Is the lawn turning brown because of grubs or billbugs, or is it water stress? This is a common question in recent days, since the weather turned hot.
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SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. – Is the lawn turning brown because of grubs or billbugs, or is it water stress? This is a common question in recent days, since the weather turned hot.
Both types of damage have the same symptoms, because the grubs chew off roots and the bluegrass plant is not able to take in water, giving the appearance of drought.
An easy way to check for grubs is to pull a handful of grass. If the grass pulls up like a piece of carpet, grubs are a likely culprit. If the grass is well rooted, grubs and billbugs can be ruled out.
Another step in identifying the problem is to poke a regular screwdriver into the ground. The screwdriver generally will penetrate as deep as the moisture in the soil, then stop. In a bluegrass lawn, the screwdriver should penetrate to a depth of 6 inches.