Controlling Grubs Is a Big Topic

Q. I have just been told that I have "Grubs" here in Las Vegas, NV.  What do I do to get rid of them?

Grubs from compost

A. You have two approaches to controlling grubs; conventional pesticides or organic controls. The conventional pesticides are usually much more effective and fast in getting rid of the problem.

Organic controls are slower to work and may not give you the same kind of control you can get with conventional pesticides. I would suggest purchasing a conventional insecticide in granular form and watering and in around the base of your plants.

There are several products on the market that will give you good control. You can also use a liquid but you would applied as a drench, diluting it as the label recommends and pouring it around the base of the plant where the irrigation water is applied. You would lightly water both of these products into the soil.

Do not over water or you can push the chemical beyond the depth where the grubs are feasting. Any of the conventional pesticides that are labeled for grub control will give you good control. Because these grubs are immature forms of flying insects, they may be back in future years and you will have to re-treat.

Organic controls rely on other living organisms to give you some measure of control.

There are three posts on my blog that refer to controlling grubs. The links should take you to these posts and you can read more about them if it fits your particular circumstances.

Grubs in Container of Garden Soil Killing Plants

Jul 21, 2012

Q. I have discovered over 200 huge grubs in a 15 x 24 inch container that is about 2 ft deep. I had filled this container with a bag of garden soil from a garden center and planted strawberry plants. Of course the plants all died, ...

Is Grub Guard Safe to Use in my Landscape? 

May 18, 2014

Q. I ran across an item called Grub Guard in the catalog. It contains beneficial nematodes. Would these be the same kind of nematodes that attacked my tomatoes last year? A. These are entirely different nematodes. These are ...

Poor Growth of Lantana Due to Grubs - Xtremehorticulture of ...

Aug 14, 2014

These are the immature of one of the scarab beetles such as June beetles, metallic June beetles, dung beetles and rose chafers which we have here. Another one that attacks lawn grasses is the "white grub" or sometimes just ...