White Grub Field Guide

This guide helps make an inspection more legible for a customer. Pair it with site observations and regional guidance before recommending any product or timing.

A printable visual reference for discussing root-zone scouting and the distinction between evidence and diagnosis.

Download the White Grubs PDF or open the full-size image preview.

Preview of the TurfTechAdvisor White Grub field guide with life-cycle chart and identification information. — Corrected field guide with original imagery retained. Confirm live pest features and use current regional guidance and the product label.

Who this is for

Lawn-treatment professionals who inspect turf roots, document findings, and need a customer-friendly field reference.

A better customer explanation

Use the guide to explain live grub counts, root injury and site conditions. Preventive and curative timing differ; animal digging is a clue, not proof of grubs, and may continue after treatment.

Use the observation in your workflow

Treatment tracking — Keep application details and follow-up notes connected to the property.
Customer records — Keep photos, service history, and technician notes in one place.
Service scheduling — Schedule return scouting and recurring service work without losing the thread.

Use with care: this reference supports observation and communication; it is not a diagnosis or a blanket treatment recommendation. Confirm identification, regional timing, site conditions, and current product-label directions before recommending or applying a product.

The restored supplied soil-profile chart shows larvae overwintering in the common annual model; its original generic treatment bands are intentionally omitted. For a documented annual-grub risk, preventive timing is before hatch or while larvae are small; in the MSU product-timing example, chlorantraniliprole is earlier than typical summer neonicotinoid preventives. Curative treatment targets small, actively feeding larvae, often late summer to early fall in the annual northern model; large spring larvae are harder to control. Species, region, weather and product timing vary, so there is no universal systemic window or five-grub threshold—follow local guidance and the current label.

Related field references

Browse all pest field guides, browse all free tools, or start free with TurfTechAdvisor.