Question
Thank You.  I believe your right about it being a bug problem.  I just found some grubs in my wife's garden out back.  I'll do so further testing to be sure and then I'll apply the correct solution.

Thank you for your help.

Answer
Grubs are certainly a good possibility. Once you have had grubs once, chances are they will come back year after year unless treated.  The damage usually occurs at the same time every year because this is when the puppeas are big enough to eat the roots of the grass.

If you lift up the dead grass by grapping it and pulling straight up, you can tell if grubs are involved. If the dead grass lifts like a carpet, it is usually grubs (roots severed).


Grub-Ex (by Scott's) is excellent because it contain Merit which is the brand name for the most effective insecticides against grubs. Some products will control either of the two beatles normally responsible for grubs (japanese beatles and another which name escapes me), whereas merit will handle both. Now is the perfect time to apply.

You can also buy "mikly spores" or "beneficial nematodes" (I prefer the latter) which are biological methods of control. Both are micro insects which invade the bodies of grubs and kill them. They will grow in population and one single application of nematodes will control the lawn for up to 10 years potentially. Since it takes about one season for the population to build, use Grub-Ex this year, and also add the beneficial nematodes. Next year, you should not have a problem with grubs.

Beneficial nematodes can be purchased (ask a local garden center to order for you) or visit online retailers like gardensalive.com for example.

They come in a powder, and all you do is to spread it and water it in. They'll actually mail you the stuff by mail.

Best of luck to you.