Attack of the Alien Organisms in My Garden!

I've been very proud of my garden up to now. I've paid attention to it, talked to it, loved it. I'll admit, I've probably moved a few plants a few too many times. But it's all out of love!
Last week, I had several lovely herbs that needed to be planted. My typical Las Vegas backyard is small, and frankly, I'm running out of space quickly. I decided to move a few of the really overgrown flowers to the back of the flower garden and plant the herbs at the front. It was a hot Vegas afternoon and I went to work. As I unearthed the first plant, I found three of the most disgusting, organisms I've ever seen. I would call them a cross between an alien and a maggot in a horror movie. I'm serious. I almost threw up on my garden!
Here is one of them... (the photo's not great, mainly because I was too scared to get any where near this thing should it decide to hatch, suddenly fly, move... so it's superzoomed)


At this point, I decided that gardening clearly wasn't for me and moved on. I went to bed that night, picturing the aliens growing in my backyard. I pictured them coming out of the ground zombie style and taking over the world. (This is not an exaggeration... I really imagined this.)

I began asking everyone I know what it might be. I got tons of suggestions. I searched them all online, none seemed to match the alien in my garden. I was beginning to worry about my plants though. So yesterday, I went straight to the experts. Star Nursery. While I was getting up the nerve to actually tell one of these fine garden people about the aliens in my yard, I picked up some carnations, an elephant garlic, an artichoke (can those even be grown in the desert?), and another bag of soil. I walked up and down the pesticide aisle at least 50 times. For the record, I totally avoid chemical pesticides when at all possible. This was not one of those occasions. I was desperate. Juan must have felt sorry for me, he approached me and asked me if I needed help or did I just really like this aisle.

Slowly, I explained my problem.
Aliens.


Growing in my garden.


Help.

Juan smiled. Listened intently. Waited for me to finish.
"You've got grubs."


And then Juan proceeded to tell me everything I ever could have wanted or needed to know about grubs.
Here's what I learned...
1. They are eating my plants roots. This will eventually kill them.
2. They will hatch (alien style) and become June bug beetles.
3. They hatch in Vegas around the first week of May.
4. They are currently infiltrating the desert.
5. The beetles are actually worse than the worms. (Is that possible?)
6. There is a wonderful pesticide especially for them.

So home I went, with my pesticide ready to go to war.
Here I am with my game face on.

And I went to work.

Thankfully all my veggies are potted. Juan swears I can cook any grubs out of the pots by simply placing a laundry bag over the pot for the afternoon. The soil will get so hot that the grubs can't take it and will surface. Then simply pluck them out. Right Juan. Pluck them out. I think I'll need my husbands help with that...