The creature to blame is the European Chafer beetle. It’s made its way north in the past several years and has now reached as far north as Howland. It’s destroying lawns throughout the state.

“They’re specialists. They eat nothing other than turf grass roots,” said Mike Legasse, owner of Green Thumb Lawn Service. “Turf grass roots are their diet only. You don’t find them in your garden. You don’t find them eating tree roots. You don’t find them eating weeds. It’s turf grass that they’re after.”

“They’re a beetle that no one sees until their turf turns to toast,” he said.

The only way to fix the grass is plant new seed and fertilize it. As for the beetles, treatment will reduce the next year’s batch.

“The lower population you have of beetles, the less amount of grubs you will have,” said Legasse. “By taking out the grubs for this year, you’ll have less beetles next year.”