Turfgrass & LandscapeInsects & Mites

(an evening workshop)

David J. Shetlar, Ph.D.The “BugDoc”

The Ohio State University, OARDC & OSU Extension

Columbus, OH

shetlar.1@osu.edu

© December, 2004, D.J. Shetlar, all rights reserved

Turfgrass Insect Activity in 2004

• White Grubs - continued patchy, significant increases across Ohio.

• Billbugs – masked by rain!

• Chinch Bugs – showing up more in high quality, Kentucky bluegrass lawns.

• Caterpillars (sod webworms/ cutworms/ armyworms) – generally down because of rain.

Grub Complex –

May/June Beetle green June beetle

European chafer masked chafer

Japanese beetle Oriental beetle

Asiatic garden beetle

Ataenius Aphodius

Grub Complex – Changing each year!

Grub Complex –

May/June Beetle green June beetle

European chafer Japanese beetle

Masked chafer Oriental beetle

Asiatic garden beetle

Ataenius

Japanese Beetle –

Japanese beetle adult skeletonizing leaf

Mating cluster of beetles in turf

Identifying Grub Species

Japanese beetles have a V-shaped pattern!

Japanese Beetle Life Stages –

egg 1st 2nd 3rd pupa adult instar larva

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Japanese Beetle Annual Cycle

Masked Chafers –

Pair of masked chafers at night on turf

Masked chafer eggsnewly laid (below)48 hours in moist soil (above)

Identifying Grub Species

Masked chafers have no pattern!

European Chafer –

© H. Niemczyk

European chafer adults swarming to tree at dusk for mating

Adult

Identifying Grub Species

European chafers have Y-shaped anus& two rows of bristles that diverge at anus.

Y-shaped anus with two rows of bristles.

Oriental beetle adults can vary considerably in color, but most specimens have two darker spots on the pronotum. They commonly feed on flowers during the night.

Asiatic garden beetles are small, brownish beetles with an iridescent sheen. The adult nibble on the edges of various leaves and the larvae are most common near flower beds.

Identifying Grub SpeciesOriental beetle has two rows of small spines, 12-15 in number.

Asiatic garden beetle has vertical anus & broad U-shaped spine pattern.

Ranked Efficacy of White Grub Insecticides1976 – 2003a

–

rate ave range % of testsInsecticide lb.ai./a. % control # tests % control below 70%

Carbaryl 8.0 70.4 41 13-100 39(=Sevin)

Chlorpyrifos 4.0 54.6 32 0-96 59 (=Dursban)

Permethrin 0.26 32.3 7 0-54 100Trichlorfon 8.0 77.6 91 0-98 19 (=Dylox, Proxol)

a Data from ESA publications (1977-2003) & Ohio testing using masked chafer and Japanese beetle data where label timing recommendations were used and at least 4.0 grubs per sq.ft. were found in checks.

Clothianidin0.4 97.0 1 97 0 (=Arena)0.3 100 1 100 0

Halofenozide 1.5 91.1 63 10-100 13 (=MACH2) 2.0 93.1 36 56-100 6Imidacloprid 0.3 93.6 78 58-100 6 (=Merit) 0.4 86.3 3 82-89 7

Comparison of Grub Insecticide Efficacyby

Time of Application

Halofenozide 1.5 88.4 (7) 94.4 (23) 88.3 (20) 89.6 (19) 77.7 (27)(=MACH2) 2.0

Imidachloprid 0.3 69.8 (12) 90.6 (18) 94.5 (23) 94.5 (27) 94.2 (34)(=Merit) 0.4 62.0 (1) 88.0 (1) 89.0 (1) 82.0 (1) ---

Clothianidin 0.3 --- --- 100 (1) --- 97.0 (1)(=Arena) 0.4 --- --- 97.0 (1) --- ---

Trichlorfon 8.0 --- --- --- 62.2 (5) 77.7 (19)

rate ave % control (#tests)Insecticide lb.ai./a. May June July to Aug 16 to Sept 10

a Data from ESA publications (1977-2003) & Ohio testing using masked chafer and Japanese beetle data where label timing recommendations were used and at least 4.0 grubs per sq.ft. were found in checks.

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Japanese Beetle Annual Cycle

Traditional Control TimingPreventive-Early Curative Timing

Billbugs

Bluegrass Billbug, Sphenophorus parvulusHunting Billbug, S. venatus vestitusPhoenician (=Phoenix) Billbug,

S. phoeniciensis ChittendenRocky Mountain (=Denver) Billbug,

S. cicatristriatus Fahraeus

Blugrass billbug adultHunting billbug adult

Denver billbug adult Phoenician billbug adult

Bluegrass Billbug

Adult and larva

Larva in crown

Billbug or Hairy Chinch Bug Damage??

Billbug Diagnosis – Use the “tug test”

Bluegrass Billbug Life Cycle in Ohio

1999 Ohio Billbug CurativeTreatment

Scotts 3.2% diazinon on 28-4-6 4.00 87.5

Ortho Diazinon (5%G) 4.36 58.3

Ortho Dursban (1%G) 0.87 16.7

Intercept H&G (0.1% deltamethrin) 0.13 16.7

Spectricide 3X (0.25 permethrin) 0.27 45.8

4.36 68.8

MACH2 2LTI 1.50 20.8

% ControlRate

appl - 11 Jun; Wooster, OH; read - 30 Jun(19DAT); 24.4 BBs/sq.ft. check

0.10 20.8

VIGRO 3.34% diazinon on 28-4-6

0.2%G Bifenthrin

1999 Ohio Billbug PreventiveTreatment % ControlRate

0.13

1.50

1.50

0.06

0.26

0.40

0.20

DeltaGard 0.4SC 67

81

89

81

100

96

81

MACH2 2LTI

MACH2 2LTI

Scimitar 0.88GC

Meridian 25W

Merit 75WP

appl - 6May; Columbus, OH; read - 25June(48DAT); 32.0 adults/sq.ft. check

Meridian 25W

Date Appl

7 May

7 May

11 Jun

7 May

7 May

7 May

11 Jun

2000 Ohio Billbug Preventive Test

Treatment % ControlRate

4.36Diazinon 3.34G 92

0.1Talstar Fert 0.2G 72

0.1Talstar PL 0.2G 69

0.13Tempo 0.1G 67

4.0Diazinon 3.2G 95

appl - 16 May; Wooster, OH; read - 5July; 24.7 larvae/sq.ft. check

2001 Ohio Billbug Preventive Test

Treatment % ControlRate

0.2Talstar 0.147G 64

0.272Permethrin 0.25G 32

0.087Tempo 0.1G 50

4.0Diazinon 3.2G 68

0.1Talstar 0.086G 43

appl - 24 May (late preventive); Wooster, OH; read - 12July; 17.8 larvae/sq.ft. check

0.4Merit 0.5G 86

1.5MACH2 1.5G 36

Hairy Chinch Bug Life Stages

egg 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th normal winged short winged instar nymphs adult adult

Hairy chinch bugs in thatch

Hairy chinch bug adults -long wing & short wing forms

Hairy chinch bug life cycle in Ohio with damage and control windows

weeks

# o

f in

sect

s/ s

q. ft

OctoberSeptember,August,J uly,J une,May,April,

OctoberSeptember,August,J uly,J une,May,April,

250

200

150

100

50

0

250

200

150

100

50

0

VariableAdultsNymphsEggs

Populations of the Hairy Chinch Bug 2004

2000 FL Southern Chinch Bug Control

Treatment

Talstar PL 0.2G 0.10 99

1000.26 “

860.13 “

980.20Meridian 0.33G

690.09DeltaGard 0.1G

861.00Dursban 1G

Rate% Control

appl. 7 Sep., Boca Raton, FL; 515.1 scb/sq.ft. checks @ 6 DAT; St. Augustinegrass

6DAT

2001 Ohio Hairy Chinch Bug Control

Treatment

Merit 75WP 0.3 92 96

900.3 87Arena

830.1 63Tempo Ultra

980.1 98Talstar SC

780.4 81Arena

220.2 0Tempo 20WP

Rate% Control

appl. 30 Aug., Springboro, OH; 943.5 & 418.6 hcb/sq.ft. checks @ 7, & 14 DAT

7DAT 14DAT

2002 OH Hairy Chinch Bug Control - LC

Treatment

LC0.04G-18 0.035 70 80

780.035 78LC0.04G-25

380.035 72LC0.04G-27

940.1 97Talstar EZ.2G

720.035 63LC0.04G-26

550.035 83LC0.04G-28

Rate% Control

appl. 27 Aug., Dublin, OH; 240.0 & 224.2 hcb/sq.ft. checks @ 8, & 16 DATLC = lambda-cyhalothrin (=Scimitar) formulations

8DAT 16DAT

750.035 84LC0.04G-29

2002 Ohio Hairy Chinch Bug Control

Treatment

Merit 75WP 0.3 65 80

320.2 29Arena

580.25 54DPX-150SC

520.1 69Talstar EZ.2G

270.3 79Arena

100.2 81Meridian 25WG

Rate% Control

appl. 27 Aug., Dublin, OH; 70.2 & 312.5 hcb/sq.ft. checks @ 3, & 15 DAT

3DAT 15DAT

2003 OH Hairy Chinch Bug Control - Misc

Treatment

Merit 75WP 0.3 58 67

620.4 78Merit 75WP

710.4 86Arena G

900.1 95Talstar EZ.2G

660.3 87Arena G

680.4 49Spinosad G

Rate% Control

appl. 18 Sept., Pickerington, OH; 592.8 & 377.5 hcb/sq.ft. checks @ 6 & 13 DATLC = lambda-cyhalothrin (=Scimitar) formulations

6DAT 13DAT

410.4 67Spinosad NAP

2003 OH Hairy Chinch Bug Control - Comb

Treatment

Talstar EZ 0.2G 0.1 86 98

860.2 99Talstar EZ 0.2G

890.15+0.15 98TalstarF+Merit2

520.3 72Merit 0.5G

800.2+0.2 99TalstarF+Merit2

Rate% Control

appl. 25 Sept., Pickerington, OH; 183.3 & 232.7 hcb/sq.ft. checks @ 6 & 14 DAT

6DAT 14DAT

2004 OH Hairy Chinch Bug Control – Clothianidin (Arena) & Facin (botanical)

appl. 25 Aug., Pickerington, OH; 132.9, 260.4 & 263.1 hcb/sq.ft. checks @ 7, 14 & 28 DAT

Treatment Rate% Control

7DAT 28DAT14DAT

Arena 50WP 0.2 95 100100

1000.3 100Arena 50WP 97

960.3 100Arena 0.5G 100

980.2 100Talstar EZ.2G 98

940.2 100Arena 0.5G 98

908.5oz/M 99Facin 85

8110oz/M 71Facin 64

2004 OH Hairy Chinch Bug Control – Alternate Products – Spinosad, Azadirachtin, Facin

appl. 22 July, Pickerington, OH; 44.0, 44.0 & 56.9 hcb/sq.ft. checks @ 7, 14 & 21 DAT

Treatment Rate% Control

7DAT 21DAT14DAT

Spinosad 0.3G 0.4 95 6571

960.6 34Spinosad 0.3G 60

560.1 71Azatrol 0.1G 63

940.2 100Talstar 0.115G 90

850.05 71Azatrol 0.1G 52

568.5oz/M 87Facin 85

5810oz/M 77Facin 92

2004 OH Hairy Chinch Bug Control – Imidacloprid + Bifenthrin Combo & Acetamiprid

appl. 25 Aug., Pickerington, OH; 212.8, 212.8 & 274.1 hcb/sq.ft. checks @ 7, 14 & 21 DAT

Treatment Rate% Control

7DAT 21DAT14DAT

Acetamiprid 0.18 95 9999

960.28 100Acetamiprid 100

990.1 99Talstar One F 98

990.2 + 0.16 100Merit + Talstar 100

980.36 100Acetamiprid 100

990.2 100Talstar One F 100

910.3 100Merit 2 95

Cutworms & Armyworms(Noctuidae)

Cutworms

Black Cutworm Agrotis ipsilonBronzed Cutworm Nephelodes miniansVariegated Cutworm Peridroma saucia

ArmywormsCommon Armyworm Pseudaletia unipunctaFall Armyworm Spodoptera frugiperdaYellowstriped Armyworm S. ornithogalli

Black cutworm damage spots on short-cut bentgrass.

Black cutworm larva feeding at night.

Black cutworm larvae the morning after treatment with insecticide.

The true armyworm, often called the common armyworm, has dark and light colored stripes and a )-(-mark on the head.

The adult armyworm is a simple buff color with a diagnostic small white spot on each wing.

Armyworm larvae can seemingly eat turf down to the thatch “literally over night!”

Fall armyworm egg mass on tree leaf. FAW egg mass on post.

FAW larva showing white Y-mark on head.

FAW adult male.

Sod Webworms

True Sod Webworms [Crambinae]

Tropical Sod Webworms [Pyralinae]

Bluegrass WW P. teterrellaLarger SWW Pediasia trisectaWestern SWW Tehama bonifatellaStriped SWW Fissicrambus mutabilisCorn Root Webworm Crambus caliginosellusVagabond Crambus Agriphila vulgivagella

Tropical SWW Herpetogramma phaeopteralis

Sod WebwormsSpring damage

Larva and frass

Adult bluegrass webworm

Cranberry Girdler(=subterranean sod webworm)

Chrysoteuchia topiaria (Zeller)

Notes: This pest is technically a crambid type sod webworm, but it has a very different larval behavior. The larvae tend to feed on the stems and crowns of turf, when large, rather than feeding on leaves. Infested turf tends to die in irregular patches, often at the time that white grubs would be causing similar damage. In thick turf, the dead canopy can be pulled back to reveal considerable amounts of straw colored frass pellets on the soil/thatch surface. With grubs, the entire turf canopy with the thatch can be pulled back to reveal grubs in the soil/thatch interface.

Cranberry girdler adults are small crambids with distinctive bands of silver scales along the wing tip. The adults tend to fly from late June through much of July. There is only one generation per year.

Cranberry girdler larvae have the typical

sclerotized plates that all sod webworms have,

but the plates are the same color as the rest

of the integument. Therefore, the typical

spots are not apparent!

Turf Caterpillar ControlsInsecticide Rate % Control # Tests

OrganophosphatesDiazinon 5.5 94.0 4Dursban 1.0 98.7 18Dylox/Proxol 8.0 87.3 4Orthene 5.0 92.3 4

CarbamatesSevin 4.0 96.8 5Turcam 2.0 89.7 3

Turf Caterpillar ControlsInsecticide Rate % Control # Tests

PyrethroidsAstro 0.04 100.0 2DeltaGard 0.08 94.5 2Scimitar 0.02 96.8 5Tempo 0.10 97.6 21

SpinosynConserve 0.3 90.1 6

Turf Caterpillar ControlsInsecticide Rate % Control # Tests

ChloronicotinoidMerit 0.3 48.5 7

Molt Accelerator (growth regulator)MACH2 1.0 86.5 7

NematodesS. carpocapsae 1.0 bil 89.6 7H. bact. 0.5 bil 67.0 4

Insect and Mite Activity in 2004

• Still suffering from borers because of plant stresses – white pine weevil continues to spread.

• Cool-season pests continued through summer – esp. mites.

• Rain washed away most honeydew, masking aphids and scales.

• Invasions continue!

Borers Continue – Agrilis species

Bronze birch borer

Emerald Ash Borer

Discovered in Detroit area, now in over 1000 square miles in southeastern Michigan. Infestations found in Toledo area, far northwestern Ohio, and in Columbus area in November!

Watch for declining ash trees – tops dying out downward. If D-shaped holes are present, then emerald ash borer is likely the only cause! Larger, round or oval holes are from other native borers.

More information? – http://ashalert.osu.edu

Borers Continue – Bark Beetles – mainly conifers

Borers Continue – White Pine Weevil – white pine & SPRUCE

Borer Insecticides

Traditional• Dursban• Lindane• DiSyston (disulfoton)• Cygon (dimethoate)• Bidrin injection• Orthene injection

(Professional only)

Alternatives• Tempo, Talstar

(Onyx), Deltagard, Scimitar, Astro

• Merit injection (beetles only!)

• Flagship? (nursery)• ???

X

X

??

Borer Control Approaches

Cultural –Use plants that are not prone to borer attack!Plant health care – plants in good growing

conditions can usually repel borer attacks.

Avoid Plant Damage – damaged plants are prone to attack.

Biological –Usually not effective because they attack

after infestation.

Caterpillars – The Gypsy Moth

Caterpillars – Fall Webworm, Mimosa Webworm, Bagworm

Caterpillar Insecticides

Traditional• Dursban• Sevin• Orthene

(Professional only)• Malathion

Alternatives• Tempo, Talstar,

Deltagard, Scimitar, Astro

• Conserve• Merit (???)• Flagship? (nursery)• Bt• Soaps or Oils

X

Cool-Season Pests – Spruce Spider Mite – inactive most of summer!

MiticidesTraditional• Kelthane• Morestan• Cygon• Orthene ?

(Professional only)

Alternatives• Avid• Hexygon (eggs & larvae

only, spider mites only)• Floramite (spider mites

only)• Sanmite (spider mites

only)• Conserve• Pyrethroids??• Soaps or Oils

X

X

??

Pine tortoise scale mature females on stem.

Pine needle scale second instar nymphs and male “pupae” on needles.

Pine needle scale females. Note pinkish eggs at end of scale test (shell) and a settled crawler at upper left.

Group of pine needle scale settled crawlers (tan) and a couple of fresh crawlers (pinkish) in color.

Scale Control (crawlers)

Traditional• Diazinon• Dursban• Sevin• Orthene (Professional

only)• Malathion• Cygon• DiSyston (disulfoton)

Alternatives• Tempo, Talstar,

Deltagard, Scimitar, Astro

• Merit (soft scales)• Flagship (nursery)• Soaps & Oils

X

X

??

Black Vine Weevil ManagementWhat’s Lost?

Ficam (Turcam)Orthene (professional only)

What are the Alternatives?

Merit! (home owner product available, apply to soil, NOT mulch, not for adults!)

Pyrethroids for Adults

DiSyston (disulfoton) (home owner products available, BVW not named on label, apply to soil!)

Halofenozide (MACH2) 2850Diacylhydrazine (molt accelerating compound, induces molt)

Spinosads (Conserve) 3783-5000Spinosad (synaptic stimulation nicotinic acetycholine sites)

Fipronil (Chipco Choice) 97Phenylpyrazoles (GABA receptor disruption)

New Insecticide LD50s

Azadirachtin A & B (Azatrol, Neem, etc.)>3540

Tetranortriterpenoid (ecdysone blocker; antifeedant)

Imidacloprid (Merit) 450Nitroguanidine (post-synaptic block, nicotinic ACH sites)

Thiamethoxam (Meridian) 1563Nitroguanidine (post-synaptic block, nicotinic ACH sites)

New Insecticide LD50s

Clothianidin (Arena) >5000Nitroguanidine (post-synaptic block, nicotinic ACH sites)

The Neonicotinoids

Acetamiprid (TriStar) 217Pyridylmethylamine (post-synaptic block, nicotinic ACH sites)

Dinotefuran (Safari) >2000Nitroguanidine (post-synaptic block, nicotinic ACH sites)

BYGL OnLine – weekly update of Ohio nursery, landscape and turf pests

The P.E.S.T. Newsletter

available from:

Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association72 Dorchester SquareWesterville, OH 43081

614-899-1195800-825-5062

Come visit the BugDoc at:

http://bugs.osu.edu

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