Slide 1 Turfgrass Insects: Master Gardener Training Turfgrass Insects: MG Training Please download Purdue publication E-61, Turfgrass Pest Management, to get a complete description of turf pests and their control: http://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publications/e-61.pdf
Slide 2 Leaf stem thatch HDN Turf Zones roots HDN Turfgrass pests feed on different parts of turf. Knowing where the pest is active, or where the actual damage is occurring, can help with identification.
Slide 3 White Grub Damage White grubs feed on roots. Note how the entire golf course is not brown. Sampling to identify the areas that require treatment can greatly reduce insecticides used.
Slide 4 Where do grubs feed? Answer: Soil-Thatch Interface HDN Grubs feed at soil/thatch interface. Feed on thatch, live roots.
Slide 5 Annual White Grub Species Masked Chafers (North America - N, S, SW, W, SE) Japanese Beetle (eastern NA) Oriental Beetle (northeastern NA) European Chafer (northeastern NA) Asiatic Garden Beetle (northeastern NA) Green June Beetle (south-transition NA) May/June Beetles (southern only) Common grub species for our area.
Slide 6 White Grub Adults Annual Grubs GJB, EC, SMC, NMC, JB, OB, AGB Multi-year Grubs, M/JB Multi-gen/yr Grub, BTA Beetles (grub adults)
Slide 7 White Grub Third Instars Annual Grubs GJB, EC, MC, JB, OB, AGB Multi-year Grubs, M/JB Multi-gen/yr Grub, BTA Grub species.
Slide 8 Identifying Grub Species Identify grubs by raster pattern Japanese beetle has V-shaped pattern. Adults are easy to ID but they don t predict grub populations! Identifying grub species by raster pattern.
Slide 9 Japanese Beetle (Annual Grub) Life Stages egg 1st 2nd 3rd pupa adult instar larva Japanese beetle life stages.
Slide 10 Japanese Beetle Annual Cycle JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC The Japanese beetle is now a very familiar insect in Indiana. Full grown larvae are approximately 1/2 inch in length and have a characteristic V-shaped rastral pattern. Adults are approximately 1/2 inch in length and have a shiny metallic-green head and body with coppery-brown colored wing covers. The Japanese beetle has a 1-year life cycle. Eggs are laid during mid-july and hatch during the first few weeks of August. Chemical controls in place by early August are most effective against newly emerged (more susceptible) larvae.
Slide 11 Green June Beetle Three Year life cycle Mature grub crawling on soil Adult Often found in areas with high organic matter. Big and scary looking, does little actual damage to turf.
Slide 12 Three year life cycle year 1 Three year life cycle of Green June beetle year 1
Slide 13 Three year life cycle year 2 Three year life cycle of Green June beetle year 2
Slide 14 Three year life cycle year 3 Three year life cycle of Green June beetle year 3
Slide 15 Life Cycles of Common White Grubs Found in Indiana Most grub species have larvae active during spring, mid to late summer, and through fall. Yellow box: time of industry push for grub control. Note that there are NO LARVAE present, except for maybe black turfgrass Ataenius and May/June beetles, neither of which are big problem in most home and commercial turf. Pink box optimum time to control with insecticides. Apply just at beginning of egg hatch.
Slide 16 Grubs are sensitive to soil moisture, and will move up or down the soil profile, following the water level. Grubs are sensitive to soil moisture, and will move up or down the soil profile, following the water level. Pre-irrigation will bring grubs closer to surface.
Slide 17 Grub Control Products imidacloprid (Merit) halofenozide (Mach II) thiamethoxam (Meridian) bendiocarb (Turcam, Ficam) carbaryl (Sevin) ethoprop (Mocap) fonofos (Mainstay, Crusade) trichlorfon (Dylox, Proxol) parasitic nematodes (Biosafe, Exhibit) Bacillus popillae (Doom, Milkyspore) Grub Control products
Slide 18 Follow insecticide treatment with irrigation at least ½ to 1 inch. Follow insecticide treatment with irrigation at least ½ to 1 inch. Or follow label directions.
Slide 19 Sod Webworm Damage Sod webworm: dead patches in the lawn. Grass is missing, not just dead.
Slide 20 Sod Webworm Sod webworm is caterpillar that lives in the thatch layer.
Slide 21 Sod Webworm Adults Sod webworm adults.
Slide 22 Sod Webworm Control Be alert for webworm damage about 2 weeks after heavy moth flight. Examine damaged areas for presence of larvae. Treat when larvae equal 2 per square foot. Sod webworm control
Slide 23 Chemical Control Acephate (Orthene) Carbaryl (Sevin) Cyfluthrin (Tempo) Trichlorfon (Dylox, Proxol) Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) Spinosad (Conserve) nematodes Do Not Water These Products Into Turf!!! Chemicals for Sod Webworm
Slide 24 Nuisance Critters? Various insect, vertebrate, and invertebrate animals Not normally damaging to turf areas, like grubs or sod webworms Annoyance calls, perceived as problems by homeowners. Nuisance critters
Slide 25 Cicada Killer Wasp Large (1 ¼ to 1 ½ inch) wasp Yellow and black; often mistaken for a yellow jacket is much larger! Solitary wasp, not social Cicada killer wasp. Large (1 ¼ to 1 ½ inch) wasp Yellow and black; often mistaken for a yellow jacket is much larger! Solitary wasp, not social Publication on Cicada Killers: http://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publications/e-254.pdf
Slide 26 Cicada Killer Wasp Cicada killer females dig nests in ground. Not social! But several females may all select same area. Can have just a few to over 100 nests in an area. Holes are 1 ½ inch wide, usually dug in well drained, light-textured soil in sunny areas. Nest building occurs from June to late August.
Slide 27 Cicada Killer Wasp Nest tunnels are about 12 to 18 inches long, with as many as 16 wasp larvae in each tunnel. Female stocks burrows with paralyzed cicadas. Young feed on cicadas, overwinter, pupate, and then emerge following summer to mate and start life cycle all over again.
Slide 28 Cicada Killer Wasp Damage from holes is minor. Fear factor: getting stung. Females don t defend nests, will only sting if man-handled. Males have no stingers, but will patrol area and fly aggressively at people, to scare them off.
Slide 29 Controlling Cicada Killer Wasp Don t bother, not a serious problem Small areas Small amount of Sevin Dust down hole. Do at dusk. Leave holes open. Large area: Drench with bendiocarb (Ficam), carbaryl (Sevin), or diazinon; can also use: acephate (Orthene), Tempo, permethrin, propoxur and resmethrin.
Slide 30 Scoliid Wasp Scoliid wasps are dark in color, often metallic, relatively large, robust, slightly hairy insects with light yellow spots or other markings. Depending on species, can be ½ to 1 ¼ inches long. Seen flying low over turf in large numbers from June to September, heaviest in August. Females are hovering, searching for grubs of Green June beetles and other beetles. She burrows into soil, lays egg inside grub. Adults feed on nectar and pollen. No known cases of stings from this critter. BENEFICIAL!!! Do not control!
Slide 31 Yellow Jacket Yellow jackets often mistaken for honeybees or cicada killers. Social insect, very territorial. Publication on social wasps: http://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publications/e-44.pdf
Slide 32 Yellow Jacket 1. Yellow jackets build underground nests. Holes are usually ½ inch wide. 2. Underground nest very similar to nest of bald-faced hornet. May have more than one entrance. 3. Paper comb of yellow jackets. By end of summer, may have several thousand workers in nest.
Slide 33 Yellow Jacket Control Perform ONLY if can move fast! Yellow jackets are aggressive and very defensive Mark nest entrance(s) in day, treat at night. Yellow jackets are attracted to light, so do not hold a flashlight while applying an insecticide to a nest. Wear full protective clothing including a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, gloves, and a bee veil when attempting control. See E-44 for list of products. Yellow Jacket control
Slide 34 Yellow Jacket Control? Yellow jacket traps are not good for controlling nest...they just trap some of the scavengers. May offer some minor benefit for picnics, etc.
Slide 35 Ants Ants usually cause minor problems. If getting indoors, must be controlled by Category 7a pesticide applicator. If in yard, not usually a problem.
Slide 36 Ants Ant hills are moderately unsightly. Usually not a big problem. Various soil-applied insecticides will control them, but new colonies will spread from neighboring regions.
Slide 37 Be thankful Be thankful all we have are black ants, etc. Fire ants down south are major health problem to people and livestock, are responsible for major decreases in quail and other wildlife. VERY hard to control.
Slide 38 Velvet Ant Velvet ant. Also known as cow killer wasp because of painful sting. Solitary wasp; females are wingless, mostly red with some black, about 1 inch long, and covered with hair. Females scurry about, looking for underground bumblebee and wasp nests to lay their eggs in. Adults feed on nectar. Females usually seen July-early September. Females not aggressive, but will deliver painful sting if handled. Moderately uncommon, no controls necessary.
Slide 39 Crayfish Crayfish/crawdads/crawfish: arthropods, related to lobster Some species live in water, but some are terrestrial, and can live on land for short periods. Need access to water, though.
Slide 40 Crayfish To get to moisture, crayfish will dig tunnels to water table. Will deposit excavated mud on surface. Looks like miniature volcanoes. Chimneys dry, become hard. Can damage mower blades, are unsightly.
Slide 41 Earthworms Earthworms are generally considered beneficial. They aerate the soil, and incorporate organic matter into topsoil.
Slide 42 Earthworms as Problems? Some people object to earthworm castings on surface of soil. Or to sight of masses of worms on sidewalk after rain.
Slide 43 Earthworm Control Live with it. Go fishing! Water lawn deeply and infrequently, allowing the top inch of soil to dry out before watering again. This encourages the earthworms to remain deeper in the soil. Use power rakes to break up castings/ mounds Light weight rollers to press mounds down. Avoid excess weight, which will compact soil! No pesticides labeled for legal earthworm control! Earthworm control
Slide 44 What caused this damage to the lawn? Skunks? Raccoons? What caused this tearing up of lawn? Skunks? Raccoons?
Slide 45 Controlling skunks and raccoons Skunks and raccoons are after grubs and earthworms. Best control is to control grubs. Fencing also works.
Slide 46 Speaking of varmints... See AY-327, Animal Urine in Turf. Dogs on lawns. See AY-327, Animal Urine in Turf.
Slide 47 Mole Moles are a big problem in turf areas.
Slide 48 Surface runs. May be used only once for looking for food. Surface runs that run along fences/sidewalks may be for constant traveling.
Slide 49 Vole Voles are rodents, similar to field mice. Generally have blunt face, short tail.
Slide 50 Voles Voles in lawn: hole in ground, about 1 inch wide. Often see lots of them. Zigzag run eaten into grass.
Slide 51 In conclusion In conclusion many nuisance critters to deal with. Handle them efficiently and humanely.
Slide 52 PURDUE EXTENSION Vanderburgh County Larry Caplan Extension Educator - Horticulture 13301 Darmstadt Rd. Evansville, IN 47725 Phone: 812-435-5287 Fax: 812-867-4944 E-mail: LCaplan@purdue.edu www.extension.purdue.edu/vanderburgh