Turf Insect Control

Over the past 10 years mole crickets have become the number one insect pest of turf along the North Carolina coast. Insecticide options include Pageant DF, Dursban 50WSP, Oftanol SG, Diazinon 5G and Tempo 2E (all watered in).

If the day comes when homo sapiens cease to exist on planet Earth, you can be fairly certain that insects will still be here. Insects, by definition, breathe air, have an exoskeleton, three body segments, three pairs of legs, two sets of wings (usually), a pair of antennae and compound eyes. They are the most diverse critters on the planet?EUR??,,????'??+over 800,000 species. Bees, ants, beetles, butterflies, moths, flies, crickets, and fleas are some common examples, but some insects like turf.

If turf looks damaged, wilted or water-starved, insects may be involved. You need to distinguish between insect damage and disease damage, of course. Fungi cause more damage than insects. Insect, mite, or nematode damage to turf is often mistaken for turf disease, drought, or fertilizer problems. The symptoms are often similar: chlorosis, wilting, die-back. As a result, it is not uncommon for insect pests to inflict extensive damage before their presence is realized. Conversely, applying scheduled sprays, without determining if the insect is present, can lead to expensive pesticide applications, create pest populations resistant to the pesticide, and disrupt the natural control by beneficial insects in the turf.

Blade Defoliators/Suckers and Root Feeders

Cutworms, sod webworms, aphids and chinch bugs are examples of blade defoliating and blade sucking insects. Blade defoliation damage appears as brown scars where the blades are clipped off by the insect. Blade sucking damage appears as brown lesions where the blade?EUR??,,????'???s sap was removed by the insect. The University of Minnesota Extension suggests detecting these insects by the use of a large coffee can with both ends removed and sunk into the turf. You mix one ounce of liquid dish washing detergent into one gallon of water and pour the mix into the container. The soapy water will make the insects lose their grip and they will float to the surface.

Root feeders (white grubs and billbugs) detach thatch and blades from the roots. The can trick won?EUR??,,????'???t work on root feeders. You need to examine the grass roots and the soil layer beneath the roots.

Not All Harmful

When grass is kept dense by overseeding every few years and mowed tall, and you don?EUR??,,????'???t use a broad spectrum insecticide, the lawn fills up with beneficial insects?EUR??,,????'??+ants and ground beetles (spiders, too, although they are technically arachnids). These helpful critters will take care of about half of the pest insects in turf.

Ants do not feed on turf but can help in the general breakdown of organic matter and the formation of soil. However, if ant activity becomes excessive, the soil may dry out and turf damage could result. And field ants can nest in lawns and build raised mounds of more than a foot in diameter. Night crawlers are beneficial as they provide natural aeration of the soils and should be tolerated. Song birds, like wrens, robins and starlings, are also soldiers for your turf insect pests.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

IPM is a key acronym heard more and more these days, a practice that includes judicious use of insecticides, when warranted, to maintain an insect population to an acceptable level, while decreasing unnecessary use of insecticides. Applications of insecticide to turf is limited to help preserve populations of beneficial insects and nematodes. Western Connecticut State University says pesticide application is considered if monitoring indicates the following pest populations or up to 20 percent damage is anticipated.

(Editor?EUR??,,????'???s note: Pets owners, at least those who have had to pull blood-engorged ticks off their dogs, are not likely to tolerate ticks.)

Chemical Control

Once a pest infestation is recognized and chemical control deemed necessary, there are application choices?EUR??,,????'??+emulsifiable concentrates, wettable powders, soluble powders, granules, dusts and baits. Pesticide applications on turf usually need to be watered into the soil thoroughly.

Spreading the granules evenly is often difficult. Although not commonly used, dusts can be applied to turf with power- or hand-operated dusters. As soon as pesticide granules or dusts are dispensed, the treated turf should be watered thoroughly.

Chemical Compatibility

Most insecticides recommended for turf pest control are compatible with each other if more than one chemical is necessary to control a complex pest situation.

With most modern pesticides, incompatibility problems result only when these chemicals are mixed with summer oils, lime-sulfur, wettable sulfur, copper-base fungicides, or arsenical insecticides.

Products

Conserve??????oeSC specialty (Dow AgroSciences), an excellent all around insecticide choice, is used in nurseries and greenhouse operators, arborists, lawn care operators and golf course superintendents. Spinosad, the active ingredient, derives from the fermentation of a naturally occurring organism, combined with synthetic insecticides. The product works via contact, but the control is 5-10 times more effective via ingestion, asserts Dow. Control is evident within one to three days. The manufacturer touts the product as highly active at very low use rates and has a ?EUR??,,????'??low odor.?EUR??,,????'??

There are several species of caterpillars called sod webworms that can be highly destructive to lawns.

Pests Controlled

?EUR??,,????'???? Armyworms
?EUR??,,????'???? Bagworms
?EUR??,,????'???? Cutworms
?EUR??,,????'???? Eastern tent caterpillars
?EUR??,,????'???? Fall webworms
?EUR??,,????'???? Spruce budworms
?EUR??,,????'???? Pod gall midges
?EUR??,,????'???? Serpentine leafminers
?EUR??,,????'???? Sod webworms
?EUR??,,????'???? Thrips, including western flower
?EUR??,,????'???? Yellow-necked caterpillars
?EUR??,,????'???? Gypsy and hickory tussock moth larvae, etc.

Turf Facts

500: Square feet, the area that can be covered by one quart of insecticide mixture.

2 to 3: Gallons for each 1,000 square feet, the recommended insecticide application ratio when using a com-pressed air sprayer. Source: University of Minnesota Extension Service