Hey guys wondering, have a guy whose cabin lawn on a lake is completely rolled up and dug up, large area like it is pealed right up. Sure tehy are after grubs but help me identify the culprit if you can. Thanks.

It sounds like the work of one of more raccoons to me.

Any pics?

May be crows, first time I seen a lawn like that was at at week end home, Put a camera up, The crows would show up early and start turning the lawn after grubs.

Coons cause most all of the sod roll back damage most likely, crows and turkeys come in for the easy pickings. I have seen opossums grubbing also but they leave damage more like skunks with their pointed snouts.

Coon family units are out now nationwide learning the ropes from mom. Grubbing, digging and similiar such forageing for ripening berries, fruits and wild cherries are on the diet.

Some water patrols are also going on at this time. Woodsy born animals hunt what they have to forage, urban coon families hit the garbage can areas, dumpsters, cat /dog food feeders, back yard grilling areas etc.

Tis the time of year. School is in session..................

I agree with it probably being coons but, don't rule out a badger. I've seen them work right along with coons destroying a golf course.

Bears will also join in once the coons get things started.

Thanks guys, I do not have pictures. I have passed along the coon information.

Need to kill the food source. Grubs eat the roots which makes it possible to roll the turf up like fresh laid sod.
The problem is though, is that right now, most of the grubs will be too deep in the soil to treat them properly. Fall and Spring is when the grubs are up high enough in the soil for pesticides to be effective on solving the grub problem.

Raccoon(s). This job had that entire lawn in the background overturned almost nightly.
https://vimeo.com/366305548

When the beetle grubs are heavily infested in parts of a lawn a lawns grass root area is quite easily rolled back.

The roots have been chewed badly enough from the feeding grubs that there is not enough root attachment any longer to anchor the grass. I have seen some badly damaged golf club fairways and some greens that have had severe damage from coon and skunks. This is the time of year that coon grubbing damage can get bad in some places.po

As we approach the fall, these grubs have grown quite large and offer a significant food source for many species of wildlife.

Coon get the ball rolling so to speak and other mammals and birds take advantage of the opportunity as well.

Are you at my cabin? I had digging from a skunk, I have heard that coons roll the grass back- I need to put grub control down next year for sure.

We have done some high end Commercial Golf Courses that have had some severe grubbing problems due to the high grub content in the turf. They generally use a product called Merit for treatment but due to its cost they only were using it on the greens and fairways.

Other areas were sacrificed and weren't treated until it got so bad.

You can educate folks but if they don't have the budget then it doesn't get done. I told them to increase their membership fees slightly and they will have a good budget for next year.

Here is an example of some severe damage areas. Both skunks and coon were caught and shot on the course over a couple weeks time.







There is a quarter used for size comparison to the grubs. When you have 10 or more grubs per square foot you will have near total turf damage and loss.

As you can see from the size of the mature grubs there is some good eating/protein involved for the foraging animals.

If or when using any type of insecticide to control the grub larvae it is important to apply the spray or granules at the proper time of the season to get the best or any results at all. Typically the best time for treatment is before the egg laying begins or shortly there after.

If much later the insecticide will not have any affect upon the grub once it reaches a more mature size..

Search revealed this post - my question is, will they return? I set four traps on the edges of a yard that had the fresh sod rolled up and fairly neatly. I'm hoping they return for another meal or two.

If the habitat is right for grubs there will be grubs there next year. Or are you talking about the animal? If there is still food to be eaten, they will return.

Set the traps right around the disturbed sod.

I was speaking of the raccoons. I set four traps in the area that was torn up. We shall see what the night brings.

I meant to take some today but the homeowner came out and had a million questions. Three traps were closed, one held an adult raccoon. The capture came in an 8" tube trap. The other two triggered traps were large dukes. I suspect they were climbed upon and triggered. I'll get pics tomorrow. I suggest DPs but they did not want to see an animal with a foot in a trap. They were not happy with euthanasia but I explained it was the law and raccoons normally do not survive relocation.

This a bad time of the year to trap "wayward" coon.
You guys should be focusing on roofs now

Now ya have to look for lactation.
Do you release that Sow?

It could be the "boys" out for a goodtime....