![]() ![]() Scarab beetles are beautiful and fascinating insects that help keep our soils healthy and our wildlife well fed. This increases biodiversity and lowers the chances of damage from non-native scarab larvae. Lawns are particularly susceptible to attack by the larvae of non-native scarabs.Ĭonsider replacing lawns with native ground covers. It’s not nice, but it’s better than insecticides. If your plants appear yellow or wilted and you’ve ruled out other causes, such as under-watering or nutrient deficiencies, consider feeding grubs to the birds or squishing them. Scarab larvae are part of the soil ecosystem and are unlikely to do damage if they are not present in high numbers. If your plants appear otherwise healthy, consider simply leaving curl grubs where they are. If you find larvae in your garden soil, use your plant’s health as a guide. Larvae found in compost bins are helping to break down wastes and should also be left alone. Larvae found in decaying wood or mulch are wood feeders and are useful composters they will not harm your plants and should be left where they are. ![]() Why has my home been overrun by pantry moths and how do I get rid of them? An expert explains Many of the most common treatments for curl grubs contain chemicals called “anthranilic diamides”, which are also toxic to butterflies, moths and aquatic invertebrates.Īnd by disrupting soil ecosystems, using insecticides might do more harm than good and could kill harmless native beetle larvae. The chemicals used to control curl grubs will harm all scarab larvae, regardless of whether or not they are pests. Seeing suspiciously plump curl grubs amongst the roots of prized garden plants can be alarming, but please don’t automatically reach for insecticides. Shutterstock What should I do if I find curl grubs in my garden? Unfortunately, identifying scarab larvae species is challenging. Testing the stress levels of rescued koalas allows us to tweak their care so more survive in the wild Even while damaging plants, curl grubs may be helping keep soil healthy by providing aeration and nutrient mixing. Plants are surprisingly resilient, and most can handle losing a small number of their roots to beetle larvae. Some common garden species, like the beautifully patterned fiddler beetle ( Eupoecila australasiae), feed on decaying wood and are unlikely to harm garden plants.Įven species that consume roots are likely not a problem under normal conditions. Unfortunately, we know little about the feeding habits of many native scarab larvae, including those found in gardens. Native scarab species can also be pests under the right circumstances.įor example, when Europeans began planting sugar cane (a type of grass) and converting native grasslands to pastures, many native Australian scarab species found an abundant new food source and were subsequently classified as pests. In Australia, the Argentine lawn scarab and the African black beetle are invasive pest species that cause significant damage to pastures and lawns. Most scarab larvae feed on grass roots, and this can cause damage to plants when there’s a lot of them. Are the curl grubs in my garden harming my plants? ![]()
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