They also infest various pasture grasses, lawns, and nursery plantings. The adults, which are strongly attracted to fragrant flowers and ripe fruits, feed on the foliage of forest, shade and fruit trees. Damage - Damage by white grubs is usually most severe when corn is planted following sod. If the root system is badly damaged, injured plants will eventually die and can be easily pulled from the ground. Even light infestations usually result in increased lodging and reduce yield.
White grubs are sensitive to differences in soil moisture and texture.
Since these factors are not uniform throughout any given field, a white grub infestation, likewise, is not uniform. Therefore, within the same field, some areas may be completely destroyed while others are undamaged. At dawn, they return to the ground, where the females lay 15 to 20 eggs in earthen cells several centimeters below the surface. Most May beetles lay eggs in grassy sod. Eggs hatch 3 to 4 weeks later.