What is the primary type of damage caused by the root-feeding Anoplognathus grubs?
Answer
Severing underground structures essential for water and nutrient uptake.
The larval stage, the white grub, inflicts damage below the soil surface by aggressively feeding on fine roots. This root consumption leads directly to the severing of these essential underground structures. When these structures are severed, the plant or tree is severely impaired in its ability to take up necessary water and vital nutrients from the soil, causing stress that can be particularly damaging to lawns or ornamental trees, especially when grub populations are high.
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