David J. Shetlar, Ph.D.The “BugDoc”

The Ohio State University, OARDC & OSU Extension

Columbus, OH

© January, 2007, D.J. Shetlar, all rights reserved

Nuisance Insect(& Non-Insect) Pests

of Golf Courses

We’ll defineNUISANCE PESTS

as ones not normally damaging turf, but associated

with our turf and regularly causing concern

Common Golf Course Nuisance Pests

Turfgrass ant

Solitary bees & wasps

Biting flies

Spiders

Ground beetles

EarthwormsBirds & Mammals (skunks, raccoons, moles, voles, etc.)

Other?

The “Turfgrass Ant” Problem(Lasius neoniger)

The “Turfgrass Ant” Problem(Lasius neoniger)

Makes volcano-shaped mounds

Mounds interfere with ball roll

Mounds kill turf in 3-5 inch areas

Sand and soil dull mower blades

“Turfgrass Ant” Distribution(Lasius neoniger)

“Turfgrass Ant” Biology

Mounds appear to be interconnected sub-colonies.

Feeds on fats, proteins & sugars.

Peak summer brood – May to August.

New reproductives released in August to September.

Often associated with turf root aphids.

Seems to prefer sandy soils!

Mounds extend into borders of greens but colonies are outside

1994 Ant Mound Control

Clyde, OH, 28 Apr - 13 May, 9 Jun, 1 Aug;9.0, 12.8, 5.4 ant mounds/yd2 at 15, 40, 94 DAT

TreatmentControl15DAT

Control40DAT

Control94DAT

Amdro 0.88Bait @0.07lb 94% 0% 53%

Amdro 0.73Bait @0.73lb 89% 55% 26%

Dursban 1Bait @1.1lb 89% 96% 77%

Dursban 50W @1.0lb 72% 86% 65%

1996 Ohio Ant Control Trial

Talstar 0.66F

Merit 75 WP

Merit 0.5G

Dursban Bait 1G

Talstar 0.2G

Dursban 6.6%

42 DAT

63

67

23

75

60

54

13

0.2

0.3

0.3

0.2

1.5

0.2

1.0

Talstar 0.66F(2X)

appl - 2May (20 May), Clyde, OH

18 DAT

100

33

0

76

19

48

33

28 DAT

94

64

15

88

64

61

48

81 DAT

14

81

90

0

62

14

0

8

76

74

11

26

39

26

116 DATRateTreatment

Scimitar 0.88GC 310.06 97 57 34 40

MACH2 2LTI 431.5 63 48 47 38

Fipronil 0.05G 490.025 63 43 98 98

Scimitar 0.88GC

200.3

0.06+

Merit 75WP 100 28 57 75

1999 Ohio Ant Control Trial79 DAT13 DAT 30 DAT 128DAT 169DATRateTreatment

appl - 27 April, Clyde, OH

Dursban Pro 41.0 66 38 2 10

Merit 0.5G 570.4 29 14 77 83

2000 Ohio Ant Control TrialTreatment

Talstar 0.2G

Merit 75 WP

Meridian 25WG

Meridian 25WG

Fipronil 0.014G

+Scimitar 0.88GC 0.06 90 9098 100 79

28DATRate

0.2

0.4

0.26

0.025

0.0125

26

60

95

22

10

Fipronil 0.014G

appl - 17May; Clyde, OH;

7DAT 14DAT 12WAT

0

98

98

63

22

87

11

60

37

22

60

36

81

12

30

21WAT

2

60

67

88

65

14.8, 13.5, 14.2, 6.4, 6.0 mounds/sq.yd.@7, 14 & 28DAT&12 & 21WAT

2001 Ohio Ant Control TrialTreatment

Talstar 0.2G

Merit 0.5G

Meridian 0.33G

Fipronil 0.014G

28DATRate

0.2

0.4

0.26

0.025

0.0125

0

0

31

0

0

Fipronil 0.014G

appl - 7May; Clyde, OH;

7DAT 14DAT 10WAT

0

5

93

32

0

35

0

6

0

0

25

0

23

7

0

16WAT

6

37

71

83

54

4.0, 5.8, 7.6, 4.9, 5.5, 4.4 mounds/sq.yd.@ 0, 7, 14 & 28DAT&10 & 16WAT

2006 Ant Trial – July CurativeTreatment 22DATRate

0.45 lb. 65Allectus Fert 6781

0.45 lb.Allectus GC 8484 82

0.90 lb. 87Allectus Fert 8796

0.90 lb.Allectus GC 88 8893

0.30 lb.Arena 50WDG 80 8089

960.20 lb.Talstar F GC 9662

571.00 lb.Orthene TTO 5716

842.00 lb.Orthene TTO 8447

6DAT

Clyde, OH; applied 18 July; ant mounds in 4x8ft strip down middle of 10x10ft plots,25.8, 28.5, 25.8 & 24.5 mounds per plots in checks at 6, 14, 22 & 44 DAT.

14DAT 44DAT

86

71

87

92

91

33

55

82

“Turfgrass Ant” ControlRecommendations

For SEASON-LONG control, make applications when mounds FIRST APPEAR – (Arena or Merit)

For quick knock down – (Dursban, Talstar, DeltaGard, Scimitar, Tempo-Ultra)

Try MaxForce Granular Insect Bait – (contains hydramethylnon = Amdro)

Look for fipronil bait – (currently, only registered for fire ant control in southern states only - FireStar)

Nuisance Bees & Wasps

Notes:

Entomologists consider these solitary bees and wasps to be beneficial, but most people who fear stings think that all bees and wasps are “bad.” Cicada killer wasps capture and paralyze annual cicada species, drag them back to their burrows. In the burrow, the cicada is placed in a chamber and an egg is attached to its body. The wasp larva devours the cicada over the next couple of months and pupates until the next summer. Some solitary “digger” wasps collect stink bugs or horse flies for food. Solitary bees are usually only active during the spring and the adult females collect pollen and nectar for their brood. None of these bees and wasps are overly protective of their burrows and you would likely have to try to pick up one of the females in order to get stung!

Cicada Killer

Notes:

The cicada killer is one of the most common wasps that annoy golf course superintendents and golfers. They commonly construct their burrows along the edges of bunkers or in other high points around the course. The males are aggressive defenders of their territories, but since they have no stinger (remember that only females have a sting!), they are harmless. Females and males may buzz back and forth in front of anyone who approaches the burrows, but stings are extremely rare.

The best control is to dust individual burrows with insecticide dust so that the nesting wasp has to walk through the insecticide. Tennis rackets are handy knock down devices!

Yellowjackets

Notes:

Ground nesting yellowjackets usually begin their nests in old vole or rabbit burrows though other ground cavities are used. Each nest is started by a single queen, but by the end of the season, the colony can swell to several thousand workers. Yellowjackets will rarely sting unless they fear that their nest will be disturbed or attacked. Therefore, avoiding the burrow opening is a good option, since the colony will die off after the first hard freeze. If the nest is near where people frequent, control may be necessary. Apply insecticide dust, wasp sprays or household ammonia (pour a quart down the nest opening (AT NIGHT!) to control these pests.

Paper-nest Wasps (Polistes)

Notes:

Paper nest wasps (often called umbrella nest wasps) commonly build their nests under the overhang of shelters and buildings, but some may nest in trees, shrubs or the cavities of switch boxes or weather stations. Knock these nests into a plastic bag, AT NIGHT, when the wasps won’t fly. Long reaching wasp sprays are also effective but these should be applied at night with careful use of a flashlight.

These wasps are considered beneficial as they are major predators of caterpillars and other soft-bodied insects.

CarpenterBees

Notes:

Carpenter bees look like bumble bees, but carpenter bees have a shiny black abdomen and their heads are as wide as the thorax. Carpenter bees are solitary and they construct brood burrows lumber. Cedar and spruce seem to be preferred woods. As with the cicada killer, males are territorial and they will often intimidate any animal that intrudes into “their” territory. Again, males have no stinger and are harmless. Females are more concerned about constructing their burrows, and collecting nectar and pollen for their broods. Insecticide dust puffed into their burrows can be effective in controlling the females. Pest control operators also have foam sprays which can be applied to the burrow openings.

Mosquito larvae prefer stagnant or temporary pools of water!!

Notes:

Though most articles on mosquitoes claim that mosquito larvae only live in temporary pools of water, there are several species than can survive in the weedy edges of ponds and lakes. Therefore, the best control is to improve drainage of places where rain or irrigation water collects for days at a time, and to reduce the weeds (especially cat tails) along pond edges.

Mosquito Management

Improve water drainage!

Eliminate cattails around ponds!

Apply Bactimos (Bt) to water.

Temporary Relief (for special outings) – spray trees & shrubs with pyrethroid insecticide

NoseeumPunkies

Sand Flies

Notes:

Noseeums are tiny flies that feed on blood as adults, but their larvae breed in damp soils, often along lake, pond or river edges. Topical insect repellents are often effective, but may have to be reapplied.

Noseeums seem to prefer warm, still weather and they usually strike at dusk. Therefore, play during windy, sunny days!

Other Biting Flies

Face Fly Horse & Deer Flies

Notes:

The face fly is a common pest of livestock, so problems with this fly usually indicate that cows or horses are near by! The adults lay eggs in fresh manure. The adults are persistent biters and they can fly a half mile or more if there are not animals near their emergence place.

Horse and deer flies (commonly called greenheads because of the large, green eyes) are vicious biters of large animals. The larvae are semi-aquatic, living in the muck and damp soils around lakes and ponds. Therefore, cleaning out weeds and vegetation around permanent bodies of water can help reduce horse fly and deer fly numbers.

Bowl-and-Doily Spider Web

Notes:

The tiny bowl-and-doily spider commonly makes a small web over the surface of turf in order to capture small flies. By morning, these webs may be covered with dew and many golf course superintendents have been told that these webbing spots are evidence of sod webworms or fungal mycelium. Sod webworms don’t make loose webbing over the surface of the turf, and fungal mycelium usually appears as white, cottony material under the dew.

Therefore, these spider webs should be ignored!

Sod webworm damage to green often resembles disease or other maladies.

Seedcorn Beetle (a ground beetle!)

Notes:

Over the last few years, the common seed corn beetle has been more commonly found digging into golf greens and tees. Normally, this beetle seeks out germinating corn and soybeen seed where it lays eggs. Its larvae then feed on the soft plant tissues. For some reason, the adults of these beetles are often attracted to greens and tees where they dig into the profile and kick up a small mound of soil. Mowing or whipping of the surface the following morning will eliminate these mounds until the next night when new beetles may arrive.

Applications of surface insecticides (e.g., Dursban or one of the pyrethroids) rarely provide lasting or desired control but the activity usually ceases in a week or two.

Earthworm Castings

Notes:

Earthworms that leave surface castings can be a real nuisance, especially on the surface of golf greens and tees. However, since earthworms are considered beneficial soil aerification agents and they aid in the destruction of thatch, few want to openly talk about control of these animals.

Because modern pesticides have to be screened for earthworm toxicity, we have few pesticides that have any adverse action on earthworms!

Earthworm ManagementEarthworm Management

Reduce irrigation frequency

Sevin or Thiophanate-methyl

“Sharp” sands?

Ammonium phosphate?

TOLERENCE!

Starling probes after grubs!

Crow “tuft pulling” – looking

for grubs!

Hints:

Persistent bird feeding in turf would suggest that insects may be present and a closer look is often warranted! While birds will forage for turf-infesting caterpillars (e.g., cutworms, sod webworms and armyworms), they also commonly pull out white grubs. On the other hand, they may be feeding on other insects or arthropods such as ants, spiders, millipedes, or black turfgrass ataenius adults.

Raccoons ROLL back the turf in search of grubs!

Skunks pull up tufts of turf and make “nose holes” in the soil!

Notes:

While we associate raccoon and skunk digging in turf with white grubs, they are often feeding on earthworms! Inspect the turf carefully to determine if grubs are present and select a rapid acting material to control the grubs if present.

To stop animal digging until the controls work, try spreading Milorganite fertilizer over the area. This “organic” human sewage plant sludge has a distinctive odor that skunks and raccoons avoid. In some cases, spreading Milorganite is all that is needed when grub populations are not actually damaging the turf!

Notes:

Remember that the primary food of moles is earthworms! While they will readily feed on white grubs when they find them, mole activity is not necessarily a “sign” of a grub problem. Since moles feed on earthworms and insects, grain baits used for meadow mice control are rejected as are most baits. Sound devices also are tolerated in a short period of time.

A new bait, Talpirid, is being marketed. This bait looks like a “gummy worm” and appears to be readily accepted by moles. Place this bait in several places where moles are making their straight (daily patrolling) burrows. Otherwise, traps and patient looking are the best mole control strategies.

Mammal Management

• Trap or Shoot?

• Skunks & Raccoons haven’t read the damage threshold charts! (3-5 grubs per sq. ft. is sufficient)

• Primary food of moles is earthworms!

• Skunks & Raccoons also feed on earthworms (especially night crawlers)

• Spread Milorganite!

Voles or Meadow Mice

Voles are called meadow mice

Voles feed on plants and the bark of trees.

Voles commonly make burrows through thick turf or through mulched flower beds

Voles are best controlled with grain-based baits available for crop protection.

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