Drainage, surfaces and lawn
Leatherjackets and chafer grubs: the lawn pests that cause bare patches
Leatherjackets (crane fly larvae) and chafer grubs are soil-dwelling larvae that eat grass roots, causing yellow or bare patches that lift easily. Birds and mammals tearing up the turf to eat them is a common sign. The Royal Horticultural Society recommends improving lawn health and, where needed, biological control with nematodes at the right time of year.
- Also known as
- crane fly larvae (leatherjackets), daddy-long-legs grubs, chafer beetle grubs
- Easily confused with
- drought stress, lawn moss, dog urine scorch
- How serious
- Low to moderate: harmless to people, but can wreck a lawn
- Typical cost
- Usually no cost for DIY control
How to identify leatherjackets and chafer grubs
Leatherjackets are grey-brown, legless, tough-skinned grubs up to about 30mm long; chafer grubs are fat, white, C-shaped larvae with brown heads and three pairs of legs. Both live in the soil and feed on grass roots.
Above ground, the damage is yellowing then bare patches of lawn where the roots have been eaten, and turf that lifts away easily like a loose carpet.
A strong clue is birds (especially crows, magpies and starlings), badgers or foxes pecking and tearing at the lawn to feed on the grubs, often making the surface damage worse.
How serious is it?
Low to moderate: harmless to people, but can wreck a lawn
These pests are harmless to people but can ruin a lawn, and the secondary damage from birds and mammals digging for grubs is often worse than the grubs themselves.
A small number of grubs is normal and tolerable in a healthy lawn. Control is worth considering when patches spread and animal damage becomes significant, rather than at the first sign of a grub.
How to fix it yourself
- Confirm the pest by lifting a section of loose turf and looking for the grubs in the soil and roots, so you treat the right problem.
- Keep the lawn healthy: appropriate feeding, aeration and not cutting too short help grass tolerate and recover from some grub feeding.
- Use biological control where appropriate: the RHS notes that pathogenic nematodes can control both leatherjackets and chafer grubs when applied to warm, moist soil at the correct time of year (typically late summer to early autumn for the young larvae).
- Water the lawn before and after applying nematodes so they can move through the soil, following the product instructions.
- Repair bare patches by re-seeding once the grubs are under control.
When to call a professional
- Damage is extensive across a large lawn, or repeated infestations keep destroying the turf.
- You want a treatment programme and correctly timed nematode application as part of wider lawn care.
Who to call
- A lawn-care or treatment company for diagnosis, nematode treatment and lawn renovation.
- A garden contractor for re-turfing or major repair after severe damage.
Frequently asked questions
What is digging up my lawn at night?
If your lawn is being torn up and you find fat white C-shaped grubs or grey-brown leatherjackets in the soil, birds such as crows and starlings, or badgers and foxes, are likely digging for them. The grubs eat grass roots and the animals make the surface damage worse hunting them.
How do I get rid of leatherjackets and chafer grubs?
The RHS recommends keeping the lawn healthy and using biological control where needed: pathogenic nematodes applied to warm, moist soil at the right time of year (typically late summer to early autumn). Water before and after applying, follow the instructions, then re-seed any bare patches.
When should I treat my lawn for grubs?
Nematode treatments work best on young larvae in late summer to early autumn, when the soil is still warm and moist enough for the nematodes to move and infect the grubs. Timing matters, so check the product guidance, as treating at the wrong time of year is much less effective.
Sources
Editor, HomesAndHedge
Oliver leads HomesAndHedge's editorial coverage of home and garden problems. He researches and writes the plain-English explainers on pests, invasive plants, damp and mould, drainage and wildlife, drawing on guidance from bodies such as the Property Care Association, the RHS and the NHS, and is clear about when a job needs a qualified professional.
Last reviewed: 8 June 2026