How to Get Rid of and Prevent a Chafer Beetle Infestation

Let us tell you how this usually starts. You step outside in the morning with your coffee, and your lawn looks like a raccoon demolition derby happened overnight. Chunks of turf rolled back like carpet. Exposed soil everywhere. Crows pacing around like little inspectors. And your first thought is usually something like, “Who destroyed my yard?” Not what. Who.

We had a client in Fleetwood call us in a panic last spring. She thought vandals had hit her lawn. But the truth was more annoying than that. It was chafer beetle damage. Classic Surrey story.

If you live in Surrey, BC, and your lawn has been torn up like that, you’re not alone. The European chafer beetle has become one of the biggest lawn problems in our area, especially in established neighborhoods with older turf. This pest is stubborn, seasonal, and predictable, which means you actually can fight it. But you have to understand how it works. You can’t just “patch and pray.”

In this guide, we’re going to walk you through what a chafer beetle is, how to tell if you’ve got a chafer beetle infestation, how to actually get rid of it, and how to prevent it from coming back. We’ll talk about timing, nematodes, lawn health, watering permits in July, and whether you really need to rip up the whole yard or not. I’ll also show you what’s worked for real Surrey homeowners we’ve helped, not just textbook answers.

By the time we’re done, you’ll know more than most people do when they phone a lawn company.

What Is a Chafer Beetle and Why Is It Wrecking My Lawn?

Understanding the life cycle

The European chafer beetle is an invasive beetle that feeds on the roots of grass in its grub stage. The adult beetles lay eggs in your lawn in early summer. Those eggs hatch into larvae (the white C-shaped grubs you’ll sometimes find when you peel up turf). Those grubs sit under your lawn eating the roots. Your grass weakens, goes brown, and loses its grip in the soil.

Now here’s the part most people don’t realize. The worst visual damage to your lawn is actually not from the grubs themselves. It’s from predators tearing up your turf to get to those grubs. Crows, raccoons, and skunks think of chafer grub season the way we think of an all-you-can-eat buffet. They roll your lawn back like a carpet strip looking for snacks.

So if you’re seeing the lawn flipped and shredded, that’s a red flag.

How to tell if you have chafer beetle, not just drought

Signs of a chafer beetle infestation:

• Your lawn feels spongy underfoot, like there’s air under it. That’s tunneling from grubs.
• You see brown dead patches that don’t recover even with watering or fertilizer.
• Animals are actively tearing it up overnight in chunks.
• You can literally peel back the turf with your hand, like lifting up sod. If you do this and you find more than 5 to 10 white grubs in a square about 30 cm by 30 cm, you’ve got a problem.

That last one is basically the Surrey field test. If we can peel a section of your lawn back with one hand, you’re dealing with chafer beetle, not “just a dry summer.”

Let us be blunt: if you see multiple crows, in a line, stabbing your grass in the same area every morning, they’re not sightseeing. They’re harvesting.

Why Surrey lawns get hit so hard

A lot of Surrey lawns are older, mostly conventional turf-type perennial ryegrass or Kentucky bluegrass. Those grasses are soft-rooted and thatch-forming, and that combo is basically a “welcome home” sign for chafer beetle. Our mild winters also let the grubs survive in high numbers. So yes, location matters. Surrey, especially, is prime territory.

We’re also getting warmer, drier summers than we used to. That stress weakens grass roots, which makes it even easier for grubs to wipe them out. Hotter summers in BC have also made timing more critical and pushed cities to tighten watering schedules, which matters for treatment. That’s part of the battle now.

So here’s the next big question.

How Do I Get Rid of a Chafer Beetle Infestation?

This is where timing matters. Treating chafer beetle is not “spray something whenever.” The lifecycle sets the calendar. Miss the window and you’re mostly just watering bugs.

Step 1: Nematodes (and why July matters)

The number one homeowner-friendly treatment for chafer beetle grubs is beneficial nematodes. Nematodes are microscopic roundworms that hunt and kill the grub stage of the beetle. Sounds intense, but it’s biological control, not chemical. They’re considered pet safe and people safe.

Here’s how they work: you apply live nematodes to your lawn when the young grubs are present and vulnerable (usually in July). The nematodes enter the grub, release bacteria that kill it, and then reproduce. We sometimes describe them like this to clients: tiny guided missiles the lawn can drink.

How to apply nematodes properly:

1. Water the lawn first so the soil is moist (think wrung-out sponge, not puddles).
2. Mix the nematodes with water per the package directions. They’re alive, so don’t leave them sitting in the sun.
3. Apply evenly over the lawn. A hose-end sprayer or backpack sprayer works best.
4. Water again after application to wash them down to the root zone where the grubs live.
5. Keep the soil moist for the next 2 to 3 weeks. That part is critical.

If you don’t keep the soil moist, the nematodes die before they can do their job. This is why a lot of “I tried nematodes, they didn’t work” stories come from people who didn’t or couldn’t water enough in that 2 to 3 week window.

Professional note from the field: We had a client in Morgan Creek who did nematodes two summers in a row, watered consistently, and went from “crows destroying the entire boulevard strip” to “minor pecking but turf held.” Not instant perfection, but real improvement.

Step 2: Biological grub control products

There are also biological grub control products on the market that use bacteria (like certain strains of Bt, Bacillus thuringiensis) to target grubs. These are often sold under “grub killer” or “grub control” names. They’re selective and considered safer for pollinators and pets.

You’ll usually apply these grub control products in late June through early August, right when the young grubs are hatching and feeding. If you’re already seeing your lawn rolled up in December or February, you’re in “repair and plan ahead” mode, not “kill them right now” mode.

Step 3: Physical repair and recovery

Once the damage is visible, you’re dealing with two jobs:

1. Stop the active chafer beetle infestation from growing.
2. Rebuild the turf.

That means raking back loose turf, removing shredded thatch, and either overseeding or re-sodding those areas. Sometimes the lawn is too far gone in patches and it’s better (and cheaper long-term) to cut out the destroyed area, bring in fresh soil, and seed or lay new sod.

One homeowner in Newton tried to “just stomp it back down and water it.” That never works. Once the roots are eaten, that grass isn’t coming back. You’re basically pressing dead carpet into dirt and hoping it comes alive. It won’t.

Chafer Beetle Prevention: How You Keep This From Coming Back

Here’s the good news. You can make your lawn less attractive to chafer beetles in the first place. Prevention is honestly where you win this fight. Think of it like home security. You’re not trying to make your lawn perfect. You’re trying to make your lawn less tempting than the lawn next door.

Keep your lawn healthy and dense

Adult beetles prefer to lay their eggs in weak, patchy, stressed-out lawn. Thin turf is like an open parking lot. Thick turf is like trying to find a spot at Guildford mall in December.

What makes turf “healthy” in Surrey conditions:

• Regular aeration to relieve compaction and let water and oxygen reach the roots.
• Fertilization with slow-release product so the lawn has steady nutrition and doesn’t crash mid-summer.
• Correct mowing height. Keep your grass a little longer, roughly 6 to 9 cm (around 2.5 to 3.5 inches). Taller grass means deeper roots, and deeper roots mean better recovery if grub feeding happens.
• Leave clippings on the lawn if you’re mowing at the right height and not creating thick mats.

Someone in Guildford once joked to me, “So basically I need to stop scalping my lawn like a putting green.” Yes. Exactly.

Overseed with stronger grass types

This right here is the long game. Traditional lawn mixes that are mostly Kentucky bluegrass look nice, but they’re softer and more vulnerable. We’re seeing more success with drought-tolerant tall fescue blends in Surrey. Tall fescue has deeper roots, handles summer heat better, and doesn’t build up thick thatch. Less thatch means less “egg-laying real estate” for the beetles.

If you’ve had recurring infestations more than two years in a row, you should be overseeding with a tougher blend every fall. Think of it like upgrading your lawn’s immune system.

Water strategy and soil health

Hotter summers in BC are making nematode control harder, because nematodes need moisture to survive in the soil after application. What that means for you is:

• Plan ahead. Don’t wait for chaos to start asking, “Should we treat?”
• If you’re going to rely on nematodes, commit to watering that lawn for a couple weeks after application.
• Healthy soil with organic matter holds moisture better than dry, compacted, sandy patches. Healthier soil supports healthier turf.

That’s the cycle.

Barrier methods during egg-laying

Some homeowners have tried using temporary landscape fabric or crop blankets over sections of lawn during peak adult beetle egg-laying to physically block females from depositing eggs in the soil. The idea is simple: if they can’t access the turf, they can’t lay. These covers still let sun and moisture in but act like a “No Vacancy” sign.

For small boulevard strips, it can work well. For a full quarter-acre lot, it’s not practical—but it’s an option for key areas.

Real-World Surrey Examples (What Actually Happens)

Case study 1: “We just replaced the whole lawn”

One house in Clayton Heights had such severe chafer beetle infestation that the entire front yard was basically peeled like old carpet every winter. They tried nematodes, but by the time they called us they hadn’t watered properly and the grub count stayed high. In that case, full removal and replacement was the best play. We scraped the destroyed turf, brought in new soil, and installed a tall fescue blend. We also set up a maintenance schedule: spring aeration, fall overseed, steady fertilizing. A year later, that lawn is still intact.

Case study 2: “Small damage, early action”

A homeowner in Panorama Ridge noticed just a few brown patches in late summer, and light crow activity. Instead of waiting until spring when animals tear up the weakened turf, they applied nematodes at the proper timing, watered daily, and then overseeded in September with a tougher blend. The lawn never hit full “crime scene,” and we kept the repair cost way lower.

Case study 3: “We’re tired of fighting grass”

Some South Surrey residents are done with their lawn. In certain shady or high-traffic corners, we’ve taken out the turf and put in shrubs, mulch, river rock, pollinator-friendly perennials, and native groundcovers. That shifts the space from “chafer beetle habitat” to “landscape feature.” For many homeowners, that’s not just pest control—it’s peace of mind.

When Should You Call a Pro?

You absolutely can do a lot of this yourself (buying nematodes, watering them in, keeping the grass taller, overseeding with fescue) all of that is homeowner-ready.

You should consider calling in a professional if:

• Your lawn is already torn up across more than 30 percent of the yard
• You’re seeing repeat chafer beetle infestation every single year despite treatment
• You don’t have the time or ability to keep up with watering schedules in July
• You need help levelling, topdressing, and reseeding large dead areas

A good lawn tech will walk you through both treatment and recovery, not just one or the other. If someone promises you “total elimination in one visit,” be careful. Chafer beetle control is timing plus strategy, not a magic spray.

Key Takeaways for Surrey Homeowners

If you remember nothing else, remember this:

• Diagnosis first. Confirm you actually have chafer grubs. Peel back the turf and look.
• Timing is everything. Nematodes and biological grub treatments work best in mid-summer.
• Watering matters. No moisture, no nematode success.
• Stronger turf is your best prevention. Healthy, deep-rooted, well-fed grass is less attractive to beetles.
• Tall fescue blends and regular overseeding help long-term. You’re building resistance into the lawn.
• Sometimes replacement is smarter than endless patching.

Simple action plan:

1. Spring: Aerate, fertilize slow-release, keep mowing height higher.
2. July: Apply nematodes or biological grub control, keep soil moist.
3. Late summer/fall: Repair damage, overseed with tall fescue.
4. Every fall: Feed and overseed again to thicken turf.

Final Thought and Call to Action

Do you want a putting-green lawn that’s constantly under attack, or a resilient yard that can handle Surrey’s seasons, raccoons, crows, and all?

The chafer beetle isn’t going away in Surrey. What you can do is make your lawn tougher, deeper-rooted, and less attractive to them in the first place.

If you’re already seeing torn patches or repeat damage, don’t wait until next year to “see how it does.” Planning starts now. The timing of treatment is the difference between spending a weekend with a hose in July and spending thousands on a full replacement next year.

If you’d like a custom plan for your property in Surrey (including whether to repair, overseed, or replace sections), request a free quote today. We can walk your yard together, show you where the pressure points are, and lay out a prevention schedule so you’re not starting from panic every summer.

Your lawn can recover. You just have to stop fighting blind and start fighting on schedule.