HELPFUL HINTS FROM THE LAWN INSTITUTE IDENTIFYING TURFGRASS INSECT ACTIVITY
and mealybugs. Many of these insect species damage turf by disrupting the vascular flow of water and nutrients as a result of sucking, chewing, or even injecting toxins into the plant. Unfortunately, these pests are sometime difficult to identify due to their extremely small size, location in the turfgrass canopy, and lack of obvious damage symptoms.
Insects provide many benefits to landscapes and golf courses including pollination of flowering plants, decomposition of organic residues, and aeration by tunneling arthropods such as earthworms. However, there are also several species that can be problematic in managed turfgrasses as a result of their chewing and/or sucking on plant tissue, up-rooting of turf, creating mounds that can affect mowing, and stinging children or athletes. In order to manage turfgrass insect pests while also protecting pollinators it is important to properly identify damage symptoms, pests, and life cycles.
Insect damage can occur above ground on leaf tissues, at the thatch/soil interface in stem tissues, or below ground in roots. Tese symptoms often look quite different and provide clues as to which particular insect is the culprit. Chewing marks on turfgrass leaves or complete defoliation are often the result of sod webworms, cutworms, or armyworms. Tese caterpillars are the larval stage of moth species and can be quite damaging. Sod webworms or fall armyworms can defoliate lawns, sod farms, athletic fields, or golf courses in as little as a couple of days. However, in many perennial turfgrass species, this damage is often superficial and the turfgrass typically recovers. In severe outbreaks, however, treatment may be necessary and should be applied early to prevent unacceptable damage.
Other insect pests may damage turfgrass stems, crowns, or roots by chewing, laying eggs, or tunneling. Weevil pests such as the annual bluegrass weevil or hunting billbug cause damage by laying their eggs in leaf sheaths. Once these eggs hatch, the larvae begin to feed on stems and crowns which weakens or kills the plant. Other insects present at the thatch/soil interface include chinch bugs, mites, scales,
For more information on lawn care and helpful “How to” tips, visit The Lawn Institute at:
www.TheLawnInstitute.org.
TPI Turf News September/October 2017 11
Below-ground pests can be particularly difficult to diagnose because damage isn’t apparent until above- ground symptoms are observed. As insects feed, constrict, or disturb turfgrass roots they interrupt water transport upward through the xylem resulting in droughty, or yellowing turfgrass. Below-ground pests that can result in this type of injury include many species of grubs, nematodes, or mole crickets.
Proper identification of insect pests is extremely important and is the first step in determining appropriate treatment options, timing, and application method. It also provides clarity on whether or not the damage may continue to worsen, if the pest has moved on, or even if you should expect additional generations later in the season.
Insects—just like weeds, diseases, and turfgrasses—vary by country, region and climate. Trough proper integrated pest management (IPM) practices, treatment is only necessary when damage passes a particular treatment threshold, which is different for everyone. As always, consult regional universities, professionals, and peers to stay up-to-date with current insect trends and appropriate treatment options in your area.
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