoses laid out (quite a task given the size of our yard! :shock:

I can say it was / remains worth the little bit of trouble I go to every other (or third year, sans any evidence of subterranean trouble makers)

The folks I buy from (link provided in preceding post) are good about advising how many millions per square foot area you can expect t and I go by their rates.

Yes, I use a plain ol' hose end sprayer with any fine filter removed; dispersing them across a wide area is very easy and to be honest I just watched some YouTube videos. THIS was actually one of those I watched! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXPJJx_U4E0

EDIT - Ha! That video started playing as I was typing and I was reminded: I DID USE BLUE FOOD COLORING DYE AS A SPRAY MARKER (no need to double spray nematodes on any area and thereby risk missing another area ...)


----------



## Teej (Feb 27, 2019)

For those with grub issues currently, did you treat for grubs last year? I'm trying to figure out if this is a yearly issue or if it skips years if you treat etc. Don't want to get caught with my pants down on the grub situation this year.


----------



## SwBermuda (Jun 9, 2019)

Teej said:


> For those with grub issues currently, did you treat for grubs last year? I'm trying to figure out if this is a yearly issue or if it skips years if you treat etc. Don't want to get caught with my pants down on the grub situation this year.


I threw down some grubex last year..... obviously that did not work.

My nematodes came today. Think I'll actually get them hunting this evening.


----------



## DuncanMcDonuts (May 5, 2019)

I've used GrubEx in the spring and dylox typically around August yearly for the past 3 years. I still have plenty of grubs in my yard.


----------



## Ktungsten (Aug 27, 2019)

440mag said:


> Hi, Gilley1 !
> 
> I always try to put them out when they - and thus the soil - will stay the coolest and moistest the longest. Extreme heat will kill the nematodes and they require moisture to survive (and reproduce).
> 
> ...


Will the chemicals in GrubEx and other insecticides kill the nematodes? I searched the web and looks like this might be a concern. Thanks for the link and input. How often do you apply them?


----------



## Ktungsten (Aug 27, 2019)

Started seeing June bugs outside around the house on Friday and put out BioAdvanced 24hr grub killer in the backyard. Was mowing up leaves as it got dark last night and there were at least 75-100 June bugs landing in the front yard. Most appeared to be mating. Put out some BioAdvanced 24hr grub killer. I was surprised to see so many in mid-March. Only saw two in the backyard so hopefully it kills any of the grubs that were in the soil that I found while digging samples and the eggs that might have been laid if applicable.


----------



## 440mag (Jan 29, 2018)

Ktungsten said:


> Will the chemicals in GrubEx and other insecticides kill the nematodes? I searched the web and looks like this might be a concern. Thanks for the link and input. How often do you apply them?


That is an excellent question and while I do not "know" the answer I would assume yes, grub kill chemicals would NOT be beneficial to nematodes mortality / reproduction.

I typically use them every other or 3rd year; alternate with appropriately timed app,s of chloraniliprole and Trichlorfon ...

And of course, ANY time I suspect wireworms have come back (perhaps from a bird picking one up in the farm fields nearby and dropping it my yard,monkey to have it reproduce, etc.)

(I.e., I am actually starting to wonder if the poop from constant grazing of more than a dozen whitetail deer is the source of my orchard grass nightmare ... eating in neighbors yards and pooping seeds, etc in my yard :roll: :evil: )


----------



## 440mag (Jan 29, 2018)

Ktungsten said:


> Started seeing June bugs outside around the house on Friday and put out BioAdvanced 24hr grub killer in the backyard. Was mowing up leaves as it got dark last night and there were at least 75-100 June bugs landing in the front yard. Most appeared to be mating. Put out some BioAdvanced 24hr grub killer. I was surprised to see so many in mid-March. Only saw two in the backyard so hopefully it kills any of the grubs that were in the soil that I found while digging samples and the eggs that might have been laid if applicable.


Great reference worth bookmarking!

*How to choose and when to apply grub control products for your lawn*:
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/how_to_choose_and_when_to_apply_grub_control_products_for_your_lawn


----------

