The main signs of grubs in your lawn are irregular brown patches that don’t green up after watering, turf that feels spongy and peels back like a loose carpet, and animals such as skunks, raccoons, crows or moles digging in the grass. White grubs are the C-shaped larvae of beetles such as Japanese beetles, masked chafers and May or June beetles, and they damage turf by eating its roots. Saela Pest Control, a residential and commercial pest control company based in Orem, Utah, also handles the moles that grubs can attract. The checks below help you confirm grubs before you spend money on treatment.
Look for lawn damage
- Brown patches that stay brown: Grub damage looks like drought stress, but the patches stay dead after rain or watering and are often irregular in shape. Colorado State University Extension notes that peak grub injury occurs in late summer and early fall, with some feeding in spring, so watch for patches that don’t recover when the rest of the lawn greens up. Tug on the grass at the edge of a patch: if it lifts easily with few roots attached, grubs are a likely cause.
- Spongy turf that rolls back: As grubs prune the roots, the sod loosens and feels soft or spongy underfoot. Penn State Extension describes heavily infested turf that can be rolled back like a piece of carpet, exposing the grubs in the root zone.
Watch for animals digging in the lawn
Animals that feed on grubs are often the first sign of a large population. Penn State lists skunks, crows and moles feeding on turf as a good indication of a grub infestation, and raccoons can tear up loose sod the same way. Earthworms attract some of the same animals, so confirm grubs by checking the soil before you treat. If moles are tunneling through the yard, Saela’s mole control method identifies active tunnels and places mapped traps inside them, with follow-up checks.
Inspect the soil
Finding grubs in the soil is the clearest confirmation, and a few grubs in a healthy lawn are normal. Penn State recommends using a spade to remove one square foot of turf and soil, two to four inches deep, at several spots, then counting the C-shaped white grubs in each sample. Its typical threshold for treatment is five to ten grubs per square foot, and Colorado State notes that nine or more per square foot can cause visible injury on drought-stressed turf. Keeping soil moisture up in late summer and early autumn helps a lawn tolerate and recover from grub feeding, so steady watering is part of the fix; this guide to lawn care in summer covers watering and mowing.
Every Saela plan includes a 50+ point property inspection that covers outdoor structures and nesting sites. Saela is listed in QualityPro’s directory of accredited pest management companies.
Ongoing plans are quoted on pest type, property size and visit frequency, and the pricing page explains how scheduled visits work. In a February 2024 Google review, Kimberly Cummings wrote, “I’m pleased with the job John did at my quarterly service.” On Google, Saela’s Denver, Colorado location is rated 4.8 out of 5 from 495 reviews as of October 2026.
If animals are digging up your yard, check the soil first: what you find tells you whether to deal with grubs or with the animal itself.
Frequently asked questions
When do grubs damage lawns the most?
Grubs do most of their damage in late summer and early fall, when the larvae are feeding near the surface, with a smaller round of feeding in spring. Check brown patches during those windows by lifting a square foot of sod and counting the grubs.
How many grubs per square foot is too many?
Penn State uses five to ten grubs per square foot as a typical treatment threshold, and fewer than that is usually tolerable in a healthy, well-watered lawn. Sample several spots, because grubs are often clustered in parts of the yard.
Do skunks and moles mean I have grubs?
Skunks, raccoons, crows and moles digging in turf often point to grubs, but they also eat earthworms and other soil insects, so confirm grubs by checking the soil. If you find few grubs, the digging animal itself may be the problem; see how a moles control service can protect your garden.
Next steps
If you’d like a second opinion on what’s damaging your yard, book a call with Saela.
Who wrote this article?
Devin Hutchings (Marketing Director at Saela Pest Control) wrote this article.
Devin leads Saela’s marketing and growth strategy. He brings more than 15 years of marketing experience across Uber, C.R. England, Lugg, and Neighbor. His background spans customer acquisition, retention, and developing marketing channels for service businesses and consumer marketplaces.
