Yard has been eaten in a random pattern

Question: Behind my house, my yard seems like it has been eaten up in a random pattern. In segments, about an inch wide and several feet long, the grass has been eaten away and you can see the dirt. And this problem exists over about 7 sq feet of my lawn. When I went to inspect it from upclose. I found a bunch of little black things. Im not sure what they are, but I think they might be pillbugs. Im worried that they might completely destroy my lawn. What should I do?

Answer: I'm not sure about the little black things, but the description of the damage fits an infestation of white grubs in the lawn. These are the larval stage of many garden beetles like the June Bug and the Japanese Beetle.

They live in the soil and eat the grass roots. In the spring you should consider applying a granular yard insecticide once the weather warms and the ground starts to get warm. Always follow label directions for mixing or applying insecticides.