Insects exploding everywhere after dethatching the lawn
Tearing up old grass during dethatching destroys the shelter of hidden insects like crickets and grubs, causing them to swarm out in large numbers and threaten newly laid seeds. This leaves homeowners worried about whether to treat the infestation immediately with pet-safe products or wait until spring.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Applying grub control products in mid-May instead of late season
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Used SunJoe to dethatch today and seems like I caused crickets to EXPLODE! The noise is deafening!! Should I/Can I do anything?”source ↗
“Are they going to devour my seeds?”source ↗
“I had freaking Bermuda grass and it looks like it was their shelter. So when I tore it up while dethatching, they all came out.”source ↗
“I’m really disgusted, worried, and going deaf!!!”source ↗
“Hey all - I’m realizing I’ve got a grub issue in a few areas.”source ↗
“Is now an appropriate time to put down grub killer, and then grub ex in the spring? Or should I just wait until spring?”source ↗
“Any recommendations for products that are pet safe would be appreciated, as well.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 6How to stop chipmunks from digging holes near your foundation
- 85How to get rid of creeping weeds without breaking roots
- 28Should I kill crabgrass in late summer or wait for spring?
- 3Do I need to check my lawn for debris before mowing?
- 2How to safely clean up toxic pest control dust
- 27How to get rid of tiny flying bugs coming out of wooden furniture