Billbugs are a type of weevil or snout beetle. It feeds below ground and damages the roots or the growing crown area of the plant. Infestations may not just damage the lawn, but predators such as racoons, skunks and moles that dig and damage lawns in search of the insects.

Adult billbugs or weevils in spring and summer cause injuries to grasses as the females begin to burrow into the stems of plants and insert their eggs.

Young billbugs or “grubs” are the primary culprits for doing most harm. Grubs are legless, generally white or cream, with a brown head. They grow to about 1/3 to 1/2 inch long. Young grubs feed within the crown area of the plant and kill it. Stems of infested plants detach easily at the soil surface. The ends appear sawed-off, with a sawdust-like material present. Older billbug larvae feed in the lower crown and plant root zone.

Injury due to billbug is most common on new lawns, especially those established with sod. Within lawns, the most damage to the lawn occurs near evergreen shrubbery or other sites where the bugs may feel protected. Billbug damage appears as wilting and occasional death of grass, usually in small scattered patches. During severe infestation extensive areas of a lawn may be killed.

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