When digging in spring or in unusually warm weather, white larvae suddenly appear in the garden? The grubs of the pests cockchafers and garden leaf beetles are spreading in the garden. If you don't act quickly, you risk an infestation and a lot of feeding damage in the summer. Luckily, there are environmentally friendly ways to get rid of the larvae and balance your garden.
White larvae in the garden: when are they problematic and when are they not
For now: White larvae can be beneficial insects or pests in the garden. But even if you notice a few cockchafer larvae, it's not necessarily bad or problematic. The grubs provide food for birds and hedgehogs in spring when there are almost no other insects. Therefore they fulfill an important function. If the garden is designed as naturally as possible, plants are in balance and there is enough food for birds and insects, then even the cockchafers are not dangerous. What is important in this case is species diversity.
Attract birds to the garden by offering nesting opportunities. Nesting boxes in tall trees and safe hiding places in densely growing bushes are particularly important for breeding native species. You can attract hedgehogs by placing cat food near the white larvae. However, be careful with feeding - because hedgehog food can also attract unwelcome guests to the garden, namely rats. Chickens can also help themselves to the grubs.
Dead lawns, tilted plants in pots, rotting roots and dead seedlings are a sure sign that the grubs have become a nuisance. This usually happens in gardens where there is no biodiversity or where primarily cultivated plants with only ornamental value have been planted. Is there a lack of hiding places for hedgehogs in the garden?Nesting places for birds, then pests spread particularly quickly. If you notice the larvae in bare spots in the lawn or when digging up the soil near dead plants, you have to act quickly and get the pests out of the ground.
Getting grubs out of the ground: 3 insect-friendly tricks
The first step is to attract the grubs from the ground. The larvae develop slowly between February and May, when they emerge. Around the end of February, the larvae become more active and move into the upper layers of the soil, where they stay primarily in the root area.
If there are bare spots in the lawn, you can loosen the soil and check whether there are grubs there. It is also worth comparing and checking what type it is. Beneficial insects can be left in the lawn, pests can be relocated to the compost heap.
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Opaque PVC film against larvae in the lawn
For the trick to work, the soil should be moist. To do this, first water the bare areas in the lawn thoroughly and then cover them with opaque PVC film. The next morning, preferably early in the morning, remove the foil. Then identify the grubs and leave the beneficial ones. Collect the pests and relocate them. If there are a large number of June or May beetle larvae, the pests can be placed in a bucket as bird food.
Scarify the lawn
The third trick is to scarify the lawn in spring. It is usually too early to loosen the soil in March. If the lawn is scarified in March, the growth of the grass blades will be slowed down. But you can get the grubs out of the ground and collect them immediately after scarifying.
If you want to re-lay the lawn, you should roll the area first. The compacted soil makes it difficult for the grubs to move.
Mustard against grubs in flower pots
Wilted plants that are falling over, eaten roots, dug up potting soil and hanging flower heads: All of this is a sign that the pests have made themselves comfortable in the flower pot and are helping themselves to the potted plants. The quickest way to test the theory is to dig up the earth. With potted plants, however, there is always a risk that the roots will be damaged due to the small volume of soil. It is much quicker and easier to dissolve 1 tablespoon of mustard in 250 ml of warm water and spray the soil with it. The grubs will appear on the surface in a few hours.
This mustard solution is not harmful to the larvae - but you can quickly collect them and relocate them.
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