Is simply “better” lawn maintenance the answer to prevent these chafer beetles from coming back? By digging up several test sections in both affected and unaffected areas, you can monitor for grubs while they are near the surface. A. During treatment, the application area should be well irrigated early in the day so that there is no dry soil in the root zone. The Chafer Life Cycle In the spring, from April to late June, the adult beetles emerge from the ground and gather near the tops of deciduous trees to mate. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. How Do I know if I Have a Chafer Beetle Infestation? Chafer Grubs cause damage to lawns by feeding (often unnoticed) on the root structure of the grass itself. Alternatively, instead of grass, consider a ground cover that remains green year-round, is drought resistant and requires little or no mowing. Melolonthinae May or June beetle Phyllophaga spp. To prevent chafer-beetle damage in the future, consider a mid-summer application of nematodes, available from your local garden centre. Q. Of course, Chafer Grubs are not all bad. Copyright © Canada Wide Media Limited. However, before you replace your lawn we recommend the following process: Unit 7 (Don’t use artific. Raise mowing height to 6-9cm and leave clippings if possible. Here in Surrey, the Chafer Beetle has become an increasingly serious pest and many homeowners are frustrated by brown, torn apart lawns. 1 upgrades. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, OUR STAFF WILL BE HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR CALL, © Art Knapp. Nematode lawn treatments are most effective if done in late July, after the European chafer eggs have hatched and the young grubs are most vulnerable to Nematode attack. It was first identified in the Lower Mainland in New West Minster in 2001 and has since spread to many municipalities across Metro Vancouver. It takes time to get a pool up and running again so getting started now will ensure you won’t miss the nice weather around the corner. Living most of its life in the soil, the beetle's wormlike larvae do the most damage by feeding heavily on grass roots, creating visible patches of dead and dying turf. To learn more about closures and our response to COVID-19, and for updates on District operations, visit westvancouver.ca/covid. How do I prevent a Chafer Beetle Infestation? Chafer Grubs can go undetected for a long time, with the lawn gradually becoming weaker due to the grubs feeding on the roots. Chafer beetles have a one-year life cycle. If you count five or more grubs per square foot, control measures may be warranted. V3T 1V8, Engineering Requirements for Building Permits. The more compromised the root system of the lawn from the Chafer Beetles feeding on the roots, the easier these damaged areas will lift off by animals looking for food. A. The European Chafer Beetle is a common, invasive pest in BC. A: The chafer beetle is a very large grub found at certain times of year under the surface of your lawn — and it is quite a delicacy for crows, raccoons, and skunks, which will rip through turf to get to them. Lawn Power Raking (De-thatching) & Overseeding, option a: Please come by and measure my lawn and send the estimate via email or, option b: please call to schedule a meeting so we can talk in person with an estimate sent via email to follow shortly after, Aerate your lawn regularly in Spring or Fall, Fertilize and overseed your turf to encourage a healthy, dense lawn. Repairing the damage consists of packing your lawn down, levelling any pitting with fresh soil and sand, and re-seeding with a quality lawn seed. (Get event notifications, coupons & more). The only way to confirm the chafer beetle’s presence is through a simple test conducted between January and March. Damage to lawns and boulevards. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. They feed in the spring until April, when they become pupae. (Note that some covers may need removal each morning). All Rights Reserved. 7, No. All rights reserved, We will give you £40 when your friend becomes a client. This tells us there is a solution. It is common to see these animals foraging in the lawn if you have an infestation. Why is this? Anyone whose lawn has ever suffered from a chafer grub infestation will know only too well how difficult it is to eradicate them. It’s the crows, skunks, and raccoons that cause most of the damage to lawns as they search out these succulent morsels. Simply hang a trap in the garden at the end of April and leave it hanging though to June. If you find more than 5-10 grubs in a 30cm by 30cm section of grass, you likely have an infestation. Damage by animals is most severe in the Fall and Spring when the grubs are rapidly increasing in size and feeding near the surface. The mature grubs are well adapted to cool, moist conditions, and feed on the roots of your lawn all fall. Under Stage 4, all permits are no longer valid, regardless of when the resident received the permit. How Do I Treat a Chafer Beetle Infestation? How to minimize Chafer Beetle infestations Rake to remove any pulled up sections, and add a top layer of compost and grass seed in the spring to help a healthier lawn return. Home ▸ Lawn Care Guide ▸ Pests ▸ What can I do about Chafer Grubs in my lawn? They measure approximately 1.5 cm long and are brown or tan in color. In the larval stage, the chafer can cause some damage to lawns resulting in brown patches. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Chafer Grubs are garden grubs which can cause severe damage to lawns or any grassed area. Beetles prefer laying eggs on closely cropped lawns, so raise your mowing height to 6 to 9cm (2.5 to 3 inches). compact your lawn before eggs hatch in June to early August, as it causes the newly hatched grubs to have difficulty moving, resulting in some mortality, expires three weeks from the date permit is issued, lawn sprinkling permits are approved for nematode application or newly seeded/turfed lawns only, receipt for the purchase of nematodes must be presented to Engineering as confirmation, the permit must be displayed during sprinkling outside of designated watering hours. The mature beetles do not sting or bite and have quite a short life span. How to Get Rid of and Prevent a Chafer Beetle Infestation Grass might have a “spongy” feel due to the grubs tunnelling below In drier weather, damaged caused by the grubs feeding on the roots of the lawn results in brown patches. July - Apply nematodes. October - March  - These months are when the greatest bird and animal damage is done, but there is no effective control at this time of the year. This is also a time sensitive event, leaving you to wait to repair your unsightly lawn. 2 Journal of Integrated Pest Management, 2016, Vol. Kingsway, Wilton There are many houseplants to choose from that are especially spooky for Halloween. (5 cm) of the surface. Chafer Grubs are garden grubs which can cause severe damage to lawns or any grassed area.