If your lawn has suddenly gone from lush green to patchy, spongy, or just plain struggling… chances are something is happening underneath.
Right now is prime time for lawn grub and beetle activity—and if you catch it early, you’ll save yourself a lot of heartache (and re-turfing).
🐛 What’s the Difference?
Lawn Grubs (the underground troublemakers)
Lawn grubs are the larvae stage of beetles or moths.
They live in the soil and feed on grass roots.
What you’ll notice:
- Yellowing patches that don’t improve with watering
- Grass that lifts easily like carpet
- Spongy feel underfoot
- Birds digging your lawn up (they’re onto an easy meal)
Beetles (the above-ground culprits)
Adult beetles fly in, often at night, and lay eggs that turn into… you guessed it—more grubs.
What you’ll notice:
- Chewed grass blades
- Beetles around lights at night
- Eggs being laid in your lawn ready for the next wave
🏡 How They Get In (This One Surprises People)
A big one most people don’t realise…
👉 Beetles often lay eggs around your home—especially in sheltered spots like eaves, gutters, and rooflines.
These eggs form into cocoons… and when they hatch, the larvae drop down or move into your lawn.
Important tip:
-
Don’t hose cocoons off your eaves
→ You’re basically giving them a free ride straight into your lawn - Instead, remove and dispose of them properly
It’s a small job that can save a big problem.
⚠️ What Happens If You Leave It Too Long?
This is where it gets costly.
- Roots get eaten → grass can’t take up water
- Lawn dies off in patches
- Weeds move in quickly
- You end up needing full lawn replacement
And once they’re established, they multiply fast.
💧 How to Treat Them (Properly)
Step 1: Confirm the problem
Get a bucket of warm soapy water and pour on the green areas around the damaged area of your turf. If lawn grubs are present, they will pop up nearly straight away - the soapy water does not treat them, its just an indicator for you to treat
You could also pull back a small section of lawn—if you see grubs in the soil, that’s your culprit.
Step 2: Apply treatment
Products like David Grays Lawn & Beetle Killer are designed to target both grubs and beetles.
Key tips for best results:
- Apply in the late afternoon or evening
- Water in lightly after application (this helps it reach the root zone)
- Treat the entire affected area, not just the patches
Step 3: Follow up
- Recheck in 1–2 weeks
- Retreat if needed (depending on severity)
🌱 A Quick Story (Because This Happens All the Time…)
A customer came in not long ago—frustrated because their lawn “just wouldn’t come back.”
They’d watered, fertilised… even reseeded patches.
We asked one simple question:
“Does it feel spongy underfoot?”
"Are there dry brown patches?"
Sure enough—Yes.
They went home, tried the soapy water in the bucket trick and found grubs popping their little heads up.
With the right treatment and timing, the lawn bounced back beautifully.
The key?
👉 They acted early enough.
🌿 The Takeaway
- Lawn grubs = underground root damage
- Beetles = above-ground egg layers
- Now is the critical window to act
- Check your lawn before it gets out of hand
👉 Final Tip
If your lawn:
- Looks patchy
- Feels soft
- Or birds are tearing it up
Don’t wait.
Pop in, have a chat, and we’ll help you work out exactly what’s going on—and how to fix it properly the first time.