Residents who like the look of a lush green lawn need to act now to make sure they are protecting their property from chafer beetles.
That is the message from all three Tri-City municipalities, who said birds and animals are already starting to rip up grass in search of beetle larvae. The cities are providing online resources and options for preventing and controlling the grubs, but urged residents to begin taking action now.
“All three cities ban the use of cosmetic pesticides and are promoting natural lawn-care techniques and lawn alternatives posted on their website,” Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody said in a joint press release.
While the best time to check to see if a lawn is infested is between January and March, residents can still determine if they are in for a beetle battle this summer by looking at fresh lawn damage.
According to the cities, the best defense against the chafer better is a strong, healthy lawn, which can be achieved through aerating, dethatching, fertilizing, deep watering and high mowing.
Residents are encouraged to rake or till damaged turf and re-seed the areas. Other tips include:
• considering a lawn alternative;
• applying natural, organic fertilizer;
• maintaining a grass height of at least 6 cm and leaving clippings on the land to act as a mulch;
• water newly planted lawns frequently to keep the soil surface moist;
• and order nematodes from the local garden centre for application in late July.
For more information on the chafer beetle, check out your municipal website:
• Coquitlam: coquitlam.ca/chaferbeetle
• Port Coquitlam: portcoquitlam.ca/chaferbeetle
• Port Moody: portmoody.ca/chaferbeetle
