European Chafer

What it looks like

The European chafer is a beetle in the scarab family (Scarabaeidae). Adults are about ½ inch long and reddish brown. The larvae are white grubs: milky white and C-shaped, like all white grubs.

The European chafer's life cycle usually takes one year. Adults lay their eggs in the soil in summer, and a female usually lays about 50 eggs in her short life. The eggs hatch in August and the grubs start feeding on roots. They spend the winter in the soil, feed again in spring, and change into pupae in late spring or early summer before coming out as adults.

Damage

European chafer grubs feed on the roots of lawns and turf, and are a serious pest that can cause a lot of damage. The grubs are usually active from midsummer through late fall, and can keep feeding into the winter if the ground doesn't freeze. They also feed in early spring before they pupate.

The adult beetles do little harm. But skunks, raccoons, and birds dig up the lawn to eat the grubs, which makes the damage worse.

How nematodes help

The beneficial nematodes in BioLogic's products hunt down and kill grubs in the soil. Killing the beetles as grubs stops the life cycle, so new adults don't emerge.

How to apply

Heteromask is our preferred product for white grubs, including European chafer grubs, but Scanmask also works. Concentrate on areas of the lawn that show damage.

Treating in late summer or early fall is ideal, when the young grubs are small and most vulnerable. There is also usually a short window in early spring, before the grubs get too big and pupate. One application typically lasts about a year, and often longer. Treat again when you notice European chafer beetles or grub damage coming back.

See How to apply for step-by-step directions, or use the calculator on the Heteromask Spray page to see how much you need.