Our Lawn Pest Management Treatment can significantly reduce the number of pests in your lawns. We can also relieve stress and help your lawn to recover from the damage caused by Chafer Grubs and Leatherjackets.
These are the two types of lawn pests which cause major changes to lawns in the UK. The optimal treatment times for Leatherjackets is from mid-September to October and, for Chafer Grubs, from mid-July to October. You should start to see the effects quite quickly as your lawn will look greener as a result of our treatment and the effects will improve over a month as less damage is visible and your lawn has had time to recover.
Leatherjackets
Leatherjackets are the larval stage of what is commonly known as daddy longlegs (crane fly).
Their one-year life cycle begins when the female lays her eggs in the lawn around September time; they then hatch 2-3 weeks later.
Over the winter period, when the weather is still wet and warm enough, the larvae starts to feed on the top part of the grass plant’s root system.
At this time, the damage is not normally seen, as the leatherjackets are still quite small. It's important to note that secondary damage to the lawn can also be caused by birds and animals rooting for the grubs.
By February and March, the grubs will have grown in size and the damage will be much more extensive.
Chafer Grub
Chafer Grubs are the larvae of the chafer beetle (May bug) and have a life cycle of 1-3 years, dependent on the species.
The females lay their eggs in the lawn. When first hatched, the grub is very small and at its most vulnerable. They are curved like the letter C, with white fleshy bodies, light brown heads, three pairs of legs and will grow to 10-15mm in size.
The grubs feed on the roots of the grass plant resulting in the turf becoming detached from its soil moorings allowing the lawn to be pulled back, like lifting a rug. Birds, badgers and a number of other animals enjoy eating these grubs so damage to the lawn can be extensive.
Worms
Worms are generally good for the lawn; there are twenty five species but there are only three that cause casts in the lawn. The process worms have by moving through the soil is good for microbial activity and aeration. The cast that they return to the surface can look ugly and be a good seed bed for weeds.
At the moment, we have no specific control for worms.
Ants
Likewise, we have no specific control for ants. However, we would advise using a spade, slicing into the lawn where the activity is and apply ant powder into the nest, pull out the spade and restore the crevice.
