Lawn grub damage — Zaandam, North Holland

Brown, irregularly shaped patches of turf that peel back like loose carpet are the hallmark of a grub infestation. White grubs — the larval stage of Japanese beetles, June bugs, European chafers, and other scarab beetles — live just below the soil surface and feed on grass roots from late summer through fall. A lawn with more than 10 grubs per square foot will lose enough root mass for the turf to die in patches and become vulnerable to secondary damage from raccoons, skunks, and birds that dig up the lawn to feed on the larvae. A professional landscaper or lawn-care specialist can confirm the infestation by cutting a one-square-foot flap of sod and counting grubs, then apply a curative grub treatment such as trichlorfon or a preventive like chlorantraniliprole at the correct timing. They will also overseed and fertilize damaged areas to restore full coverage and recommend a long-term prevention schedule to protect the lawn in subsequent seasons.