Skunks can be trapped in a hav-a-heart trap that is wrapped in black plastic. As long as the skunk doesn't see the danger, supposedly they don't spray. Letting him out of the trap might be a little tricky. I'm not sure how they do that. Depending on where you live, grubs are handled differently. If you live in the south then beneficial nematodes are the organic choice. Spray when the soil is very moist from a recent, multi-day, rain storm. If you live in the north, then several years of multiple applications of milky spore seems to work better. Otherwise the skunks are a great organic way to get rid of the grubs ;-)

"So what." Because I say so, it's my garden. I don't need permission from anyone to kill any bug in my yard. I'm not a member of PETA, I do not worship bugs in the yard, and surely do I not leave a large larvae eating the roots of a plants. You want to live with them, move them in your yard. "This is faulty reasoning." It's not faulty reasoning, it's at least 50 percent right. But who are you to complain. You are not adding any useful information about the topic, just complaining over a dead squashed bug. Prove it with research what bug not to kill, if not, then don't complain. If you have any intention to help any beneficial bug, than at least know what they are. "Organic gardening/sustainable gardening/IPM/etc is done well and properly when the critter is identified. That is: the critter should be identified. Then if it is a pest, it can be dispatched. Otherwise you are killing either something benign or beneficial. That's how it works. Killing something benign is not organic, and killing something beneficial not only is not organic, but detrimental to the garden" Organic gardening is about using plants and non chemical efforts to rid yourself of a problem. My hands squashing the bug administered no chemical in the garden and rid myself of a bug I don't want. I don't complain about spiders, wasps, ladybugs, and any bug I see that does not interfere with the growth of my plants, but if I find a root eating maggot, I have every right to smash it first, ask questions later because damage may be done to the plant before I know how to handle the bug. I think you're a little obsessed and misinformed. Handpicking bugs and smashing works and is an organic method equal as any other organic method. A person so engulfed in organic bugs should at least know what bug he's protecting before ranting for its rights. No tears in my eyes for that large ugly maggot, not any of them, but I should have saved them for the fish to eat is the only real issue. I guess it's organic to not eat fish too, now, right? Are you a protester of that too? I vote to smash the things, feed them to the birds, use them as bait for fish, or pickle them in jars to stare at in science fairs. No problem here, with those suggestions.

Actually no, you do not need to keep up with grub control. Grubs are a rare occurrence. In my opinion you did not have nearly enough grubs to have caused that damage. You looked and looked and did not count enough. And just because you had a small number of them this year has nothing to do with future grub populations. The grubs hatch into beetles and fly away. If you are still concerned next June, and I suspect you will be, please dig up the lawn like you did this year and look for grubs. If you see fewer than a dozen per square feet, then you do not have a grub problem. You might have other problems, but not grub problems. If you see a dozen or more, then go ahead and apply whatever you want. And then, two weeks later, follow up the insecticide treatment with compost at a rate of 1 cubic yard per 1,000 square feet. By using the compost you can replenish the microscopic insects killed by the insecticide and your soil should not suffer any longer than it might otherwise. Reread morph's earlier post about his experience with grubs. He had hundreds per square foot. You had 3. He did not say it but he does not routinely treat his lawn for insects. Routine use of insecticide is a fast track way to ruin the health of your soil. The Scott's people will be happy to sell you more and more chemicals to fix it (it won't) or you can use compost and be done with it.

The August 8, 2014 Landscape Message is posted. Time to slide down the page. Claire