Residential
Grub Control
One preventive application, timed to the mid-June through July window, that stops Japanese beetle and masked chafer larvae before they start eating your roots.
Professional grub control for Columbus, Ohio properties.
Grubs are the larvae of Japanese beetles and masked chafers, and in Central Ohio they are not a maybe. Adults fly in June and July, lay eggs in warm irrigated turf, and the larvae that hatch spend August and September eating grass roots an inch below the surface. Our preventive grub control is a single application, priced on its own and separate from the fertilization program, that ends that cycle before feeding ever starts.
- One application, applied once per season in the mid-June to July window
- Stops Japanese beetle and masked chafer larvae at hatch, before root feeding begins
- Season-long protection from a single properly timed treatment
- Priced as its own line item, separate from the 5-application fertilization program
- Ends the skunk and raccoon digging that follows an active infestation
28+ years caring for Central Ohio properties.
What the preventive application covers
One visit, one product, applied at the right depth of the season. Here is what your grub application includes.
Preventive-class insecticide
Systemic products move into the root zone and wait for larvae, killing grubs at hatch, when they are smallest and easiest to stop.
Full turf coverage
Every lawn area gets treated, including the sunny irrigated sections beetles prefer for egg-laying.
Hatch-timed scheduling
Application lands in the mid-June to July window, ahead of the August feeding period that causes visible damage.
Watering-in guidance
The product needs roughly a half inch of water to reach the root zone. We leave clear instructions, or time the visit around rain.
Turf damage inspection
Crew checks for spongy turf, thinning, and old feeding scars while on site, early evidence most homeowners miss.
Animal activity check
Skunk and raccoon digging is a reliable grub tell. We note any activity and what it means for your lawn.
Written visit notes
You get a record of what was applied, where, and any conditions we flagged for follow-up.
The grub cycle in Central Ohio, start to finish
Japanese beetles and masked chafers emerge in June, feed for a few weeks, then lay eggs in the warmest, best-watered turf they can find. Eggs hatch in roughly two weeks. The young larvae spend August and September eating grass roots in the top one to three inches of soil, then burrow deep for winter. Damage shows in late summer as brown patches that lift up like carpet. The roots are gone, so the turf peels back with no resistance. At five to ten grubs per square foot, a lawn visibly declines.
Why prevention beats rescue every time
Preventive products go down before eggs hatch, so larvae die in their first days of feeding, while they are still small and near the surface. Curative rescue treatments face September grubs that have grown large and burrowed deeper, and by then the roots are already eaten. A rescued lawn still needs reseeding to recover. Prevention protects the whole feeding season with one application, and it costs a fraction of replacing dead turf. In a region where Japanese beetle pressure returns every year, the choice is straightforward.
How to tell if grubs already found your lawn
Brown patches in August or September that pull up like loose carpet are the classic sign: no roots left to anchor the turf. Spongy ground underfoot is another. So is sudden nighttime digging: skunks and raccoons tear up grub-infested lawns to eat the larvae, and starlings flock to feed by day. To confirm, peel back a square foot of turf at the edge of a brown patch and count. Five to ten C-shaped white grubs in that square foot means active, damaging feeding.
One application, one window
The preventive application goes down between mid-June and July, timed ahead of egg hatch. Systemic products bind in the root zone and hold there for weeks, so the treatment covers the entire hatch period. Miss the window entirely, though, and the only options left are curative. Watering requirements are simple: about a half inch of irrigation or rain moves the product down to where larvae feed. After that, it works unattended through the feeding season. There is nothing to reapply and nothing to monitor.
Repairing turf that grubs already killed
Dead patches do not grow back on their own. The crowns are gone. The recovery play is fall aeration and overseeding: core aeration opens the compacted clay, and fresh seed fills the voids grubs created. Pair that with the 5-application fertilization program and new turf establishes quickly, usually showing full coverage by the following spring. Grub control then protects the investment, because reseeded lawns are exactly the tender, well-watered turf next summer's beetles look for first.
Book before the beetles fly
Adult Japanese beetles emerge in Columbus in June, and egg-laying follows within weeks. The preventive application has to be in the soil before hatch to do its job. Reserve your slot in spring and we handle the timing from there.
Get on the schedule- Mid-June to July is the only preventive window
- Applications after hatch shift to costlier curative products
- Irrigated lawns face the highest egg-laying pressure
What to stack with grub control
Grub control protects roots from insects. These services feed them, repair past damage, and cover the fungal side an insecticide can't touch.
Add the 5-application fertilization program
Dense, well-fed turf tolerates minor feeding and recovers faster from any setback.
Learn moreAdd turf disease protection
Insecticide does nothing against brown patch or dollar spot. The disease program covers the fungal side of summer.
Learn moreRepair damage with aeration & overseeding
The fastest route back from past grub damage: cores open the soil and fresh seed fills what was lost.
Learn moreThe grub control engagement, step by step
A predictable, transparent process refined over 25+ years of Central Ohio property work. No surprises, no scope creep.
- 1Step 1 of 4
Property assessment
We look at turf condition, irrigation, past damage, and beetle history to gauge your pressure level.
- 2Step 2 of 4
Free quote by lawn size
Pricing scales with treated square footage. One number, no program commitment required.
- 3Step 3 of 4
Timed application
The preventive product goes down in the mid-June to July window, ahead of egg hatch.
- 4Step 4 of 4
Water-in and verify
A half inch of water moves the product into the root zone. We confirm coverage and leave visit notes.
One application, quoted by lawn size
Grub control is priced as a single line item, separate from the fertilization program. Your quote reflects treated turf area and nothing else. No season-long commitment attached.
- Itemized line-by-line proposal
- Quote turnaround in 24 to 48 hours
- No hidden fees, no surprise upcharges
Fertilization program customers receive bundle pricing when grub control is added.
Quotes are free and scale with your lawn's square footage
Every property is different. Quotes are tailored after a quick consultation. No obligation, no hard sell.
On Central Ohio properties this season.
Grub Control, answered.
Real questions from real Central Ohio customers. If yours isn't here, you have three fast ways to reach us.
01What exactly is a grub?
The larval stage of Japanese beetles and masked chafers: C-shaped, white, up to an inch long. They live in the top one to three inches of soil and eat grass roots from August into fall.
02When does the application need to happen?
Between mid-June and July, before eggs hatch. The product waits in the root zone and kills larvae in their first days of feeding, which is when they are most vulnerable.
03How do I know if I already have grubs?
Peel back a section of brown turf in late summer. If it lifts like carpet and you count five or more white grubs per square foot, feeding is active. Skunk and raccoon digging is another reliable sign.
04Is grub control part of the fertilization program?
No, it's a separately priced single application. The two pair well, since dense fed turf recovers faster from any feeding, but each is quoted on its own.
05Will one application really last the whole season?
Yes. Preventive products are systemic and persist in the root zone for weeks, covering the full hatch window. One properly timed application protects through the August and September feeding period.
06Is it safe for kids and pets?
Once the application has been watered in and the lawn has dried, normal use resumes. We leave a yard flag and simple instructions after every visit.
07Can you fix damage from last year's grubs?
Dead patches need reseeding. The roots and crowns are gone. Fall core aeration with overseeding rebuilds them, and this application keeps next summer's larvae from undoing the work.
08Will it stop skunks from digging up my lawn?
Skunks and raccoons dig because grubs are there. Remove the food source and the digging stops, usually within a couple of weeks. Moles are a different story. They feed mainly on earthworms, so grub control alone may not move them.
Grub Control across Central Ohio.
Headquartered in Lewis Center, our crews reach most Central Ohio properties in under 25 minutes. Routes are organized by city: your crew is on your block week after week, not chasing across the metro.
As our home base, Lewis Center is where Meyers Landscape Services got its start.
Ready for professional grub control?
Serving Lewis Center, Dublin, Powell, Hilliard, Westerville, Delaware, and Columbus, plus surrounding Central Ohio communities. Free estimates, fast response, real accountability.
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