As temperatures in the Treasure Valley begin to hover around 60°F or above (May to early June) adult billbugs will emerge from the ground and start mating. The female will lay her eggs in grass stems and within a few days they will hatch and enter the larvae stage. The larvae stage is the most destructive stage in the billbug’s life cycle and they are most prevalent from mid-June to late August. The common term for the billbug in the larvae stage is “grub”.
The billbug larvae begin feeding on our lawns. At first the lawn may simply look as if it is not getting enough water in some spots. Unchecked, the billbug larvae can continue to hatch, feed, and spread until they create dead patches in the lawn. Eventually, if unchecked, the larvae can kill off large patches of lawn. The larvae pupate in the soil then emerge as newly adult billbugs in August Those new adult billbugs will overwinter in the ground until the following spring when the cycle will repeat itself.
Effective chemical control of billbugs requires the application of a “systemic” material. Systemic material is taken up by the plant, arming the plant with the ability to kill larvae as they feed. Barrier Pest Control has an effective systemic for billbug control and can service your lawns in late May or early June before the eggs hatch and become larvae. Contact us for your billbug prevention soon.
Blog by Alvin of Barrier Pest Control
