My introduction to garden and landscape management was as a
youth in the 1970’s. Both my mother and grandmother had beautiful flower
gardens and my grandfather, who was a child of sharecroppers, maintained a
small vegetable garden every year. Not only did I learn at an early age to
understand the life cycle of plants but also the life cycles of predators.
One particular predator that I learned a lot about was the Japanese
Beetle. The adult beetle with its shiny metallic wings was the scourge of
grandma’s precious roses. They would show up in late June just after Father’s
Day and begin munching on the leaves of her rose bushes. In response as soon as
grandma noticed the first beetle, the foliage of her roses would be coated with
Sevin Dust until Labor Day. As a
result of this annual ritual, the beetle populations never really increased on
our property, and I never noticed the affect that these pests have on turf;
that is, until I began working in the landscape industry.
In the life cycle of the Japanese Beetle the adult beetle
burrows underground in September (just after Labor Day) and lays eggs. These
eggs spawn “white grubs”. The white grubs then feed on plant (turf) roots. As
with all things in the evolutionary chain white grubs have natural predators,
moles. Where there is an abundance of white grubs moles feast on the protein rich
grubs causing the ‘molehills’ and the subterranean tracks that are emblematic
of their presence.
I began receiving complaints from my customers about moles
three summers ago. Homeowners were complaining that the moles were destroying their
turf and wanted something done about those “varmints”. I had no idea what to do
about their mole problems. This was actually the main factor in me becoming licensed
as a pesticide applicator. What I learned is that the moles were not destroying
my customer’s lawns but the larvae of the Japanese Beetles were the culprits.
The turf is actually destroyed by the white grubs that have
feasted on the tender roots. This activity is what causes the lawn to brown and
pull away from the soil. Fortunately there are several ways for us to treat the
problems that are caused by white grubs. So, if you notice molehills in your
lawn next spring, don’t make mountains out of them. Call your local pesticide certified,
professional landscaper and let them get to the “root” of the problem.
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