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What is Redheaded Cockchafer?
The Redheaded Cockchafer is an Australian scarab beetle that is particularly troublesome in lawns and pastures.
As the name suggests, adult Redheaded Cockchafers have a reddish-brown head and a dark brown to black body. The larvae, often referred to as ‘white grubs’, are C-shaped, creamy white, and typically found in the soil just below the grass surface.
This pest is widespread across the temperate regions of Australia, especially in Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and parts of New South Wales. They’ll be more active above the soil layer during August to September when they move around to lay their eggs, which will hatch between October to December.
It’s the larvae that pose the most threat to your crop or home lawn, specifically in the mature stage where they’ll eat voraciously and cause the most damage to decaying organic matter and the plant’s root system.
Life Cycle of the Redheaded Cockchafer
Understanding the life cycle of this pest is key to effective control:
- Egg Stage: Eggs are laid in the soil in spring or early summer.
- Larval Stage (White Grubs): After hatching, the larvae feed on the roots of grasses and other plants, causing significant damage to lawns. This stage can last for up to 12 months, with the majority of damage occurring during late autumn and winter.
- Pupal Stage: Larvae pupate in the soil during late spring.
- Adult Stage: Adults emerge in summer, but do not feed on plants. Instead, they focus on reproducing before dying off.
Signs of a Redheaded Cockchafer Infestation
As with any lawn grub, it’s important to mitigate devastating results by quickly identifying an outbreak, and taking precautions to protect your lawn.
Redheaded Cockchafer damage will manifest as patchy, dying grass as the larvae demolish the grass from the roots up. At a time of the year when your lawn should be its thickest and most lively, bug–affected lawns will take a sudden dip in condition and can start thinning out. Due to the damage sustained to the roots, the canopy may become so destabilized that it can be easily pulled from the ground in tufts.
You might also notice an increase of bird activity around the lawn, or the presence of Parasitic Wasps seeking to lay their own eggs in any surface dwelling bugs.
How to Control Redheaded Cockchafer in Your Lawn
As with any lawn grub, it’s important to mitigate devastating results by quickly identifying an outbreak, and taking precautions to protect your lawn.
Redheaded Cockchafer damage will manifest as patchy, dying grass as the larvae demolish the grass from the roots up. At a time of the year when your lawn should be its thickest and most lively, bug–affected lawns will take a sudden dip in condition and can start thinning out. Due to the damage sustained to the roots, the canopy may become so destabilized that it can be easily pulled from the ground in tufts.
You might also notice an increase of bird activity around the lawn, or the presence of Parasitic Wasps seeking to lay their own eggs in any surface dwelling bugs.
Control Redheaded Cockchafer with myhomeTURF
Effective management of redheaded cockchafer infestation requires a multifaceted approach encompassing cultural, biological, chemical, and mechanical control methods. By implementing the top tips recommended by TurfBreed Turf Manager Nathan Tovey, homeowners can mitigate redheaded cockchafer damage and maintain a healthy, resilient lawn. Visit myhomeTURF’s online shop for more lawn care products.
