Lawn pests

Chafer Grub

There are two main species of Chafer Grub that cause problems in turf and sports surfaces. The Garden Chafer (Phylloperthahorticola) and the Cockchafer (Melolonthamelolontha).

The garden chafer is much smaller than the cock chafer with the larvae growing to 15mm in length. The adults are metallic green and bronze and appear in the spring when they lay eggs in the soil. The pupae hatch and feed on grass roots until the autumn when they tend to burrow into the soil to escape the cold, emerging in the spring after pupating as adults.

The cock chafer is much larger, the adults are up to 30mm in length and a brown colour, the larvae are also much larger as they feed in the soil for up to three years.

The main damage is caused by badgers, birds and other animals digging up the soil to reach the larvae.

Leather Jackets

These grubs are the larvae stage of the Crane Fly (Daddy Long Legs). They live in the soil throughout the year before pupating and emerging as adults in late summer. They can cause some damage to lawns by feeding locally on grass roots, but the majority of damage is caused by other animals and birds digging them up.

There are currently no forms of chemical control for this pest in amenity grass. They were all withdrawn in 2016 as part of the plans to make sure bee numbers are protected. We do however have good parasitic nematodes which are naturally occurring tiny worms that eat the pest. We are happy to have a chat about how best you can use this control to help your lawn.