The Nanaimo Homeowner’s Guide to Winning the War Against Lawn Grubs
If you’ve stepped outside to find your lawn looking like a family of raccoons hosted a late-night excavation party, you aren’t alone. In Nanaimo, we call this "The Chafer Beetle Special."
The European Chafer Beetle is the primary antagonist for Island lawns. But between Nanaimo’s strict pesticide bylaws and our dry summers, getting rid of them requires a strategy. While many people struggle with live nematodes, granular grub control has become the go-to for those who want a simpler, more shelf-stable solution.
Here is how to reclaim your yard using the granular method.
1. Identify the Enemy
Before you head to the garden center, confirm you actually have grubs.
The "Peel Test": Find a brown or spongy patch of grass. Grab a handful and pull. If the turf lifts up easily like a piece of loose carpet, exposing small, C-shaped white larvae, you’ve got grubs. They’ve eaten the root system right out from under your lawn, leaving it "floating" on the soil.
2. The Solution: Granular Grub Control (Btg)
In Nanaimo, we follow the Pesticide Use Bylaw, which means we can't use old-school chemical "scorched earth" killers. Fortunately, modern granular treatments (which use a specialized soil bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis galleriae) are legal, effective, and much easier to handle than live worms.
Why Granular is Often Better Than Nematodes:
Shelf Life: Unlike nematodes, which are living creatures that die in a hot car, granules are shelf-stable.
Ease of Use: You don't need a specialized sprayer; you just use your standard lawn spreader.
Wider Window: Granules can be applied at multiple stages of the grub's life cycle, whereas nematodes have a very narrow "kill window" in late July.
3. How to Apply for Maximum Success
Even though granules are easier, you can't just throw them at the grass and hope for the best.
The Timing
To protect your lawn in Nanaimo, you want to apply granules when the grubs are actively feeding near the surface:
Late Spring (May/June): To catch the overwintered grubs before they turn into beetles.
Late Summer (August/September): To kill the newly hatched "baby" grubs before they grow large enough to attract raccoons.
The Technique
Mow First: Cut your grass to a normal height so the granules reach the soil surface.
Spread Evenly: Use a broadcast spreader. Check the bag for the specific setting (usually around a '4' or '5' for most standard spreaders).
Water it In: This is the most important step. The active ingredients need to migrate from the granule into the top inch of soil. Aim for about 0.5 inches of water immediately after application.
Note: Always check Nanaimo’s current Watering Restrictions. If we are in Stage 2 or 3, time your application for your permitted watering day/hour to ensure the treatment is activated properly.
4. The "High and Thick" Defense
Granules kill the current generation, but a healthy lawn prevents the next one.
Mow High: Set your mower to 3 inches. Chafer beetles hate long grass; they prefer to lay eggs in short, thin, stressed turf.
Lime Your Soil: Island soil is naturally acidic, which grass hates and grubs love. Applying Dolomite Lime in the spring and fall helps your grass stay strong enough to outgrow minor damage.
Overseed with Clover: Micro-clover is a "super-food" for lawns but a "no-go" for grubs. It stays green during Nanaimo’s August droughts and provides natural nitrogen to your grass.
