Adults of the Masked Chafer are active in May and June and lay their eggs in the turf. Upon emergence, the grubs begin feeding on grass roots, usually in early August thru September. They overwinter below the frost line and resume feeding in April. May. The June bugs take three years to complete their life cycle. The larvae feed for three years overwintering below the frost line.
Damage can be severe.
The lawn turns brown and dies. The turf will roll up like a carpet from lack of roots, revealing hundreds of c- shaped grubs. Infested lawn often attract moles, skunks and birds after an easy food supply. Of these, the most common in the Kansas City area are the sod webworm. The adult moth is whitish gray about a half inch long.