By Tiger1234
Hampshire,
United Kingdom 
Hi every one, I have just bought a new bungalow with a ready turfed garden, laid by the builder. As you can imagine not that good. Over the last two days I have had an attack from chafer grubs. I have been every where for a lawn pest control but can not find any thing. Does any one have a solution to this problem? The starlings are having a good go at them but are making the lawn look like a horse field!
18 Nov, 2014
Answers
Jimmy is right, so unfortunately there's no known chemical control for these critters. Also, as he said, the only thing that you could use is pathogenic nematodes. They work by attacking the larvae and infecting them with a fatal bacterial disease which kills them orf.
Damage to your lawn occurs in two ways. The grubs will eat the roots of the grass on your lawn and secondly, the birds will tear away at your lawn to get at the grubs for their much needed food over the winter.
If you decide to buy the nematodes to control them, a rough guide would be about £30 per 100 sq mtrs.
18 Nov, 2014
you may have to let the starlings do the work, use bird baths to encourage even more, after the numbers of grubs are under control fill any damaged turf must be filled with grass seed.
19 Nov, 2014
Thanks every one, I knew that I would get good advice from G O Y. I think at the moment I shall let the starlings do their best, I bought some lawn dressing yesterday, hopefully this will help with the damage. The area affected at the moment is not too large. The point that was made about rolling the lawn is valid, as I "topped" the lawn a couple of days ago with the mower that has a back roller. I suppose as it is still so mild, the grubs came up! Hopefully the starlings have done an early pest control. Tiger.
19 Nov, 2014
Leave it to the birds to clear them for you. Free pest control!
19 Nov, 2014
ok cool glad you let nature do the work! that will also help the starlings :3
21 Nov, 2014
I think the starlings have gone to town like little hoovers Wildlifebal!! The first day you could not see the lawn for starlings, i have not seen them now for 2 days, so fingers crossed they have worked their magic!
21 Nov, 2014
Imidacloprid a chemical control was used but it is a member of the mneonicotinoid family which is a danger to bees and I think it's banned. Nematodes seem to be the answer but will be expensive and will be best used in the spring when the soil warms up. Books advocate rolling in the spring which will bring the grubs to the surface. Perhaps the best bet would be to encourage your starlings to continue the battle and make to best of it.
18 Nov, 2014