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There are six species of Chafer Beetles in the U.K. Several of these species can cause significant damage to lawns and turf in their larval stage. The most common species is the Garden Chafer (Phyllopertha horticola) which emerge as adults from lawns from May to June. The Garden Chafer mates quickly and will start to lay eggs that develop into larvae or grubs from late July to early August. If left untreated these grubs will continue to feed on grass roots into the autumn. Once the soil temperatures drops the feeding slows and stops. The Chafers will then overwinter deeper into the soil structure before rising to the surface, to feed again, in the spring. They will then pupate from April to May before emerging as adult beetles.
Chafer Grubs feed on grass roots, turning areas of lawn yellow. Chafers will also cause secondary damage to lawns by attracting birds and animals which will dig up lawns as they attempt to feed on the grubs. Badgers in particular enjoy feeding on Chafer grubs and will rip up large areas of turf to locate them. The damage to the lawn caused by these animals is often more severe than the damage caused by the Chafer grubs.
The first step in treating your infestation is to monitor Garden Chafer Beetle activity by setting up our Garden Chafer Beetle Traps from May. These will attract and catch adult beetles, reducing egg laying and providing a warning of forthcoming chafer grub populations. Once Chafer grubs are detected in lawns, from the end of July, apply our Chafer Grub Killer Nematodes. 1-2 applications may be required, depending on the severity of the infestation. A spring application of nematodes in April can be applied but this is far less effective than the late summer treatments.
For lawns that have suffered damage, help them recover with our Lawn Grub Repair Boost. This natural biostimulant enhances root and lawn growth and helps stimulate microbial activity in the lawn. This leads to the establishment of healthier lawns. The boost can also be used in combination with nematode treatments.
