Check for grubs by lifting brown turf and counting per square foot

Steps

1. In areas where turf is browning, try pulling up the grass. Grub-damaged turf lifts easily like a loose carpet because the roots have been eaten.
2. Cut a 1-foot square section of turf with a shovel and peel it back.
3. Count the white, C-shaped grubs visible in the top 2-3 inches of soil.
4. Repeat in 3-5 different spots across the lawn.
5. If counts average 5 or more grubs per square foot, treatment is warranted.

Why It Works

Not all brown patches are caused by grubs. The peel-back test and grub count provide a definitive diagnosis and help you decide whether treatment is justified. Below 5 per sq ft, healthy lawns can typically tolerate the damage without treatment.

Tips

• Skunks, raccoons, and crows digging in the lawn are often a sign of grub infestation — they are feeding on the grubs.