A little lawn sense
Are grubs causing the brown patches in my lawn?
Grubs eat roots, but brown grass has many possible causes. Check the soil before buying insecticide.
Check the edge of damage
Lift a small section where brown turf meets green turf and look for C-shaped larvae. Count what you find and ask Extension whether the species and density warrant treatment. Put the turf back afterward.
Separate prevention from rescue
Preventive products go on before damaging larvae develop, with timing tied to their active ingredient. Late-summer rescue products target young feeding larvae. Neither is a universal spring repair for old damage.
Avoid routine insecticide
Use history, sampling and local recommendations. Watering and label directions affect treatment success; always follow the grass, site and application instructions.
Questions from the yard
Do a few grubs mean I need treatment?
No. Healthy turf can tolerate some grubs; species, density and stress matter.
Will spring grub killer fix last year’s dead grass?
It will not regrow dead turf. Diagnose current activity and repair in your grass’s growing season.
Sources & further reading
Reviewed October 2026. General US home-lawn guidance; local recommendations may differ.