Chafer grubs?? Help please!!
 

Our front lawn has been under attack from crows, they have been rooting up
the turf, down to bare soil. I assumed it was "just one of those things"
until it has become very noticeable indeed. A knowledgeable neighbor has
said the previous owners of our property, out in the sticks here in north
Shropshire, had a problem in the 1970's with a Chafer grub infestation, and
she came over with a fork and turned back turf near where the birds have
been foraging. I was shocked to see the turf turn back like pulling up old
carpet underlay, the roots seem to have been eaten away! The lawn is over
an acre in size, with perhaps 10% affected, and I only judge affected areas
as those where the birds have seen fit to forage. I found LOTS of grubs,
all the same size and coloration, and I have put pictures up at

http://www.newburty-house.com/grubs/grubs.html

Click on the small images to see them full size please.

Is her opinion correct, and what can I do to eradicate them please? This is
beginning to sound like a time consuming and possibly expensive problem :(

Thanks for any help anyone can offer.

Chafer grubs?? Help please!!
 

Hello Chris,
You do seem to have a problem with cockchafer grubs.
Here is the RHS link
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0402/chafer.asp
There is little you can do at this time of year, turning the turf over,
just shows you that the grubs have eaten the turf roots as you
describe.
The RHS site says it all - not much you can do, no chemicals,although
you can do some biological warefare in the summer. you can buy the
appropriate pack of nematodes from the orgainic gardening catalogue.
they seny you a card, and you send off the the nematodes when you are
ready. As they are living creatures, the secret is releasing them at
the right time of year, with the right soil conditions. Like the
nematodes for slugs, soil moisture is important, for the little
nematodes to swim though the soil looking for th grubs.
No quick fixes I am affraid, equally, they may come back.
Either way, good luck
Clifford
Bawtry, Doncaster, S. Yorks