# Grub Control



## g-man

This is just a friendly reminder to buy your grub control product. I prefer chlorantraniliprole and it goes down at green up. I went to Menards the other day and totally forgot about it.



> If grubs have been a problem in the past or if you dont want any risk with them, then spring is the time to apply a grub preventer. GrubEx (chlorantraniliprole) is my choice. Apply as soon as your lawn greens up. A second product is imidacloprid, but there are studies that link it to environmental issues (bees).  MSU Grub Article


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## Green

Thanks, G-man. Imidacloprid is now restricted use in some states (such as CT). Only licensed applicators can purchase it in 2018, and going forward. I think that's a step in the right direction, personally.

Just want to add, I'm researching a new product and might use it instead of chlorantraniliprole this year. It's brand new, and a totally different method of action. I'll have more to say in hopefully a week, and will edit/update this post then. Sorry for the suspense.
-------------------------------------------------------

Edit: I'm going to post the information about the new grub control product now. I will not be purchasing it this year, as their supply is very limited and the cost is going to be 3-4x that of chlorantraniliprole this year. But if you're looking for a biological product and are ok with $160 for a 40-lb bag, I'd jump on it!

It's called Grub Gone G.

Here is the link to information: http://greenearthagandturf.com/biological-grub-control-phyllom-grub-gone-bt.shtml

It's registered in 7 states right now, including CT, MA, NJ, and NY...as well as DE, CA, and OR.


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## osuturfman

Green said:


> Thanks, G-man. Imidacloprid is now restricted use in some states (such as CT). Only licensed applicators can purchase it in 2018, and going forward. I think that's a step in the right direction, personally.
> 
> Just want to add, I'm researching a new product and might use it instead of chlorantraniliprole this year. It's brand new, and a totally different method of action. I'll have more to say in hopefully a week, and will edit/update this post then. Sorry for the suspense.


Is it a bio-insecticide? There's some really cool stuff coming down the pike with ecto-parasitic nematodeas that attack the digestive system of grubs. Interesting times for sure.


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## jessehurlburt

Hi G-man-

I had grub damage last year. Can you help school us, G-man? My understanding is you can apply a product to prevent the eggs from becoming grubs in May/June, or you can use a different product to kill them if they are already grubs (July/Aug). Is this true? What does your grub prevention plan look like? Can a single app timed right take care you all season long?

Thanks,
Jesse


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## Green

osuturfman said:


> Green said:
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks, G-man. Imidacloprid is now restricted use in some states (such as CT). Only licensed applicators can purchase it in 2018, and going forward. I think that's a step in the right direction, personally.
> 
> Just want to add, I'm researching a new product and might use it instead of chlorantraniliprole this year. It's brand new, and a totally different method of action. I'll have more to say in hopefully a week, and will edit/update this post then. Sorry for the suspense.
> 
> 
> 
> Is it a bio-insecticide? There's some really cool stuff coming down the pike with ecto-parasitic nematodeas that attack the digestive system of grubs. Interesting times for sure.
Click to expand...

Yup. Not nematodes, though. I need to call up the company before I post anymore. I don't want to give wrong info out. I might PM you in the meantime. Btw, thanks for telling my about chlorantraniliprole before the 2015 season, when it was fairly new!


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## Green

jessehurlburt said:


> Hi G-man-
> 
> I had grub damage last year. Can you help school us, G-man? My understanding is you can apply a product to prevent the eggs from becoming grubs in May/June, or you can use a different product to kill them if they are already grubs (July/Aug). Is this true? What does your grub prevention plan look like? Can a single app timed right take care you all season long?
> 
> Thanks,
> Jesse


Before G-man replies, have you read through that article yet? There are others out there, too, but this one gets updated yearly. It answers a bunch of your questions and only takes about 20 min to read.


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## g-man

Like Green said, the article will explain way better than I can.

The short version: Bugs come out of the ground in the summer and go crazy finding a partner to lay eggs everywhere. Those eggs develop from summer, thru winter and into adults in the spring/summer to come out a lay eggs. That's the cycle. By applying a preventive now (spring), it provides a soil barrier to prevents the eggs from developing once the big grubs/bugs lay the eggs. The preventive product will not kill the big grubs only the eggs and it last months in the soil.

There is another product that kills big grubs (and a bunch of other stuff) within 24hrs, but offers no long term protection. It last days in the soil.


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## jessehurlburt

Totally missed the link in the quote. My bad...


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## Green

jessehurlburt said:


> Totally missed the link in the quote. My bad...


I almost did, too.


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## Ware

I received this in an email. Wanted to share in case anyone here is interested in this free webinar today from 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CDT.



> *Myths and facts surrounding white grubs attacking turf*
> Dave Shetlar, Ph.D., Ohio State University
> 
> There are many myths surrounding white grub populations.
> 
> All white grubs are the same, cold winters are hard on grub populations and grubs preferred food source is turfgrass roots. All are commonly held beliefs by turfgrass managers, and all are patently false, says Dave Shetlar, Ph.D., professor emeritus at Ohio State University and a world-renown entomologist.
> 
> In reality, not all grub types behave the same way and not all are equally susceptible to one pesticide or another; white grub populations are much more at risk during mild winters compared with harsh ones; and roots and crowns actually are just in the way as the pests launch their assault on the surrounding thatch and soil organic matter.
> 
> In this TurfNet University Webinar, Dave Shetlar, Ph.D., professor emeritus at Ohio State University will dispel these and other common misconceptions about white grubs.
> 
> The presentation will include feeding habits of grubs, how they are affected by environmental factors; how they interact to commonly used turf pest insecticides; and more.
> 
> *Registration:* Click here
> 
> *Cost:* Free for everyone


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## Pete1313

@Ware, Turfnet member as well! :thumbsup: If you can't watch the webinar live, it will be archived to watch whenever you want. New this year, *ALL* webinars are now free to view after you setup a free member account.


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## social port

I was under the impression that many grub control products are non-selective--meaning, among other things, that application of a grub control product might kill those kind worms squirming in the soil. Do I have this wrong? Perhaps this is only true of curative insecticides?


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## jessehurlburt

I read the linked article and have a question. If I had grub damage last year and my lawn has never had any type of preventative or curative products applied, I would want to apply a curative, now, like trichlorfon, then apply a preventative in May/June, like chlorantraniloprole to take care of new eggs, correct? I was under the impression they only fed in late summer, so when I read they start feeding again in March, I am now eager to take care of the adult grub population. Is a grub the same thing as a european chafer? Can anyone ID this little fellow?

Thanks guys!


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## g-man

I'm not sure what that fellow is.

Per the article, apply chlorantraniloprole at green up (April?). If you are seeing adults grubs now, then I would apply the curative (Bayer Advanced 24 hr Grub Killer Plus)


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## thytuff1

@jessehurlburt That insect in the photo is not a grub. Before a decision is made to apply a curative insecticide like carbaryl (sevin) , or trichorfon you should do a comprehensive scout of your lawn. Check your lawn for weak, dying, or thin areas. If they are present then dig down to a depth of 1.5 - 2.0" into the root zone. If it is really hard to dig this area up than most likely you don't have a grub problem. Even after digging up the grass ( try for a square foot patch or so) and you see only a few white grubs than again most likely your lawn will be able to tolerate the grub population. However if at the margins of those weak or damaged areas the turf is dislodged relatively easy and you find white c-shaped grubs in a relatively high density (more than 5-6) than a curative application of the above chemistries may be appropriate. Make sure that whatever product that you purchase contains those chemistries on the label, and follow all label guidelines when applying the product. Having a properly calibrated spreader or sprayer is essential for this step, and thins like "I just spread it out at a good rate" or "the rate looks fine" or " I keep spreading/ spraying this area until the bag is gone" IS NOT properly calibrating your equipment. Also make sure that whatever product you use for a curative application is watered in!!


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## Green

Quick aside. @thytuff1 , as a pro, you always bring up some good, basic tips that we home lawn types tend to ignore out of laziness or being unsure, but shouldn't!

My strategy for spreader applications has typically been to measure out the exact amount of product for the specific area using a scale. (I broke my 15K area into at least 6 smaller zones), and then spread it (uncalibrated) on that specific zone, using the lowest practical spreader setting that seems to not negatively impact the distribution pattern for that particular product. I prefer to make at least 2-direction passes, at perpendiculars. I wouldn't be surprised if most people on the forum are using similar techniques.

It's probably not as good as calibrating, and it takes a lot of work each time to weigh out product one scoop at a time...I'm open to a better or more efficient method (involving proper spreader calibration), though.


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## g-man

+1 to green. I do the same approach but with one 5k zone.


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## Green

I just updated the 2nd post in this thread.

I also have a couple of tips for anyone purchasing chlorantraniliprole.

1. Scotts Grubex 1 often has rebates available this time of year, if you purchase at an independent store. You may have to search online for them.

2. Another option is the pro version, called "Acelepryn" and available at professional dealers such as SiteOne. It tends to be competitive in pricing or a bit lower than Scotts Grubex, but it's the exact same thing...just a different formulation and usually a lower strength (.067%), so the application rate is slightly different. Note, this is NOT the same as Acelepryn G or the liquid products...which are highly concentrated insecticides, and not used for mere grub prevention. You're looking specifically for 0.067 to 0.08% concentration chlorantraniliprole. A 50-lb bag of 0.067% AI will cover 14.6K area for grub prevention at 3.42 lbs/K application rate.

To recap: Either Scotts Grubex 1 (0.08% chlorantraniliprole) at 2.87 lbs/K 
or Acelepryn (0.067% chlorantraniliprole) at 3.42 lbs/K
Best applied between early April and mid May.


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## Budstl

Anyone have any experience with this?
https://www.domyown.com/milky-spore-lawn-spreader-mix-p-1807.html?rrec=true


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## gene_stl

I caught most of the Webinar listed above, (which you can listen to online now) and if I am remembering correctly he said that each milky spore species was specific to a particular grub so it was not one size fits all.


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## crunk

Budstl said:


> Anyone have any experience with this?
> https://www.domyown.com/milky-spore-lawn-spreader-mix-p-1807.html?rrec=true


I was thinking about trying this, but I wonder if it works on all grubs. It's labeled for Japanese Beetle Larvae.


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## Budstl

crunk said:


> Budstl said:
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone have any experience with this?
> https://www.domyown.com/milky-spore-lawn-spreader-mix-p-1807.html?rrec=true
> 
> 
> 
> I was thinking about trying this, but I wonder if it works on all grubs. It's labeled for Japanese Beetle Larvae.
Click to expand...

This is really my only concern. Bastards eat everything.


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## kevreh

thytuff1 said:


> @jessehurlburt That insect in the photo is not a grub. Before a decision is made to apply a curative insecticide like carbaryl (sevin) , or trichorfon you should do a comprehensive scout of your lawn. Check your lawn for weak, dying, or thin areas. If they are present then dig down to a depth of 1.5 - 2.0" into the root zone. If it is really hard to dig this area up than most likely you don't have a grub problem. Even after digging up the grass ( try for a square foot patch or so) and you see only a few white grubs than again most likely your lawn will be able to tolerate the grub population. However if at the margins of those weak or damaged areas the turf is dislodged relatively easy and you find white c-shaped grubs in a relatively high density (more than 5-6) than a curative application of the above chemistries may be appropriate. Make sure that whatever product that you purchase contains those chemistries on the label, and follow all label guidelines when applying the product. Having a properly calibrated spreader or sprayer is essential for this step, and thins like "I just spread it out at a good rate" or "the rate looks fine" or " I keep spreading/ spraying this area until the bag is gone" IS NOT properly calibrating your equipment. Also make sure that whatever product you use for a curative application is watered in!!


thytuff1-

While I don't have any turf grub damage now, I typically do every year in mid to late summer. Also, while digging around in the flower beds lately I've seen grubs already. So my goal this year to to do both a curative and preventative. According to that MSU article, curatives won't work after May 15th. ? For curative preventative I'll put down GrubEx (chlorantraniliprole) or Dylox (trichorfon). Do you think one works better than the other?

In terms of preventative, I will apply something like Merit (Imidacloprid) in the summer. [edit: only IF I end up not using GrubEx]


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## g-man

Chlorantraniliprole is a preventive along with imidacloprid. These are applied in the spring and prevent the eggs from developing in the summer. To kill the adults ones, then use dylox.


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## kevreh

I though Chlorantraniliprole (GrubEx) was a curative (?) and the preventatives go down early to mid summer to prevent the egg cycle?


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## ericgautier

Is there still GrubEX? I believe it is now GrubEX1.



Hmmm.... if i click on GrubEX... the images is for GrubEX1. :?


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## ericgautier

For GrubEX1, I always apply early Spring and have had good success.


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## g-man

The article I posted at the start of this thread has a list at the end of preventive vs. curative. Look for active ingredients instead of brand names.


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## kevreh

Ok, so I read that article again. I'm going to drop Grub EX now as a preventative. Per the article _"There is another active ingredient in some insecticides called chlorantraniliprole that will also work in preventing grub problems, but it is less water soluble than the other preventive compounds mentioned above, so it can be applied any time after the grass turns green in the spring. Chlorantraniliprole can be applied as early as April and up to mid-July. This chemical consistently reduced grub numbers by about 65 percent and research has shown that *applications made before June are more efficacious than June or July application.*"_

So good. BUT, if I know I have an on going grub issue I want to address for this season when do I apply the curative?

Thanks....


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## osuturfman

kevreh said:


> Ok, so I read that article again. I'm going to drop Grub EX now as a preventative. Per the article _"There is another active ingredient in some insecticides called chlorantraniliprole that will also work in preventing grub problems, but it is less water soluble than the other preventive compounds mentioned above, so it can be applied any time after the grass turns green in the spring. Chlorantraniliprole can be applied as early as April and up to mid-July. This chemical consistently reduced grub numbers by about 65 percent and research has shown that *applications made before June are more efficacious than June or July application.*"_
> 
> So good. BUT, if I know I have an on going grub issue I want to address for this season when do I apply the curative?
> 
> Thanks....


Apply Chlorantraniliprole now and you won't have a grub problem this year.


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## Green

@osuturfman , are you saying that putting down Chlorantraniliprole as early as possible might have the added bonus of killing older grubs from the previous season if the lawn has them? Just want to clarify what you meant, for the sake of the other board members.


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## Green

ericgautier said:


> Hmmm.... if i click on GrubEX... the images is for GrubEX1. :?


Eric, as far as I know, the current version with Chlorantrniliprole for homeowners has always been called GrubEx1. The 1 denotes this particular formula and AI. Scotts apparently used to have professional formulas with the same AI and slightly different names, but I believe the rights to those product names were transferred to the Andersons. @osuturfman , correct me if I'm not accurate on that.


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## ericgautier

Green said:


> Eric, as far as I know, the current version with Chlorantrniliprole for homeowners has always been called GrubEx1. The 1 denotes this particular formula and AI. Scotts apparently used to have professional formulas with the same AI and slightly different names, but I believe the rights to those product names were transferred to the Andersons. @osuturfman , correct me if I'm not accurate on that.


Thanks for clarifying that. I'm fine with using GrubEX1.. been using it the past few seasons and all is good. :thumbup:


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## g-man

Most of the large grubs come out as insects in the summer, they barely cause large damage to the lawn in the spring. Of course it all depends on the local weather/soil (frozen ground vs. transition zone, rainy summer/fall vs drought). Do the test that the msu article list to determine if you need to apply a currative.


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## oredigger

Does anyone know if Acelepryn has any negative affect on recently overseeded (partial reno) lawns? dropped seed a week ago and Department of Agriculture wants to drop Acelepryn this week to prevent japanese beetle.


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## jingobah

Got my Merit & applied yesterday, hope I'm within the preventative grub control window


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