Both leatherjackets and chafer grub are larvae that live in the soil. They can cause a lot of damage to your lawn by eating roots from grass and plants and are usually most active around September and October. Since they are quite similar, it can be a bit of a guessing game to find out what type of larvae you have infesting your lawn.
Leatherjackets
Leatherjackets is the name given to the larvae of crane flies which are also known as daddy longlegs and are little greyish brown grubs with no legs or defined head.
The lifecycle of a leatherjacket begins when an adult crane fly burrows down into the soil and lays about 300 eggs in late summer.
They take no more than three weeks to hatch and spend the winter months feeding on grass and plant roots until they grow strong enough to form into pupae around June and hatch into a crane fly to take flight and start the cycle again. As a leatherjacket, they live for about 11 months before turning into a crane fly for two weeks before dying.
Therefore, if you notice a lot of crane flies flying around your lawn then it’s a good indicator that they have begun to lay eggs. However, try not to panic because it’s natural to have some leatherjackets in your soil and you do not have to take any action unless you see your lawn starting to suffer.
Luckily, there are easy ways to find out if you have a leatherjacket infestation. The first obvious sign is patches of dead grass showing up on your lawn, this may be a sign that leatherjackets are eating the roots and killing the plants in the process.
You can also try pulling at sections of the grass with your hand and if it comes away easily then it can be an indication that the root system has been weakened by the leatherjackets.
To make sure that it is leatherjackets that are causing the damage, dig up a small section of soil and if you see them crawling around in it then you can confirm you have a problem. It’s good to do this step so that you don’t jump to conclusions as patches of dead grass can be caused by other problems too.
The second sign that you have a leatherjacket infestation is if you see a lot of disturbance in the soil like holes and digging marks. This is because the local wildlife like foxes, birds and badgers like to eat leatherjackets and are having a feast on your lawn.
Another sign that there are leatherjackets in your lawn is if you see them appearing on hard surfaces such as paths or rocks when it has been raining a lot.
Chafer Grubs
Chafer grubs are the larvae of chafer beetles and there are six different species of these beetles but the ones that can do damage to your lawn are the Welsh Chafer Grub and the Garden Chafer Grub.
They are quite similar to leatherjackets as they also feed on grass roots but if you take a closer look at them as they wriggle about in your soil you will see that they are cream coloured and have six brown legs and a brown head. They also tend to form a ‘C’ shape when they are in the soil whereas leatherjackets don’t.
As well as this, the life cycle of a chafer grub is longer than a leatherjacket and can live up to five years. The cycle begins in early summer when an adult chafer beetle lays its eggs a few centimeters down into the soil.
They take about four weeks to hatch and live in the soil for five years until they have eaten enough, in the spring they will grow a shell and form into a pupa for four weeks before emerging as a chafer beetle and exiting the soil to take flight.
The signs that you have a chafer grub infestation is much like if you have a leatherjacket infestation. Keep an eye out for dead patches of grass and lots of disturbance to your soil caused by wildlife snacking on the chafer grubs. You can be extra sure by using the same method of cutting a small section of soil out and seeing if there are any chafer grubs in it.
How To Get Rid Of Leatherjackets And Chafer Grubs
You can get rid of leatherjackets and chafer grubs by using similar methods as they have the same diet and are vulnerable to the same things. To get rid of them you can start by cleaning it up and getting it ready for new grass seed, it also gets rid of any dead grass by mowing it first then scarifying it
Nematodes are small creatures that destroy both leatherjackets and chafer grubs so you can sprinkle some of them onto your lawn and they will be able to get deeper into the soil after it has been opened up a bit after scarifying it.
To give the nematodes a better chance at spreading throughout your lawn and staying healthy, make sure to water it regularly. You can also use a chemical-free product like a chafer grub killer which is effective in killing both larvae.
After the leatherjackets and chafer grubs have been killed, you can begin repairing your lawn by applying a high-quality grass seed that will bring those dead patches of grass back to life and by adding fertiliser after this step, your lawn will look much better.
If you feel that your lawn is too far gone then you might be better off replacing it. The first thing you must do is put the remainder of your lawn out of its misery by applying a weed killer with glyphosate in it to the whole area.
This is important because it prevents the old grass and weeds from growing through your new turf. Leave the weed killer in for two weeks so it can soak down into the soil and leave the larvae underneath with no food because the roots have been killed.
When the lawn is dead, all you need is a spade and a strong pair of arms to get to work and remove all of it. You can do more damage to the leatherjackets and chafer grubs by leaving the soil exposed for a week or so and turning it over every day.
This leaves the larvae at the mercy of the wild birds who will pick away at them until there’s hardly any left, doing you a huge favour. To be sure that they are all dead, you can apply nematodes or a chemical-free product that will kill the remainder of the larvae. When you have completed these steps, you can lay down new turf and say goodbye to annoying larvae.
Instead of using nematodes, you can now choose an organic option called Turfsolv. You can buy Turfsolv online for around £25. This organic mixture is non-toxic and as well as controlling the grubs, it also strengthens the grass plant, and helps to fight off disease. It’s a great solution and cost-effective. Ideally, apply it once a month might through the year to keep your lawn in tip-top condition.
How To Prevent Leatherjackets And Chafer Grubs
To make sure that you don’t have to deal with leatherjackets or chafer grubs again, you’ll be happy to know that you don’t have to do anything drastic. All you have to do is pay a bit more attention to your lawn care.
Mow it frequently and try not to water it more than once a week as having dry soil makes the larvae more likely to perish. You can also scarify it now and then to keep it in good condition, fertilising it regularly will also keep the grass strong and healthy which gives it a better overall chance at surviving the larvae.
Nematodes reproduce so if you apply them to your lawn, they will be able to control the larvae population all year round.
