(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

• 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 –
Changing each year!
Ataenius
Aphodius
May/June Beetle green June beetle
European chafer masked chafer
Japanese beetle
Oriental beetle
Asiatic garden beetle

Grub Complex –
Ataenius
May/June Beetle green June beetle
European chafer
Japanese beetle
Masked chafer
Oriental beetle
Asiatic garden beetle

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

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

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

Masked chafers have no pattern!

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

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.

Oriental 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 Insecticides
1976 – 2003 a
–
Insecticide rate ave range % of tests lb.ai./a. % control # tests % control below 70%
70.4
41 13-100 39 Carbaryl
(=Sevin)
Chlorpyrifos
(=Dursban)
Clothianidin
(=Arena)
Halofenozide
(=MACH2)
Imidacloprid
(=Merit)
Permethrin
Trichlorfon
(=Dylox, Proxol)
8.0
4.0
0.3
0.4
1.5
2.0
0.3
0.4
0.26
8.0
54.6
100
97.0
91.1
93.1
93.6
86.3
32.3
77.6
32
1
1
63
36
78
3
7
91
0-96
100
97
10-100
56-100
58-100
82-89
0-54
0-98
59
0
0
13
6
6
7
100
19 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.

Comparison of Grub Insecticide Efficacy by
Time of Application
Insecticide rate lb.ai./a.
Halofenozide 1.5
(=MACH2) 2.0
Imidachloprid
(=Merit)
Clothianidin
(=Arena)
Trichlorfon
0.3
0.4
0.3
0.4
8.0
May ave % control (#tests)
June July to Aug 16 to Sept 10
88.4 (7) 94.4 (23) 88.3 (20) 89.6 (19) 77.7 (27)
69.8 (12) 90.6 (18) 94.5 (23) 94.5 (27) 94.2 (34)
62.0 (1) 88.0 (1) 89.0 (1) 82.0 (1) ---
---
---
---
---
---
---
100 (1)
97.0 (1)
---
---
---
62.2 (5)
97.0 (1)
---
77.7 (19) 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
Preventive-Early Curative Timing
Traditional Control Timing

Bluegrass Billbug, Sphenophorus parvulus
Hunting Billbug, S. venatus vestitus
Phoenician (=Phoenix) Billbug,
S. phoeniciensis Chittenden
Rocky Mountain (=Denver) Billbug,
S. cicatristriatus Fahraeus

Blugrass billbug adult
Hunting billbug adult
Denver billbug adult
Phoenician billbug adult

Larva in crown
Adult and larva

Billbug or Hairy Chinch Bug Damage??

Billbug Diagnosis – Use the “tug test”

Bluegrass Billbug Life Cycle in Ohio

Treatment Rate % Control
Scotts 3.2% diazinon on 28-4-6
VIGRO 3.34% diazinon on 28-4-6
Ortho Diazinon (5%G)
4.00
4.36
Ortho Dursban (1%G)
4.36
0.87
0.2%G Bifenthrin 0.10
Intercept H&G (0.1% deltamethrin) 0.13
Spectricide 3X (0.25 permethrin) 0.27
MACH2 2LTI 1.50
87.5
68.8
58.3
16.7
20.8
16.7
45.8
20.8
appl - 11 Jun; Wooster, OH; read - 30 Jun(19DAT); 24.4 BBs/sq.ft. check

Treatment Rate Date Appl % Control
DeltaGard 0.4SC
Merit 75WP
0.13
0.40
7 May
7 May
67
96
Scimitar 0.88GC
MACH2 2LTI
MACH2 2LTI
0.06
1.50
1.50
7 May
7 May
11 Jun
81
81
89
Meridian 25W 0.26
7 May 100
Meridian 25W 0.20
11 Jun 81 appl - 6May; Columbus, OH; read - 25June(48DAT); 32.0 adults/sq.ft. check

Treatment
Diazinon 3.34G
Diazinon 3.2G
Talstar PL 0.2G
Talstar Fert 0.2G
Tempo 0.1G
Rate
4.36
4.0
0.1
0.1
0.13
% Control
92
95
69
72
67 appl - 16 May; Wooster, OH; read - 5July; 24.7 larvae/sq.ft. check

Treatment Rate % Control
Talstar 0.147G
Talstar 0.086G
0.2
0.1
Tempo 0.1G
Permethrin 0.25G
Diazinon 3.2G
Merit 0.5G
MACH2 1.5G
0.087
0.272
4.0
0.4
1.5
appl - 24 May (late preventive); Wooster, OH; read - 12July; 17.8 larvae/sq.ft. check
64
43
50
32
68
86
36

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

Hairy chinch bug adults long wing & short wing forms
Hairy chinch bugs in thatch

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

250
April, May,
Populations of the Hairy Chinch Bug 2004
June, July, August, September, October
250
200
150
100
50
0
April, May, June, July, August, weeks
September, October
200
150
100
50
0
Variable
Adults
Nymphs
Eggs

Treatment Rate
Talstar PL 0.2G
0.10
“
0.26
DeltaGard 0.1G
“
0.09
0.13
Dursban 1G 1.00
Meridian 0.33G
0.20
% Control
6DAT
99
100
69
86
86
98 appl. 7 Sep., Boca Raton, FL; 515.1 scb/sq.ft. checks @ 6 DAT; St. Augustinegrass

Treatment
Merit 75WP
Arena
Arena
Tempo Ultra
Tempo 20WP
Talstar SC
Rate
0.3
0.3
0.4
0.1
0.2
0.1
% Control
7DAT 14DAT
83
22
98
92
90
78
63
0
98
96
87
81 appl. 30 Aug., Springboro, OH; 943.5 & 418.6 hcb/sq.ft. checks @ 7, & 14 DAT

Treatment Rate
% Control
8DAT 16DAT
LC0.04G-18
LC0.04G-25
LC0.04G-26
LC0.04G-27
LC0.04G-28
LC0.04G-29
Talstar EZ.2G
0.035
0.035
0.035
0.035
0.035
0.035
0.1
38
55
75
94
70
78
72
72
83
84
97
80
78
63 appl. 27 Aug., Dublin, OH; 240.0 & 224.2 hcb/sq.ft. checks @ 8, & 16 DAT
LC = lambda-cyhalothrin (=Scimitar) formulations

Treatment Rate
Merit 75WP
Arena
Arena
0.3
0.2
0.3
DPX-150SC 0.25
Meridian 25WG 0.2
Talstar EZ.2G
0.1
% Control
3DAT 15DAT
58
10
52
65
32
27
80
29
79
54
81
69 appl. 27 Aug., Dublin, OH; 70.2 & 312.5 hcb/sq.ft. checks @ 3, & 15 DAT

Treatment Rate
% Control
6DAT 13DAT
Merit 75WP
Merit 75WP
Arena G
Arena G
Spinosad G
Spinosad NAP
Talstar EZ.2G
0.3
0.4
0.3
0.4
0.4
0.4
0.1
71
68
41
90
58
62
66
67
78
87
86
49
67
95 appl. 18 Sept., Pickerington, OH; 592.8 & 377.5 hcb/sq.ft. checks @ 6 & 13 DAT
LC = lambda-cyhalothrin (=Scimitar) formulations

Treatment Rate
Talstar EZ 0.2G 0.1
Talstar EZ 0.2G
0.2
Merit 0.5G
0.3
TalstarF+Merit2 0.15+0.15
TalstarF+Merit2 0.2+0.2
% Control
6DAT 14DAT
86
86
98
99
52
89
80
72
98
99 appl. 25 Sept., Pickerington, OH; 183.3 & 232.7 hcb/sq.ft. checks @ 6 & 14 DAT

Clothianidin (Arena) & Facin (botanical)
Treatment Rate 7DAT
% Control
14DAT 28DAT
Arena 50WP 0.2
Arena 50WP
Arena 0.5G
Arena 0.5G
Facin
Facin
Talstar EZ.2G
0.3
0.2
0.3
8.5oz/M
10oz/M
0.2
95
100
94
96
90
81
98
100
97
98
100
85
64
98
100
100
100
100
99
71
100 appl. 25 Aug., Pickerington, OH; 132.9, 260.4 & 263.1 hcb/sq.ft. checks @ 7, 14 & 28 DAT

Alternate Products – Spinosad, Azadirachtin, Facin
Treatment Rate 7DAT
% Control
14DAT 21DAT
Spinosad 0.3G 0.4
Spinosad 0.3G
Azatrol 0.1G
Azatrol 0.1G
Facin
Facin
Talstar 0.115G
0.6
0.05
0.1
8.5oz/M
10oz/M
0.2
95
96
85
56
56
58
94
71
60
52
63
85
92
90
65
34
71
71
87
77
100 appl. 22 July, Pickerington, OH; 44.0, 44.0 & 56.9 hcb/sq.ft. checks @ 7, 14 & 21 DAT

Imidacloprid + Bifenthrin Combo & Acetamiprid
Treatment Rate 7DAT
% Control
14DAT 21DAT
Acetamiprid 0.18
Acetamiprid
Acetamiprid
Talstar One F
Talstar One F
Merit 2
Merit + Talstar
0.28
0.36
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.2 + 0.16
95
96
98
99
99
91
99
99
100
100
98
100
95
100
99
100
100
99
100
100
100 appl. 25 Aug., Pickerington, OH; 212.8, 212.8 & 274.1 hcb/sq.ft. checks @ 7, 14 & 21 DAT

Black Cutworm Agrotis ipsilon
Bronzed Cutworm Nephelodes minians
Variegated Cutworm Peridroma saucia
Common Armyworm Pseudaletia unipuncta
Fall Armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda
Yellowstriped Armyworm S. ornithogalli

Black cutworm damage spots on short-cut bentgrass.
Black cutworm larvae the morning after treatment with insecticide.
Black cutworm larva feeding at night.

The true armyworm, often called the common armyworm, has dark and light colored stripes and a )-(-mark on the head.
Armyworm larvae can seemingly eat turf down to the thatch “literally over night!”
The adult armyworm is a simple buff color with a diagnostic small white spot on each wing.

Fall armyworm egg mass on tree leaf.
FAW egg mass on post.
FAW larva showing white Y-mark on head.
FAW adult male.

Bluegrass WW P. teterrella
Larger SWW Pediasia trisecta
Western SWW Tehama bonifatella
Striped SWW Fissicrambus mutabilis
Corn Root Webworm Crambus caliginosellus
Vagabond Crambus Agriphila vulgivagella
Tropical SWW Herpetogramma phaeopteralis

Sod Webworms
Spring damage
Adult bluegrass webworm
Larva and frass

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 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!
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.

Insecticide Rate % Control # Tests
Organophosphates
Diazinon 5.5
Dursban 1.0
Dylox/Proxol 8.0
Orthene 5.0
94.0
98.7
87.3
92.3
4
18
4
4
Carbamates
Sevin
Turcam
4.0
2.0
96.8
89.7
5
3

Rate % Control # Tests Insecticide
Pyrethroids
Astro
DeltaGard
Scimitar
Tempo
0.04
0.08
0.02
0.10
100.0
94.5
96.8
97.6
2
2
5
21
Spinosyn
Conserve 0.3
90.1
6

Insecticide
Chloronicotinoid
Merit
Rate % Control # Tests
0.3
48.5
7
Molt Accelerator (growth regulator)
MACH2 1.0
86.5
Nematodes
S. carpocapsae 1.0 bil
H. bact.
0.5 bil
89.6
67.0
7
7
4

• 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

Traditional
• DiSyston (disulfoton)
• Bidrin injection
• Orthene injection
(Professional only)
Alternatives
• Tempo, Talstar
(Onyx), Deltagard,
Scimitar, Astro
• Merit injection
(beetles only!)
• Flagship? (nursery)
• ???

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

Traditional
• Sevin
• Orthene
(Professional only)
• Malathion
Alternatives
• Tempo, Talstar,
Deltagard, Scimitar,
Astro
• Conserve
• Merit (???)
• Flagship? (nursery)
• Bt
• Soaps or Oils

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

Traditional
• 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

Pine needle scale second instar nymphs and male
“pupae” on needles.
Pine tortoise scale mature females on stem.

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.

Traditional
• Sevin
• Orthene
(Professional only)
• Malathion
Alternatives
• Tempo, Talstar,
Deltagard, Scimitar,
Astro
• Merit (soft scales)
• Flagship (nursery)
• Soaps & Oils
• DiSyston (disulfoton)

Black Vine Weevil Management
What’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!)

Tetranortriterpenoid (ecdysone blocker; antifeedant)
Azadirachtin A & B (Azatrol, Neem, etc.)
>3540
Spinosad (synaptic stimulation nicotinic acetycholine sites)
Spinosads (Conserve) 3783-5000
Diacylhydrazine (molt accelerating compound, induces molt)
Halofenozide (MACH2) 2850
Phenylpyrazoles (GABA receptor disruption)
Fipronil (Chipco Choice) 97

The Neonicotinoids
Nitroguanidine (post-synaptic block, nicotinic ACH sites)
Imidacloprid (Merit) 450
Pyridylmethylamine (post-synaptic block, nicotinic ACH sites)
Acetamiprid (TriStar) 217
Nitroguanidine (post-synaptic block, nicotinic ACH sites)
Clothianidin (Arena) >5000
Nitroguanidine (post-synaptic block, nicotinic ACH sites)
Thiamethoxam (Meridian) 1563
Nitroguanidine (post-synaptic block, nicotinic ACH sites)
Dinotefuran (Safari) >2000

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

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Landscape Association
72 Dorchester Square
Westerville, OH 43081
614-899-1195
800-825-5062

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