turf-insect management 2007 turfgrass inservice

Turf-Insect Management 2007 Turfgrass Inservice

Tom A. Royer

Oklahoma State University

Tom A Royer AR/OK Turfgrass Shortcourse

Managing Insect Pests(How to Achieve Success)

Knowledge of production

system

Proper identification.

Knowledge of biology and

seasonal occurrence

Proper monitoring and

selection of controls


Sampling Insect Pests(How to Achieve Success)

Disclosing solutions Sod webworms, cutworms, short-tailed

crickets

Flotation Chinch bug

Cut square of sod White grubs, billbugs

Pitfall trap Ants, adult billbugs


Thatch/Root-infesting PestsWhite Grubs Larval stage of scarab

beetles Most destructive pest of

turf, especially in the cool season and transition zones.


Thatch/Root-infesting PestsWhite Grubs Larval stage of scarab

beetles Most destructive pest of

turf, especially in the cool season and transition zones.

Cause direct damage, and collateral damage from predator activity.


Thatch/Root-infesting PestsWhite Grubs White grubs in Oklahoma

Cyclocephala (Masked Chafers)

Phyllophaga (May and June beetles)

Cotinis (Green June beetle)

Popillia japonica (Japanese Beetle)


Grubs with1-year life cycle

Adults fly from June-July

Eggs hatch in early August, grubs reach full size by late August, feed through October

Southern Masked Chafer

Japanese Beetle

Thatch/Root-infesting PestsWhite Grubs (1-Year Life Cycle)


Thatch/Root-infesting PestsWhite Grubs (Multi-year Life Cycle)

Various species in the Genus Phyllophaga

1,2, 3-year lifecycles Most of life spent as

third instar grub Control is directed at

young grubs

May-June Beetle


Thatch/Root-infesting PestsWhite Grubs

Large beetle (1 inch) that flies during the day (June-July)

One year life cycle Grubs make large

holes in turf, don’t directly feed on roots, but “dig” tunnels

Larva crawl “on their back”

Green June Beetle


Thatch/Root-infesting PestsOther White Grubs

Black Turfgrass Ataenius Oriental Beetle (NE) Asiatic Garden Beetle

(NE) European Chafer (NE)


Thatch/Root-infesting PestsIdentification of Grubs by Raster Setal Patterns

Masked Chafer

Phyllophaga June Beetle

Japanese Beetle

Green June Beetle

European Chafer

Oriental Beetle

Black Turfgrass Ataenius

AsiaticGarden Beetle


Thatch/Root-infesting PestsManagement of White Grubs

Inspect for injury, and count numbers per square foot

Check species, turf can tolerate more annual white grub numbers

Make sure chemical treatments are applied for maximum effectiveness (proper timing, moist soil conditions, irrigate after chemical treatment)

Annual White Grub

Phyllophaga


Thatch/Root-infesting PestsManagement of White Grubs

Why is looking at grub’s “butt hairs” important?

Annual White Grub

Phyllophaga

A Survey of Phyllophaga Species Associated with Oklahoma Golf Courses.

Jake Doskocil1, Tom Royer1, Nathan Walker1, Greg Bell1, James Reinert2

1 Oklahoma State University 2 Texas Agricultural Experiment Station


Results

Figure 3 Flight period of Phyllophaga and Cyclocephala beetles collected from 7 golf courses in Oklahoma, 2004-05. (The checkered areas denote the peak flights)


Speciesaffabilisbipartitacalceatacongruacorrosacrassissimacrenulatecrinitaephilidafutilisglabriculahirtiventrisimplicitapraetermissaprofundapruninarubiginosasubmucidasylvaticatorta

August SeptemberApril May June July

Results

Figure 4 Flight period of Phyllophaga and Cyclocephala beetles collected from 7 golf courses in Oklahoma, 2006. (The checkered areas denote the peak flights)


Peak Flight Periods for Phyllophaga found inhabiting Turf, 2004-06

Species Month P. congrua April-May P. crassisima May P. ephilida June P. submucida June-July P. crinita July P. torta September


Insecticide Recommendations for Control of White Grubs (commercial)

Arena clothianadin neonicotinoid Dursban chlorpyrifos OP Dylox, Proxol trichlorphon OP Mach II halofenozide IGR Merit imidacloprid neonicotinoid Sevin carbaryl carbamate

Product Active Ingredient Class


Insecticide Recommendations for Control of White Grubs (Homeowner)

Dylox Proxol trichlorphon (OP) Merit imidacloprid (neonicitinoid)

Bayer Advanced Mach2 halofenozide (IGR)

Scotts GrubEx Sevin WP carbaryl (carbamate)

Product AI and (classification)


Hunting billbug most common species in Oklahoma.

This may be an emerging problem over state.

Billbugs are a complex of species, still being determined.

Hunting/Bluegrass Billbug

Leaf/Stem-infesting Pests (Chewing)


Adults measure ¼ to 7/16 inches.

They have the weevil “snout” are charcoal grey to black, with numerous punctations on the pronotum, and a distinct “Y” shaped smooth raised area just behind the head that is enclosed by a shiny, parenthesis-like mark on either side.




One generation per year, but all life stages are often present. OW as partially mature larvae.

Adults emerge from April-June, but can be found year around. Will be seen walking across sidewalks in spring.

Will sometimes play “dead” when disturbed.

Egg laying extends through early summer.




Larva are damaging stage

Larvae plump, legless, somewhat “C” shaped, measuring 3/8 inches when full grown with a tan head capsule.

Can be found in the crown or root zone, just below the thatch.




Eggs deposited in leaf sheaths, or feeding punctures in stems.

Eggs hatch in 3-10 days. Larvae tunnel within the

stem, boring into crown Feeding produces dead

areas in bermuda grass in spring, may affect sod “holding power”.

Damage sometimes mistaken for “winter kill”.




Management of Billbugs

Early detection is difficult because young larvae are hidden within stems.

Adult activity in spring and again in late fall signals the existence of an active infestation.

Check dead spots for signs of frass in the stems, if stems are full of “sawdust” check crowns for larvae.

Pitfall traps can be used to monitor adults. Properly managed bermudagrass can recover Apply insecticide if necessary, preferably targeted at

the adult, or use imidacloprid soon after adults become active in spring.


Insecticide Recommendations for Control of Billbugs (commercial)

Arena clothianadin neonicotinoid Allectus imid + bifenthrin neo+pyrethroid Dursban chlorpyrifos OP Dylox, Proxol trichlorphon OP Merit imidacloprid neonicotinoid Scimitar l cyhalothrin pyrethroid Talstar bifenthrin pyrethroid



Green, brown or almost black, with a yellow inverted “Y” on the head capsule

Up to 1.5 inches, grow through 6 instars in as little as 21 days after hatching

Multiple generations. Adults will lay eggs in short turf.

Usually a pest in fall because the are not capable of OW in Oklahoma.

Fall Armyworm



Management of Fall Armyworm Control is more effective on small larvae Look for “windowpaning” Use of a flushing agent on lawn can provide

an indication of infestation Infestations more likely in the fall Threshold is same as for cutworms (5 per

square yard)


Insecticide Recommendations for Control of Armyworms (commercial)

Arena clothianadin neonicotinoid Allectus imid + bifenthrin neo+pyrethroid Dursban chlorpyrifos OP Merit imidacloprid neonicotinoid Orthene acephate OP Scimitar l cyhalothrin pyrethroid Sevin carbaryl carbamate Talstar bifenthrin pyrethroid Tempo cyfluthrin pyrethroid



Leaf/Stem-infesting Pests (Sucking) Chinch bugs are true

bugs (Hemiptera) that are pests of turfgrass.

Four species are important to turf production, two are serious pests (Hairy and Southern), and two others are occasional pests (Common and Buffalograss)

Chinch Bug


Hairy chinch bug: A serious pest of northern

turfgrasses. Adults are about 1/6 inches.

Body is grayish-black and covered with fine hairs, the legs have a dark, burnt-orange tint.

Wings are shiny white, and make a bright white “X” pattern.

Nymphs are orange with a white stripe crossing the middle of their back, become more brown to blaci in color as they mature.

Chinch Bug

Leaf/Stem-infesting Pests (Sucking)


Southern chinch bug: A serious pest of St.

Augustinegrass lawns, feeds occasionally on bermudagrass, hahiagrass, centipedgrass and zoysia.

Adults and nymphs are nearly identical to hairy chinch bugs.

Two types occur, a long winged form and a short winged form.

Very common in SE Oklahoma where St. Augustine is grown

Chinch Bug



Common and Buffalograss chinch bugs: Occasional pests.

Common mostly a pest of small grains and other field crops. Will occasionally attack Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fescue, bentgrass and zoysia.

Buffalograss chinch bug will only feed on buffalograss.

Chinch Bug



Life History Two generations per

year. Overwinters as an adult

in protected leaf litter, or “bunch grasses”.

Prefer hot, dry conditions.

Are very susceptible to fungus disease Beauveria bassiana.

Chinch Bug



Damage Adults and nymphs cause

damage by feeding with their piercing-sucking mouthparts. Damage results from fluid removal from the plant tissue, and from clogging of the conducting tissues.

Grass may turn yellow, then reddish-brown. Injury resembles drought damage, and often occurs in patches.

Chinch Bug



Control Sample by “floatation” Endophyte-resistant

varieties of ryegrass are available for hairy.

Resistant varieties of St. Augustinegrass are also available for southern.

Thatch management is good cultural control

There are some natural enemies that exert good control of chinch bugs.

Chinch Bug



Control Pesticide resistance is of

concern with this pest. They are sometimes

difficult to control Insecticides need to

penetrate the thatch layer to be really effective.

Some time for control of overwintered adults (preventative)

Corrective control after eggs have hatched.

Chinch Bug



Insecticide Recommendations for Control of Chinch bugs (commercial)

Arena clothianadin neonicotinoid Allectus imid + bifenthrin neo+pyrethroid Dursban chlorpyrifos OP Orthene acephate OP Scimitar l cyhalothrin pyrethroid Sevin carbaryl carbamate Talstar bifenthrin pyrethroid Tempo cyfluthrin pyrethroid



These mites are very small, nearly microscopic. They are known as eriophyid mites, also known as “gall forming” mites.

They are quite different from spidermites in appearance. They are small, sausage-shaped, white mites that are less than 1/100 of an inch long.

Bermudagrass/Zoyziagrass Mites



These mites are often quite host specific. Bermudagrass mite uses bermudagrass, and zoysiagrass mite attacks zoysia. There is also a buffalograss mite that attacks…….




These mites feed under the leaf sheaths of the plant.

Bermudagrass mite damage: Stunting and shortening of

nodes Yellowing, twisting of foliage Finally, they turn brown and

die back to their origin on the stem of the plant.




Zoisiagrass mite damage: New leaf tips fail to emerge,

creating a “buggy whip”. Yellowing, twisting of

foliage. Plant stands become

thinned, seed production is seriously affected.




Management options are somewhat limited. Resistant varieties of

bermudagrass or zoysiagrass are available.

Control with a miticide may provide temporary, and limited control.

Good cultural practices are of help with bermudagrass, but less so with zoysiagrass.




Cultural Controls (Bermudagrass) Close mowing height Fertilizing and irrigating

to promote rapid regrowth

(Zoysiagrass) Cultural practices seem

less useful. Currently, we know little of their biology, they appear, then disappear during the growing season.

Eriophyid Mites


Resistant Varieties.

Bermudagrass varieties FLoraTex Midlawn TifSport

Zoysiagrass varieties Royal Emerald El Toro Crowne

Eriophyid Mites


Nuisance Pest

Minor pest, due to its mound-building habits.

Adults are from 9/16 to 2/3 inches, brown with short wings.

Mounds may go down as much as 20 inches.

Adults remain in burrows by day, leaving at night.

Feed on grasses, but damage is negligible.

Shorttailed Cricket


Nuisance Pest

Overwinters as a large nymph.

Adults may appear in late March to begin mating.

Female lays a clutch of eggs in burrow, which hatch and mature into nymphs that disperse from the nest.

Shorttailed Cricket

Turf-Insect Management 2007 Turfgrass Inservice

Tom A. Royer

Oklahoma State University

turf-insect management 2007 turfgrass inservice

Documents

turfgrass inservicetom

year lifecyclesmost

julyone year life cyclegrubs

turfinsect management

beetle japanese beetlegreen

grubs butt hairs important

oklahoma golf courses

square footcheck species