1. Turfgrass Insect Pests:
The Worst Offenders and Cost-Effective Controls of Lawn Pests
David J. Shetlar, Ph.D., The “BugDoc”
Department of Entomology

2. Major Lawn Insect Pests of Ohio Turfgrass
White Grubs
Billbugs
Chinch Bugs
Caterpillars (Cutworms, Armyworms, & Sod webworms)
Nuisance Pests
New – cranefly! (north only) 9

3. Major Insect Pests of Ohio Lawns (in order of importance in 2013!)
Billbugs
Chinch Bugs
White Grubs .
Caterpillars (Cutworms, Armyworms, & Sod webworms) 9

4. Major Insect Pests of Ohio Lawns (in order of importance in 2015!)
White Grubs
Chinch Bugs
Billbugs .
Caterpillars (Cutworms, Armyworms, & Sod webworms) 9

5. Turf started to go “dormant” in August, it’s now late September and we’ve had plenty of rain!

7. Ohio Grub Complex – Ataenius Aphodius May/June Beetle
green June beetle
European chafer
masked chafer
Japanese beetle
Oriental beetle
Asiatic garden beetle

8. Grub Populations Changing!
Moving North!
Green June Beetle (Akron-Canton)
Southern Masked Chafer (Columbus)
Moving South!
European Chafer
Oriental Beetle (in Columbus)
Asiatic Garden Beetle
Spotty Recovery in 2015!
Japanese beetle

9. Grub Life Stages (Northern Masked Chafer)
egg st nd rd pupa adult
instar larva

10. Masked Chafer Annual Cycle

11. Comparison of Grub Insecticide Efficacy by Time of Application – 2012a
rate ave % control (#tests)
Insecticide lb.ai./a. May June July to Aug 16 to Sept 10
Clothianidin (5) (1) (5) (3)
(=Arena) (1) (3) (2) (2) (1)
Chlorantraniliprole (12) (12) (7)
(=Acelepryn) (4) (4) (5) (1)
Halofenozide (8) (23) 88.8 (21) 89.6 (19) (27)
(=MACH2) (4) (9) 93.8 (12) (5) ---
Imidachloprid (26) (45) 95.4 (55) 92.5 (32) (41)
(=Merit) (2) (2) (9) (3) (2)
Thiamethoxam (8) (14) 95.8 (26) 92.9 (15) (12)
(=Meridian) (6) (4) (6) 94.6 (10) (6)
Trichlorfon (2) (9) (29)
(=Dylox)
a Data from ESA publications ( ) & 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.

12. 2011 Ohio Grub Syngenta Study
Treatment
Rate
Date Appl.
% Control
Acelepryn 1.67SC Apr 70
Acelepryn 1.67SC Apr 97
Acelepryn 1.67SC Apr 100
Acelepryn 1.67SC Apr 100
Acelepryn 1.67SC Jul 100
Acelepryn 1.67SC Jul 100
Ference 20SC Apr 95
Ference 20SC Apr 92
Ference 20SC Jul 100
Ference 20SC Jul 100
Merit 75WP Jul 92
Lancaster OH; read – 5 Oct; 4.6 grubs/ft2 checks; NMC + JB

13. 2011 Ohio GrubGONE Study GrubGONE G 2.5 30 Jun 83
Treatment
Rate
Date Appl.
% Control
GrubGONE G Jun 83
GrubGONE G Jun 80
GrubGONE G Jul 70
GrubGONE G Jul 80
GrubGONE G Aug 80
GrubGONE G Aug 78
GrubEx (imidac) Jun 85
Meridian 0.33G Jul 98
Meridian 0.33G Aug 98
Lancaster OH; read – 7 Oct; 5.0 grubs/ft2 checks; NMC + JB

14. 2012 Ohio GrubGONE Study GrubGONE G (A) 2.5 100 GrubGONE G (A) 4.0 83
Treatment
Rate
% Control
GrubGONE G (A)
GrubGONE G (A)
GrubGONE G (B)
GrubGONE G (B)
Meridian .33G
Columbus OH; applied 15 Aug, read 28 Sept; 2.3 grubs/ft2 checks; NMC + JB

15. 2013 Ohio Curative Grub Study
Treatment
Rate
% Control
Arena 50 WDG
Arena .25G
Aloft LCSC
Dylox 6.2G
Columbus OH; applied 17 Sept; read 10 Oct; 4.8 grubs/ft2 checks; NMC + JB

16. 2011 Ohio GrubGONE Study GrubGONE G 2.5 30 Jun 83
Treatment
Rate
Date Appl.
% Control
GrubGONE G Jun 83
GrubGONE G Jun 80
GrubGONE G Jul 70
GrubGONE G Jul 80
GrubGONE G Aug 80
GrubGONE G Aug 78
GrubEx (imidac) Jun 85
Meridian 0.33G Jul 98
Meridian 0.33G Aug 98
Lancaster OH; read – 7 Oct; 5.0 grubs/ft2 checks; NMC + JB

17. 2012 Ohio GrubGONE Study GrubGONE G (A) 2.5 100 GrubGONE G (A) 4.0 83
Treatment
Rate
% Control
GrubGONE G (A)
GrubGONE G (A)
GrubGONE G (B)
GrubGONE G (B)
Meridian .33G
Columbus OH; applied 15 Aug, read 28 Sept; 2.3 grubs/ft2 checks; NMC + JB

18. 2012 Ohio Billbug Zylam Study
Treatment
Rate
% Control
Zylam 20SG
Zylam 20SG
Zylam 10SL
Zylam 10SL
Arena 50 WDG
Imidacloprid Pro 2F
Applied 6 June, rated 29 June (23 DAT); 12.6 bgbb/ft2 in checks.

19. Killed by Billbugs AND Drought! I was told my lawn would recover!!

21. Billbug Diagnosis – Use the “tug test”

22. Bluegrass Billbug Life Stages

23. Bluegrass billbug: egg in stem, larva at crown, pupa in soil.

24. Bluegrass Billbug Life Cycle in Ohio
Adult Control
Larval Prevention
Larval Curative

25. Efficacy of Bluegrass Billbug Insecticides in Ohio
1996 – 2012 (preventive & early curative)
rate
ave
range
Insecticide
lb.ai .
/a.
% control
# tests
Bifenthrin
0.1
66.5 15
37-100
(=Talstar)
0.2
76.5 4
53-100
Dinotefuran
0.54
71.6 7
46-86
(=Zylam)
0.36
84.1
73-93
Ch-niliprole
0.2
82.4 5
74-94
(=Acelepryn)
0.1
71.8 8
12-86
Clothianidin
0.2
93.8 5
75-100
(=Arena)
0.3
94.1 7
80-100
Cyfluthrin
0.14
67.0 2 67
(=Tempo)
Deltamethrin
0.13
67.0 1 67
(=Deltagard)
Imidacloprid
0.3
77.4 21
55-95 (=
Merit)
0.4
92.5 5
73-100
L-Cyhalothrin
0.06
78.4 5
64-95
(=Scimitar)
Thiamethoxam
0.2
87.2 6
81-100 (=
Meridian)
0.26
100 2

26. 2011 Ohio Billbug Syngenta Study
Treatment
Rate
% Control
Acelepryn 1.67SC
Acelepryn 1.67SC
Acelepryn 1.67SC
Ference SC
Ference SC
Ference SC
Merit 75WP
Applied 6 May, rated 22 June (47 DAT); 12.5 bgbb/ft2 in checks.

27. 2011 Ohio Billbug Zylam Study 2
Treatment
Rate
% Control
Zylam 20SG
Zylam 20SG
Zylam 10SL
Zylam 10SL
Zylam 3 G
Zylam 3 G
Arena 50 WDG
Imida Pro 2F
Aloft SC 14.4oz/A 100
Applied 2 June, rated 8 July (36 DAT); 11.7 bgbb/ft2 in checks.

28. Killed by Hairy Chinch Bugs! I was told my lawn had dollar spot!!

29. Early August and it’s bee a little dry!

30. Not billbugs, not drought, but ---
Chinch Bugs!
Not billbugs, not drought, but ---

31. Adult/Nymph Controls

32. Efficacy of Chinch Bug Insecticides in Ohio
1996 – 2012
rate
ave
range
Insecticide
lb.ai .
/a.
% control
# tests
Bifenthrin
0.1
93.9 17
69-100
(=Talstar)
0.2
92.6 13
55-100
Beta-cyfluthrin
0.1
83.0 1 83
(=Tempo Ultra)
Ch-niliprole
0.3
37.6 5
32-54
(=Acelepryn)
0.2
57.5 2
56-57
Clothianidin
0.2
92.2 5
83-100
(=Arena)
0.3
85.6
71-100
Cyfluthrin
0.14
33.7 3
0-79
(=Tempo)
Imidacloprid
0.3
83.6 11
50-100 (=
Merit)
0.4
77.8 6
61-100
L-Cyhalothrin
0.05
88.8 6
76-95
(=Scimitar)
Thiamethoxam
0.2
69.0 3
29-79 (=
Meridian)
0.26
88.5 2
79-98

33. 2012 Ohio Hairy Chinch Bug Trial with Chromobacterium
% Control
Treatment
Rate
4DAT
11DAT
25DAT
Grandevo + NISa 9.0oz/K
Grandevo + NISa 9.0oz/K
+ Grandevo + NISb 9.0oz/K
Arena 50WDGa
Aloft SCa
NIS= nonionic surfactant; a = applied 20 Aug; b = re-applied 27 Aug;
Centerville, OH; read – 24 & 31 Aug, 14 Sept;
184.8, 183.3, 57.6 HCB/ft2 check, respectively

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

35. Striped Sod Webworm Life Stages
egg – 6 larval instars pupa adult

36. 2007 Ohio Long Term BCW-SWW Control Evaluation
Treatment
Rate
26DAT
56DAT
83DAT
0.104
94-100
Acelepryn SC
80-100
---
0.209
Acelepryn SC
70-100
---
0.10
47-69
Merit 75 WP
40-84
---
0.10
59-66
Arena 50WG
70-91
---
0.25
65-62
Meridian 25WG
70-91
---
appl. 22 June, OSU Turf Facility; 0.0, 4.25, , 56, & 83DAT;
0.5, & 9.5 SWW/yd2 26, 56 & 83 DAT

37. appl. 29 April, OSU Turf Facility;
2008 Ohio SWW Control
With Acelepryn
% Control
Treatment
Rate
7WAT
11WAT
15WAT
19WAT
Acelepryn SC
0.026 -- 24 23 --
0.052 33
Acelepryn SC 83 --
0.104 46
Acelepryn SC 97 --
0.209 98
Acelepryn SC 89
100 --
0.300 30
Merit 75WP 10 33
appl. 29 April, OSU Turf Facility;
7.5, 47.0 & 21.3 sww/yd2 11, 15 & 19 WAT

38. Newest Insecticides
GrubGONE™ (=Bacillus thuringiensis strain galleriae, a new biobased BT from Phyllom BioProducts) – very good grub & billbug control.
Grandevo™ (=Chromobacterium subtsugae strain PRAA4-1T, a new microbial pesticide from Marrone Bio Innovations) – good general insecticide properties.
Ference™ (=cyantraniliprole from Syngenta) – another antranilic diamide (i.e, Acelepryn), good grub, billbug and annual bluegrass weevil control, as well as caterpillars.

39. Newer Insecticides
Acelepryn™ (=chlorantraniliprole, a new insecticide category from DuPont, now Syngenta) – excellent grub & caterpillar control, long lasting; also good on billbugs & chinch bugs.
Provaunt™ (=Indoxacarb, a new insecticide category from DuPont, now Syngenta) – excellent caterpillar control, but active against weevil adults.
DuoCide™ (=carbaryl plus bifenthrin from The Andersons) – good grub control with curative action; also good on turfgrass surface insects.
Zylam™ (=dinotefuran from PBI Gordon) – same active that is in Safari (for ornamental plants, from Valent); quick acting, good for billbugs and caterpillars.

40. Other Insecticides
Merit™ (=imidacloprid, neonicotinoid from Bayer, and generics) – excellent grub control, long lasting, etc.
Meridian™ (=thiamethoxam, neonic from Syngenta) – excellent grub control, long lasting, etc.
Arena™ (=clothianidin, a neonic from Valent) – excellent grub control, long lasting, good curative action on billbugs and white grubs.
Aloft™ (=clothianidin plus bifenthrin, a combo product from Arysta) – excellent broad spectrum activity and rapid knock-down of surface insects.
Conserve™ (=spinosad, a microbial from Dow) – good on caterpillars, some beetles.

41. Other Insecticides
Mach 2™ (=halofenozide, IGR from Dow) – very good for grub control, moderately lasting, etc. (?)
Talstar™ (=bifenthrin, pyrethroid from FMC, plus generics) – excellent chinch bug, & surface insect control.
Scimitar™ (=lambda-cyhalothrin, pyrethroid from Syngenta) – see above.
DeltaGard™ (=deltamethrin, pyrethroid from Bayer) – see above.
Tempo™ Ultra (=beta-cyfluthrin, pyrethroid from Bayer) – see above.

42. BugDoc!
What about the neonics and Bees?

44. Potter, et al. recommendations to avoid bee exposure to Neonics in turf.
Eliminate flowering weeds before using neonic!
Mow weed flowers before LIQUID application.
Mow weed flowers immediately after Liquid application.
Use granular formulation!