DAMAGE DESCRIPTION:
Small yellow to brown patches expanding to large irregular brown areas; young larvae feed in stems, hollowing them and moving to crown; move below ground as they mature to feed on roots and rhizomes to soil depth of 3 inches; when tugged, tufts of shoots break off easily at the crown; grass pulls up easily; a saw dust material (frass) is evident around feeding sites; larvae are white and legless with hard brown head; adults small, hard-shelled gray to black to brown beetles with distinct long snout; both adult and larvae feed on and cause damage to turf.
HOST GRASSES:
Major hosts: Kentucky bluegrass, Bermudagrass, Zoysiagrass
Others: Centipedegrass, Bahiagrass, Fescues, Perennial ryegrass, St. Augustinegrass
LIFE CYCLE:
Eggs laid in stems; hatch in 3 to 14 days; larvae feed for several weeks before forming pupae in the soil in the Fall; adults form within a few days; 1 generation; crown and foliar chewing insects; tend to be soil inhabitants in older stages; Hunting billbug restricted to warm and transitional climates; turf damage occurs in summer; adult feeding damage minimal; Phoenix and Hunting mainly on bermudagrass and zoysiagrass, respectively-Bluegrass on Kentucky bluegrass.
FACTORS THAT MAY PROMOTE INSECT DAMAGE:
No major factors promote billbugs-need to monitor the turf for damage.
CULTURAL CONTROL:
No major cultural controls; Ryegrass and Fescues cultivars having endophytes have resistance; some cultivars of Kentucky bluegrass have slight resistance.
CHEMICAL CONTROL:
Some chemicals mainly for larvae and some for adults-read label; drench with water after treatment; may need to reapply in 2 to 3 weeks.
| Specific Insecticide Recommendations | ||||
|
Insecticide (chemical name) |
Efficacy |
Application Interval |
Time of Year To Apply |
Example of Products (trade names |
| Bifenthrin | Good to Excellent | 2 to 3 weeks | Spring / Summer | Talstar |
| Carbaryl | Good to Excellent | 2 to 3 weeks | Spring / Summer | RegalFate, Sevin |
| Chlorpyrifos | Good to Excellent | 2 to 3 weeks | Spring / Summer | Dursban |
| Deltamethrin | Good to Excellent | 2 to 3 weeks | Spring / Summer | DeltaGard |
| Imidacloprid | Good to Excellent | 2 to 3 weeks | Spring / Summer | Merit |
REFERENCES:
Beard, J. B. 2002. Turfgrass Management for Golf Courses. Second Edition. Ann Harbor Press. Chelsea, Michigan..
Decker, H. F., Decker, J. M. 1988. Lawn Care-A Handbook for Professionals. Prentice Hall. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
Liskey, E., “Turfgrass Insecticides”, Grounds Maintenance, Volume 37, Number 2, February 2002, pp. 8-10.
Turgeon, A. J. 2002. Turfgrass Management. Sixth Edition. Prentice Hall. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.
Taylor, G. R. - Editor. 2000. Turfgrass Pesticide Recommendations 1999-2000. Extension Publication SCS-1991-01. Texas A&M University. College Station, Texas.