The Best Time to Apply Grub Control Products
White grubs are the turf inhabiting larvae of Scarab beetles. There are six species of annual grubs, including the Japanese beetle, masked chafers, European chafer, Asiatic garden beetle, Oriental beetle, and the green June beetle. The May and June beetles take two years to develop. Golf courses also have the black turfgrass ataenius, which has two generations each year. With so many species, how do you know when to treat? Annual grubs are our biggest concern since they do the most damage to lawns.
What can you use for control, and when should you apply it? We have several products you can use for grub control. We suggest preventative applications if you have irrigated turf or have had a history of grub damage.
Acelepryn is a product you can apply in April through mid-June to get season-long grub control. It takes about 90 days to reach maximum efficacy in the soil. Acelepryn is an excellent option if you also want to treat for things like billbugs (mid-May emergence). We carry Acelepryn on a fertilizer carrier.
Imidacloprid (Merit) is the most commonly used product. It can be applied any time from mid-June through mid-August. Imidacloprid is the most cost-effective option. We carry imidacloprid on fertilizer, granular, and sprayable options. We also have an imida-lambda on fertilizer that will control grubs and caterpillars.
Clothianidin (Arena) can be applied from mid-June through mid-September. It’s more water-soluble than imidacloprid, so it can act quicker later in the season (September–October) as a curative. We have a granular and sprayable option.
Tetrino can be applied from mid-June through mid-August. This product would also control leaf-feeding caterpillars. Tetrino is a sprayable option.
If you have animals destroying your yard while feeding on grubs, you will want to use a curative with quick knockdown like Dylox. It acts quickly but has a short residual.
Contact your ATS rep today to secure the right grub control product for you.
Nikki Hendrickson
Sales Representative
