Finally the weather is nice and you are in the garden early in the morning. The good weather makes us all happy, but you should be careful with your euphoria. However, it is not just the people who are happy about the better weather. The larvae of the May and June beetle, just like those of the garden beetle, have already emerged and are looking for food in our garden. Have you already found a larva in the garden? Unfortunately, you should live with the thought that this will not be the only one. This is exactly why we liked the idea of writing an article about cockchafer grubs and fighting them with home remedies. The larvae of all three beetles just mentioned are known as grubs. They are also considered pests and should be removed from your garden as soon as possible.
Since the cockchafer is becoming less and less common in nature, it would be advisable not to kill its larvae immediately. Below you will find out which tricks can be used if you want to protect your garden from possible infestation.
Cockchafer grub and how to get rid of it from the garden by peaceful means
Cockchafer grub and its simple habits
Knowing the habits of garden pests could save you a lot of trouble. Also, one should not indiscriminately kill the small animals even if they attacked the garden first. First of all, it would make sense to learn to identify the grubs of the different beetles. Then you should learn where they like to stay and when they have their mating season. You can easily spot the may beetle grub in grassy areas and compost heaps, where it gets plenty of food. The grubs look like normal maggots, but have six sternums. The body is yellowish or bluish in color. It is advisable to search the garden for larvae now in May and remove them manually. If you miss the right time for this, you allow the further development of the cockchafer.
The adult beetles are active in the garden between July and September and after that it can become more difficult to control the animals with household remedies.
Let’s see which methods are conceivable and effective!
In order to be able to use home remedies to fight them, you need to know the life phases and habits of the beetle and its grubs
If you have a chicken coop nearby, you can borrow ducks and chickens, which will quickly find the delicious grubs in the ground
May beetle larvae do not like loose soil and even when it rains they climb to the surface where they can be collected by hand
Home remedies and intelligent methods to get rid of the cockchafer grub
“Violence is not a solution” – with this attitude you can approach the current problem. The may beetle grub shows its natural shoots as early as May and June. The larvae are attracted to the artificial light at dusk. Therefore, avoid lanterns and other light sources and make sure that you dig up the grass often. May beetle grubs don’t like the loose soil and simply climb up to the surface. So they can be collected effortlessly by hand. Take them to the forest where they can live on in peace. The rain also brings the cockchafer grubs to the surface. Use the time after the rain to rid the garden of the larvae of unwanted beetles. Set up feeding places for hedgehogs and birds in your garden!
These are the cockchafer grub’s natural enemies and they will quickly bring your beautiful garden back into balance.
Homemade traps made of horse manure attract the pesky grubs, but then they should be taken to the forest quickly
The romantic light of dusk at the beginning of summer also attracts the animals and they lay their eggs undisturbed in the dark
Which plants and means deter the cockchafer grub?
The May beetle larvae initially feed on the humus in the soil. Later they eat the young roots of the plants, tender leaves and fragrant herbs. If you want to fight the cockchafer grub, you can scare them off with delphiniums. If you have larkspur in your garden, you should know that its roots are poisonous and that the number of larvae in the garden can decrease significantly.
Experienced and environmentally friendly gardeners use nematodes that get into the soil through the irrigation water. We leave it up to you to decide which method is best for your needs.
Once you have collected the larvae, take them somewhere else where they can live on but not damage your garden
Study the development stages of the pests well and take clever but peaceful actions against them
With insect traps you can catch several pests and remove them from your garden. You can even set up a so-called trap yourself: find a spot in the garden where you can dig a hole. Form a layer of horse manure and fill it with soil. We recommend clearly marking this spot, because you can only remove the larvae from the soil after a year.
It is said that the cockchafer is becoming less and less common in the wild, so please do not kill indiscriminately
If you put birdseed or treats for the hedgehog in the garden, the grubs will soon disappear naturally
The cockchafer grub is considered a pest, but the beetles are encountered less and less in nature. Always try to remove the pests without killing them! Put them in an area where you can’t harm your garden and move on with peace of mind! We wish you every success in the peaceful fight against pests and an enjoyable summer!
The larvae found by you should be collected manually and taken far away from your garden
The roots of the larkspur are poisonous to the small larvae, which is why growing this plant is recommended as an effective remedy
The grubs feed on the humus and don’t like the loose soil – dig up often!
