Underhill's Lawn Care Tips

Modern technology recent heralded the introduction of breakthrough technology for White Grub control in Canada. For years and years, many of our customers lawns were plagued with this damaging, hard to control turf pest. And for years we were sympathetic about their concerns that it took 2 or 3 applications of grub control per year to slow these critters down. Not to mention the additional high costs associated with seeding or sodding repairs when these grubs took up residence in their lawns and destroyed the root system. We are pleased to announce that those days have past!

Toronto's White Grub is the larva of the European Chafer Beetle. This insect has a one year life cycle where the adult beetle lays eggs in turfgrass in the months of June and early July, typically coinciding with the full bloom of the Northern Catalpa tree. These eggs begin to hatch over the next few weeks depending upon weather and soil conditions.

During 1999 we announced the arrival of a revolutionary new white grub control product called MERIT. This product has been effectively used in the United States for over 12 years, and it's unique mode of action can provide over 90% control for an entire season with a single application!

Furthermore, the chemistry of Merit's unique active ingredient provides superior safety for humans and wildlife compared to any other conventional grub control products. Merit requires only one single annual treatment, at an extremely low application rates. Merit is also odorless. This means that we can offer excellent grub control, that is safer for your family, your pets, and our environment.

Merit must be applied earlier in the season than other conventional grub control products - ideally during June and July. The timing of this application will place the product in the soil BEFORE the grubs reach their third larval stage. Best control is achieved when the lawn is watered within 24 hours of the application, but overwatering should be avoided.

If your lawn or your neighborhood has had a history of White Grubs in the past, we strongly recommend that you consider adding MERIT Grub Control to your Lawn Care Program!

Typically, by late August, we can begin to notice these young grubs feeding in the rootzone. This grub will continue to feed on the turf roots throughout the rest of the fall months, causing considerable damage to our lawns, especially if the weather conditions are relatively warm and dry.

Once the winter sets in, these grubs will burrow deeper in the soil for hibernation. Very early in the spring, the grubs will move back up to the soil surface, and re-commence feeding as soon as the soil temperature begin to warm up a bit. We have regularly noticed grubs at the soil surface before all ground frost has melted.

Then during April and May, these grubs will resume feeding on the grass roots. In late May, the grubs will begin to pupate into the adult beetle, and emerge from the soil in June. During this month, adult European Chafer Beetles will congregate in swarms around street lights and adjacent trees just after dusk. They will mate at this time and lay eggs in turfgrass to start the cycle over again.