what causes grubs in lawn

Grubs are small, white, worm-like pests that live in the soil and feed on organic matter in the lawn, including the roots of grass. They are the larval life-stage of different species of scarab beetles. Grubs can cause significant damage to the lawn, especially when there is a large infestation. The damage caused by grubs can be identified by irregular brown patches throughout the lawn, grass that pulls out easily at the roots, and an increase in activity from other wildlife species, such as birds, raccoons, and skunks, that feed on grubs. The presence of these animals in your yard likely indicates that you have a grub worm problem. Grubs can cause damage to the lawn when their feeding on the turfgrass roots causes the grass to turn brown and die. A healthy lawn can grow faster than the grubs can eat it, so a lawn that is unhealthy is more susceptible to grub damage. Soil that is compacted, as is typical under most lawns, exacerbates grub damage because grass roots are unable to penetrate deeply into the soil deeper than 2 or 3 inches. Grub populations are also normally controlled by various kinds of birds living in or near home landscapes where there is a diversity of plants and wildlife to support them.