Grubs - Will they come back?

Hi - I've followed your program for three years with great luck. Mow high, ogranic fertalizer lightly, no chemicals. I do not water the grass.
Lawn looks very good, a little stressed end of this summer due to lack of rain in New England, has bounced back with wet fall weather.

I had grubs in two spots (first time), each spot about 10' x 5' oval.

I have removed the dead grass, re-seeded and grass is growing.

QUestion: Will the grubs be back next year?
I'm also wondering why i have grubs now, and if it is the start of a large probem.

We did get a dog in the spring, and i'm wondering if the dog is keepign the birds away, who might natually be eating the grubs.

We have approx 3/4 acre lawn, all organic, doing very well.

THank you for your insights/thoughts/

Cheers

Any thoughts on why grubs after 3 years?

Also, do they come back?

Any insights / thoughts greatly apprecaited.

Are they about 1/2 inch long - white with brown head ? Maybe japanese beetle ? Is your lawn a monoculture ? Any considerations into making it into a series of plant guilds , food forest , perennial prairie polyculture , or some such permaculture based plan ? When we began to focus on turning our land into a series of permaculture zones we gave up on the lawn around the house - zone 1 - now it has been repopulated by many other species than grass. This spring it is in full bloom . Much rather look at a meadow than a lawn .

Hi Wayne - thank you for the reply / thoughts.

yes, 1/2 inch long, white with a dark head. Decimated three areas of grass, each about 10' in diameter.

I'd prefer to stay grass in this area to allow my kids to play ball, etc.

Any thoughts if they will come back?

DO you think the new dog could be keeping the birds (natural predators) away?

Thanks again for your thoughts.

Well , I believe they are Japanese beetles. When I have dug up ground and found them they are beyond the reach of birds . You could try those Safer beetle traps but you will be drawing more beetles from your neighbors yards. If you have chickens you could have the trap rigged so that the beetles fall within the birds reach. How much property do you have? If you set the trap far from your lawn they will fly to it. They will be back because the grubs will grow into beetles , fly off , and lay more eggs. I don't know if they are drawn to the same area they were born or not. There are others to come though. There is a bacterial inocculant you could use called Milky Spore. It causes disease in the grubs . There is a window of time when it is most effective. Some other permies may want to comment about its use. Good Luck.

Thanks for the information Wayne!

We have approx 3/4 acre of grass.

I've been following the 'cheap-and-lazy' approach, and one of the premises on grub control is an organic setting that invites in natural predators (birds) to eat the grubs.

I did purchase milky spore and have been wating for a rain window to apply it. In New England, it has been dry for the last few weeks. We are finally getting rain this week and i will apply the spore. Fingers crossed it takes hold and has an impact on the grubs/beatles.

Cheers,

brendan