Delta Naturalists Society

Our Goal:

This document is to provide people with a variety of wildlife & environmentally conscious solutions to either maintain/save (see questions 1 below), alter (see question 2 below), or replace (see question 3 below), lawns affected by chafer beetle grubs.

Wondering what’s killing your lawn? Read this:

The culprit may be the European Chafer Beetle, a lawn pest introduced to the Lower Mainland in 2001. The larvae (grub) stage has been damaging traditional turf lawns ever since.

• Grub appearance: White, C-shaped, with a blackish end, about 2 cm long

Above: The offending grub and evidence of damage

Signs of an Infestation:

• Brown patches or spongy areas in your lawn
• Sod being pulled back or divots caused by nature’s pest controllers like birds, skunks,and raccoons searching for grubs

(NOTE: it is not legal or acceptable to harm or kill wildlife for accessing a food source in your lawn)

• Lifecycle:
  o  June: Adult beetles emerge, mate and lay eggs in lawn thatch
  o  Summer to Spring: Grubs live in the soil, feeding on grass roots 
  o  May/June: Pupation occurs, and the cycle repeats

Life cycle of the chafer beetle (from City of Delta website)

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Solutions

1. Question: Do you want to maintain or save a traditional turf lawn?

If you want to keep your lawn while also preventing or eliminating chafer beetle damage, consider these eco-friendly options:

Infestation prevention – Maintenance & Lawn Care Tips

• Keep grass long (up to 8 cm) to reduce vulnerability
• Aerate and dethatch your lawn to promote root health
• Use a mulching mower (or blade) to return nitrogen to the soil naturally – this does not increase thatch
• If an infestation is present and turf has been dug up by wildlife, waiting until spring to rake it and reseed it, can be a good option

Infestation elimination/control – Biological Control

• Nematodes (read package instructions): Microscopic parasites that consume chafer beetle larvae in their early stages
  o  Apply: as early as mid-July and into September if the soil is still warm
  o  Water: Requires 5-7 days of lawn moisture (you may need a Watering Exemption Permit from your city)
  o  Results: grubs should disappear in 2-3 weeks
  o  Available: at garden centers and retail outlets like West Coast Seeds
  o  Brands: Nemasys G & Larvanem
  

• BTG (Biological Pesticide): a naturally occurring soil bacteria (bacillus thuringiensis galleriae)
  o  Apply: Spring, later in Summer & early Fall – more flexible in terms of timing than nematodes –– follow directions on the package
  o  Water: thoroughly after application (a Watering Exemption Permit may be required)
  o  Available: at garden centres and hardware stores
  o  Brand: Scotts Grub BGon Max Grub Killer
  o  An alternate commercial formula is available for use by licensed professionals

Physical Barriers

• Netting or metal mesh: Could prevent wildlife from digging up your lawn but will not prevent or eliminate a grub problem. If there is evidence of an infestation, one of the treatments above should be applied
  o  Some folks leave these barriers down permanently with grass growing through them

What to Avoid

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2. Question: Do you want an alternative to traditional turf?

If you prefer the look of a lawn without the risk of chafer beetle damage, try these options: Chafer-Resistant Lawn Alternatives – these don’t provide the thatch that the grubs need:

• Chafer Beetle Resistant Lawn Blend (West Coast Seeds) – suitable for foot traffic. Check out the rest of their lawn alternative seed blends . Some have the added benefit of helping pollinators
• Bee-Friendly Flowering Mix (Premier Pacific Seeds) – pollinator-friendly and low growing. Click here for retail locations
• Drought-Tolerant Lawn Replacement Options (Grow Green Guide):
  o  A few examples: moss, creeping thyme, ornamental grasses, sedum, Dutch-white & micro-clover

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3. Question: Do you want a “Habitat Garden” that benefits nature – instead of a lawn?

If you’re open to replacing your lawn with native and ornamental plants and wildflowers, follow these steps:

• Drought-tolerant – require less water
• No chemical fertilizers or pesticides needed
• Support pollinators and other wildlife

Planning Your Garden:

• Step 1: Site Preparation
  o  Remove turf and perennial weeds properly to prevent regrowth. There are several ways to go about this (including hiring someone) but this link can help

• Step 2: Design Your Space
  o  Draw a layout of your yard and plan plant placement. (see below for help)

 Choosing Plants/Seeds:

• Meadows: Opt for a mix of perennial and annual seed blends – there are countless blends to choose from such as these from West Coast Seeds . Some native options are here and here
• A guide to planting plants from seed
• Other suggestions for native low-growing ground cover:
  o Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
  o Field Chickweed (Cerastium arvense)
  o California Oatgrass (Danthonia californica) – Fall sowing
  o Western Rush (Juncus occidentalis) – Fall sowing
  o Self-Heal (Prunella vulgaris ssp. lanceolata)
  o Satinflower Nursery’s ‘Garry Oak Ecosystem Blend’ would be wonderful in a dry sunny area

• Be patient: Native plants can take 1-2 years to fully establish
• Educate neighbors: Use “Work in Progress” signs to explain your project
• Start small: Test a small area before converting your entire lawn
• Avoid invasive species: Check out Invasive Species Council of BC website and read the fine print on packages (ie. English Ivy, Scotch broom). Try their ‘Grow me instead’ resources

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Need Help?

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, these local gardeners, landscapers and retailers can assist:

• Kindred Gardens – can help with consulting and doing the garden work while working with nature, not against it – based in Ladner
• Wildspaces Landcare – specialize in lawn to meadow conversions and can help with consulting and doing the work. Wildflower seeds are available for purchase on website
• Grass Roots Contessa (contact Joni) – organic gardener – creating habitat for biodiversity – based in Tsawwassen
• West Coast Seeds lawn alternative seed blends, nematodes and great advice
• Plan Bee Native Plant Nursery – in Langley – for native seeds and plants
• Satinflower Nursery – for native seeds and plants – call, email or visit them on Vancouver Island.
• Or contact any local gardener/landscaper and explain your plans and goals to them

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Resources

Free & related to lawn care! FREE SUSTAINABLE WORKSHOPS – specific to the topic of lawns – check them out here and register here

• May 31, 2025: Gardening for Pollinators
• June 7, 2025: Grow Less Grass
• June 28, 2025: Grow Less Grass

• City of Delta – Chafer Beetle info here
• Metro Vancouver – Chafer beetle info here
• Ministry of Agriculture – Chafer Beetle info here
• Metro Vancouver ‘GrowGreen’ guide
• Info on removing and preparing your turf lawn for new plantings/seeding – click here
• David Suzuki ‘Lawn Share Toolkit’
• Invasive Species Council of BC ‘Grow me instead’ Guide
• Gardening with nature in mind – click here
• Growing a tapestry lawn – click here
• Print a sign to add to your meadow project – click here
• Native plant nurseries in Metro Vancouver – click here

GLOSSARY      

• Native plant – those that have been growing in an area for millennia
• Ornamental plant – brought here from elsewhere
• Habitat garden – aka – wildlife garden, pollinator garden, Naturescape