Throughout the course of a growing season, grass can be affected by several damaging insects. One of these is the bluegrass billbug. It gets its name from the long snout or “bill” that it uses to chew on leaves and stems. However, it is the larvae of these insects that cause considerable damage. Adult billbugs are usually seen in spring, and then again in early fall. Damage from their larvae usually appears in July. This damage begins as discolored, irregularly shaped patches. These patches turn yellow/brown, and when the damage is most severe, the turf can be lifted out of the soil with ease. To better understand the when’s and why’s of billbugs and their damage, it’s good to understand their life cycle.