Chafer Not Cockchafer

Toyed with the idea of a cycle ride first thing on my newly rejuvenated Fantastic Silver Fox, but a combination of the total disappearance of any sunshine, a lack of any motivation, and only slowly getting used to the phenomena of cycling saddle sores put paid to it.

Feeling guilty, I set about after breakfast on the rebuilding and mortaring of a very short, section of stone wall forming the edge border to our front lawn.

Nothing much to report from that, other than I got it all done and also found these two ugly critters (it’s all relative though). I immediately took them inside to show MrsB, but she was not best impressed. Unfortunately, Jay was still sleeping, so she missed this invertebrate treat. Oh to have young appreciative children running about the house!

A quick Google revealed these were the grub of the Chafer Beetle. Not to be confused with the Common Cockchafer, which is an altogether different kind of pest, and as mentioned, another reason the cycling was put off.

Seems these grubs are the soil-dwelling larvae of chafer beetles, that live their early life under the lawn. As such, I carefully dug them each a new little hole and turfed them over. Cozy.

Now back inside, I have only just read that chafer grubs attack grass roots resulting in slow lawn growth and yellow patches....oops now where exactly did I bury them?