grub invasion -- help!!!

[audrey]

Last weekend I was planting some bulbs, and for each hole that I dug I found at least 3 grubs (mid-sized ones not huge yet). They weren't there last year. Where did they come from and how do I get rid of them? My front lawn is also dead. I thought because too much sun and too much fertilizer, but it was the grubs that did it!!! I'm not sure what type of grubs I have. They have a white body with a yellow head and a black tail?

Please, please, somebody help me!!! I'm near Washington DC. Thanks so much.

Audrey

[Haga La Fila Aqui]

The only way to be sure what type of grubs you have is to check their raster patterns and count the hairs.

[Doug Kanter]

How about telling her what a raster pattern is?

[Pat Kiewicz]

How about this, a key to white grub raster patterns (valid for Ohio, and likely for the original poster):

raster is the bottom side of the grubs back end.

[Doug Kanter]

Once you've identified them with the help of tips from the others here, do some research and speak to a KNOWLEDGABLE person at a garden center. Rather than turn your lawn into Love Canal, you may be able to treat it with bacillus thuringensis or something from that category - bacterial stuff rather than poisons that cannot be and won't be tested for safety with humans.

[Pam - gardengal]

Sounds like the larvae of Japanese beetles. Right now is an appropriate time for applications of milky spore, a biological control. Not the fastest control but can be very long lasting. Chemical remedies include imidacloprid, a relatively low toxicity insecticide.

Doug offers good advice. Confirm diagnosis FIRST by taking several grubs to your local extension agent or a knowledgeable full service garden center for ID, then follow their advice for control, opting for the least invasive method first.

pam - gardengal

[Merle O'Broham]

Grubs will not only eat away the roots of the grass, but make your lawn irresistable to digging squirrels and raccoons. They're beetle larvae and can fly in from anywhere.

Hit your lawn with season long grub killer in the spring and use an instant killer like GrubX as necessary. Seed the heck out of the lawn in spring. If you're a millionaire, till the entire lawn with pesticide and start with fresh sod.

[Merle O'Broham]

That link is GREAT!

[Doug Kanter]

Yeah...it is. The pictures are remarkable. My high school bio teacher wet insane trying to teach us to stipple like that with a pencil.