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Re: Big Fat White Grubs in My Compost.

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

Deborah J. Martin wrote:
Subject: Big Fat White Grubs in My Compost.

>I was digging and sifting my compost and I have these great big ugly
>white grubs about the size of my thumb.  What should I do with them? ...
> ...


Hi Debbie,
Could be the metallic green June beetles.  Following is some Q & A
information I dug up from the arid_gardener mail list archives which may be
of some help.  I am also seeing them again this year.  -Olin

Subject:  June Beetles/Scarabs
Olin Miller (millero@netzone.com)
Sun, 21 Apr 1996 00:24:36 -0700

I'm finding an unusually large number of white grubs in my compost that I
had learned from entomology classes to call June beetles (or Junebugs).
They are fat and quite large, up to two inches long. I've never been
concerned about them before because I've never really had problems with
grubs. I usually set them out in trays for the birds. But this week the tray
was overturned and the grubs escaped into the vegetable garden.   As I
understand their 3-year cycle in the cooler non-desert climates, the grubs
feed on decaying vegetation the first year (e.g., in compost), hibernate in
the soil and feed on plant roots the second year, then hibernate again and
pupate the third year.

Question(s):
Do they also have a 3-year cycle here in our warm Sonoran desert climate or
is the cycle shortened by skipping the hibernation phases?

They are commonly considered to be lawn pests. Are they also likely to feed
on vegetable roots.   And if so, which vegetables and during which phase of
growth.?

Is there any effective non-chemical control?
Olin Miller
MG, Maricopa County AZ


Reply from:
Terry Mikel (tmikel@ag.Arizona.EDU)
Mon, 22 Apr 1996 07:06:30 -0700

Olin,
I doubt they have that long a cycle. . .But remember that they are strictly
feeders of organic matter and will do little or no damage to the living
roots of plants. . . Due to the lowered level of organic matter in the soil
they will probably perish. . . Compost piles and manure piles are much
preffered media for these grubs. . .
Terry


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