1. Identification, Biology &
Sport Field Insects –
Identification, Biology &
Principles of Control
Dr. David Shetlar
The Ohio State University/OARDC
OSU Extension
Columbus, OH

2. Major Cool-Season Turfgrass Insect Pests Occurring on Sport Fields
White Grubs
Billbugs
Sod Webworms
Chinch Bugs 2 9

3. White Grub Damage 3

4. 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) 4

5. White Grub Adults GJB, EC, SMC, NMC, JB, OB, AGB Annual Grubs
Multi-year Grubs, M/JB
Annual Grubs
GJB, EC, SMC, NMC, JB, OB, AGB
Multi-gen/yr Grub, BTA 5

6. White Grub Third Instars
Multi-gen/yr Grub, BTA
Multi-year Grubs, M/JB
Annual Grubs
GJB, EC, MC, JB, OB, AGB 6

7. 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! 7

8. Japanese Beetle – Japanese beetle adult skeletonizing leaf
Mating cluster of beetles in turf 8

9. Japanese beetle distribution (2000)9

10. Japanese Beetle Life Stages –
egg st nd rd pupa adult
instar larva 10

11. Japanese Beetle Annual Cycle
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC 11

12. Masked Chafers – Pair of masked chafers at night on turf
Masked chafer eggs
newly laid (below)
48 hours in moist soil (above) 12

13. Identifying Grub Species
Masked chafers have no pattern! 13

14. Masked Chafer Distribution Maps
Northern Masked Chafer
Southern Masked Chafer
Southwestern Masked Chafer
Western Masked Chafer 14

15. Northern Masked Chafer Life Stages –
egg st nd rd pupa adult
instar larva 15

16. Masked Chafer Annual Cycle16

17. Green June Beetle – Mature grub “crawling” on soil Adult
Grub in overwintering burrow
Overwintering Japanese beetles 17

18. Identifying Grub Species
GJB crawls on back! 18

19. Green June Beetle Distribution19

20. European Chafer – Adult © H. Niemczyk
European chafer adults swarming to tree at dusk for mating 20

21. 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. 21

22. European Chafer Distribution (2000)22

23. Identifying Grub Species
Oriental beetle has two rows of small spines, in number.
Asiatic garden beetle has vertical anus & broad U-shaped spine pattern. 23

24. Bluegrass billbug adult on sidewalk
Billbug damage to lawn
© HDN
Bluegrass billbug adult on sidewalk
© HDN 24

25. Bluegrass Billbug
Adult and larva
Larva in crown 25

26. Billbug Distribution Maps
Bluegrass billbug
Hunting billbug 26

27. The “Tug Test” 27

28. Bluegrass Billbug Life Stages
© HDN
small larva mature larva fresh pupa mature pupa callow adult mature adult 28

29. Bluegrass Billbug Life Cycle in Ohio29

30. Sod Webworms
Spring damage
Adult bluegrass webworm
Larva and frass 30

31. Sod Webworm Distribution Maps
Bluegrass webworm
Larger sod webworm
Striped sod webworm
Cranberry girdler 31

32. Bluegrass Webworm in Ohio32

33. Hairy Chinch Bug Damage to Lawn33

34. Hairy chinch bugs in thatch
Chinch bugs are rare on sport fields, most likely because of irrigation that causes the bugs to catch a fungal disease!
Hairy chinch bug adults -
long wing & short wing forms 34

35. Integrated Pest Management
(IPM)
Chemical
Biological
Cultural 35

36. © HDN
© HDN
Target Principle 36

37. Soil-Thatch Interface
Where do grubs feed?
Ans:
Soil-Thatch Interface
© HDN 37

38. What do grubs eat?
Ans:
THATCH, soil
(oh, and roots) 38

39. Japanese Beetle Life Stages
Egg Larva Pupa Adult
1st 2nd 3rd
Instar 39

40. Japanese Beetle Annual Cycle
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Traditional Control Timing
Preventive-Early Curative Timing 40

41. 41

42. Ranked Efficacy of White Grub Insecticides–
Ranked Efficacy of White Grub Insecticides
1976 – 2001a
rate
ave
range
% of tests
Insecticide
lb.ai .
/a.
% control
# tests
below 70%
Thiamethoxam
0.2
96.1 38
0-100 3
(=Meridian)
Halofenozide
1.5
92.8 57
10-100 10
(=MACH2)
Imidacloprid
0.3
93.7 58
58-100 7
(=Merit)
Trichlorfon
8.0
77.6 90
-98 19
(=Dylox, Proxol)
Carbaryl
74.3 40
13-100 37 (=
Sevin)
Diazinon
4.0
69.0 20
47-99 42
5.5
74.8 41
25-100 29
Chlorpyrifos
54.6 32
0-96 59
(=Dursban) 42
a Data from ESA publications ( ) 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.

43. Are there Cultural-Biological Controls for White Grubs?
Use deep rooted turf – turf-type tall fescue
Promote deep roots with little thatch – dormant fertilization/complete fertilizer/frequent core aerification.
Turn off lights at night that may attract night-flying grub adults (e.g., masked chafers).
Milky disease of grubs – only 25-30% control (too expensive for what you get).
Insect parasitic nematodes – work well if used correctly – fairly expensive compared to insecticides. 43

44. Turf Caterpillar Controls
Insecticide Rate % Control # Tests
Organophosphates
Diazinon
Dursban
Dylox/Proxol
Orthene
Carbamates
Sevin
Turcam 44

45. Turf Caterpillar Controls
Insecticide Rate % Control # Tests
Pyrethroids
Astro
DeltaGard
Scimitar
Tempo
Spinosyn
Conserve 45

46. Turf Caterpillar Controls
Insecticide Rate % Control # Tests
Chloronicotinoid
Merit
Molt Accelerator (growth regulator)
MACH
Nematodes
S. carpocapsae 1.0 bil
H. bact bil 46

47. Are there Cultural-Biological Controls for Turf Caterpillars?
Use endophyte enhanced turf – turf-type tall fescues and perennial ryegrasses
Promote growth, but not too heavy on the nitrogen – rapidly growing turf will mask the damage rapidly, but heavy nitrogen seems to “attract” cateripllars.
Turn off lights at night that may attract cutworms and armyworms.
Use bio-based products – Conserve (bacterial based), neem (botanical), and BT (for sod webworms only)
Insect parasitic nematodes – work well if used correctly – fairly expensive compared to insecticides. 47

48. Ranked Efficacy of Billbug Insecticides
(used as preventives) – 2000a
rate
ave
Insecticide
lb.ai .
/a.
% control
# tests
Fonofos
2.0
79.1 2
(=Crusade)
Carbaryl
6.0
91.7 1 (=
Sevin)
Chlorpyrifos
1.0
47.8 3
(=Dursban)
74.5
Diazinon
4.0
88.2 4
8.0
58.3
OPs
&
Carb
a Data from ESA publications ( ) using bluegrass billbug data where timing of application was at egg lay to early egg hatch. 48

49. Ranked Efficacy of Billbug Insecticides
(used as preventives) – 2000a
rate
ave
Insecticide
lb.ai .
/a.
% control
# tests
Pyrethroids
lam-Cyhalothrin
0.06
81.0 1
(=Scimitar)
Deltamethrin
71.0
(=DeltaGard)
0.13
75.2 2
Bifenthrin
0.05
50.1
(=Talstar)
0.1
54.2
Cyfluthrin
0.14
39.4
(=Tempo)
a Data from ESA publications ( ) using bluegrass billbug data where timing of application was at egg lay to early egg hatch. 49

50. Ranked Efficacy of Billbug Insecticides
(used as preventives) – 2000a
rate
ave
Insecticide
lb.ai .
/a.
% control
# tests
NeoNs
&
IGR
Halofenozide
1.5
62.6 6
(=MACH2)
2.0
41.4 2
Imidacloprid
0.3
86.4 8 (=
Merit)
0.4
61.5 6
Thiamethoxam
0.2
81.0 1 (=
Meridian)
0.26
100
a Data from ESA publications ( ) using bluegrass billbug data where timing of application was at egg lay to early egg hatch. 50

51. Ranked Efficacy of Billbug Insecticides
(used as curatives) – 2000a
rate
ave
Insecticide
lb.ai .
/a.
% control
# tests
Chlorpyrifos
1.0
40.3 1
(=Dursban)
Permethrin
0.4
59.0
(=Astro)
0.8
38.3
Thiamethoxam
1.5
64.7 6 (=
MACH2)
2.0
17.0
Deltamethrin
0.13
16.7
(=DeltaGard)
Diazinon
4.0
65.6 5
Imidacloprid
0.3
(=Merit)
Bifenthrin
0.1
67.0
(=Talstar)
a Data from ESA publications ( ) using bluegrass billbug data where timing of application was to control larvae. 51

52. Are there Cultural-Biological Controls for Billbugs?
Use endophyte enhanced turf – turf-type tall fescues and perennial ryegrasses
Water in mid-June through mid-July to help turf grow through the billbug damage.
Insect parasitic nematodes – work well if used correctly – fairly expensive compared to insecticides. 52

53. Occurrence of Target SF Insect Pests
April
May
June
July
August
Sept
C G
C G
C G
C G
C G
C G-prv
C G-prv
C G-prv
C G-prv
C G-prv
C BB/a
C BB/a
C BB/l
C BB/l
C BB/a
C BB/a
C BB/l-prv
C BB/l-prv
C CB/a
C CB/a
C CB/n
C CB/n
C CB/n&a
C CB/a
C CB/n-sup
C CB/n-sup
C CB/n-sup
C CB/n-sup
C CB/n-sup
C SWW
C SWW
C SWW
C SWW
C SWW
C SWW

54. Occurrence of Target SF Insect Pests
April
May
June
July
August
Sept
C G
C G
C G
C G
C G
C G-prv
C G-prv
C G-prv
C G-prv
C G-prv
C BB/a
C BB/a
C BB/l
C BB/l
C BB/a
C BB/a
C BB/l-prv
C BB/l-prv
C CB/a
C CB/a
C CB/n
C CB/n
C CB/n&a
C CB/a
C CB/n-sup
C CB/n-sup
C CB/n-sup
C CB/n-sup
C CB/n-sup
C SWW
C SWW
C SWW
C SWW
C SWW
C SWW
controlled with CONSERVE

55. Occurrence of Target SF Insect Pests
April
May
June
July
August
Sept
C G
C G
C G
C G
C G
C G-prv
C G-prv
C G-prv
C G-prv
C G-prv
C BB/a
C BB/a
C BB/l
C BB/l
C BB/a
C BB/a
C BB/l-prv
C BB/l-prv
C CB/a
C CB/a
C CB/n
C CB/n
C CB/n&a
C CB/a
C CB/n-sup
C CB/n-sup
C CB/n-sup
C CB/n-sup
C CB/n-sup
C SWW
C SWW
C SWW
C SWW
C SWW
C SWW
controlled with MACH2 55

56. Occurrence of Target Lawn Insect Pests
April
May
June
July
August
Sept
C G
C G
C G
C G
C G
C G-prv
C G-prv
C G-prv
C G-prv
C G-prv
C BB/a
C BB/a
C BB/l
C BB/l
C BB/a
C BB/a
C BB/l-prv
C BB/l-prv
C CB/a
C CB/a
C CB/n
C CB/n
C CB/n&a
C CB/a
C CB/n-sup
C CB/n-sup
C CB/n-sup
C CB/n-sup
C CB/n-sup
C SWW
C SWW
C SWW
C SWW
C SWW
C SWW
controlled with MERIT 56

57. Come visit the BugDoc at: 57

58. Shameless Advertisement!
Destructive Turf Insects,
2nd Edition
available from:
Lawn and Landscape
Media Group
4012 Bridge Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44113
(Lori Skala)
Visit: 58