{
  "id": 568800,
  "title": "How to test your lawn for grubs and what to do if you find them",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/how-to-test-your-lawn-for-grubs-and-what-to-do-if-you-find-them",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-11T12:53:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Associated Press",
    "slug": "associated-press",
    "url": "https://apnews.com/article/grubs-lawns-treatment-brown-patches-9a7260c4cb6b9974aeae879350756513"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "When brown patches appear in a healthy lawn, numerous causes may be to blame, ranging from drought to dog urine, fungal diseases, pests, or excessive fertilizer. However, many homeowners tend to immediately suspect grubs as the culprit. The issue with this assumption is that it is often not accurate, and even if grubs are present, low populations typically do not pose a problem. Treatment should only be administered after confirming a genuine grub infestation. Fortunately, there exists a straightforward method to verify this, but the timing of the action is crucial for efficacy.\n\nGrubs are the immature stages of various beetles, such as European chafers, Asiatic, Japanese, and Oriental beetles. They reside near the surface of lawns and other vegetation, feeding on roots and disrupting the plants' ability to access essential nutrients. Verifying their presence is a simple process: obtain a soil sample measuring 3-4 inches deep and a 12-inch square that overlaps the edge of healthy grass within a symptomatic area of the lawn. If grubs are present, they will be detectable on the underlying soil or the underside of the removed sod-like square. These larvae are typically whitish, have a brown head, and measure between half an inch to an inch in length, resembling shrimp with a characteristic C-shaped curl.\n\nA population density of fewer than 10 grubs per square foot of soil is considered normal and does not indicate an infestation, so no action should be taken. Instead, it is advisable to investigate other potential causes for the lawn's distress. If grubs are indeed the problem, treatment should only be applied if there are 10 or more insects present in the sampled lawn section. Infested areas will readily detach from the ground like a carpet when attempted to be removed, as the roots have been severed by the feeding insects. Since grubs are most susceptible to pest-control methods when young, applying treatments in late summer will yield the best results.",
  "summary": "What does it mean when brown patches show up in a perfectly healthy lawn ? The truth is, it could be anything from drought to dog urine, fungal diseases,…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Phys.org",
        "title": "How to test your lawn for grubs and what to do if you find them",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/how-to-test-your-lawn-for-grubs-and-what-to-do-if-you-find-them-607412",
        "published": "2026-08-11T22:40:01.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}