You Are Here: Management Updates 1998 Archive May 11, 1998

Date: May 11, 1998
Category: Insects
Subject: European Chafers, Black Turfgrass Ataenius

We have been experiencing considerable grub damage in New England this spring. Most of the affected areas seem to involve European chafers and the distribution of the species is much more widespread than we had previously realized. Certainly much of eastern Massachusetts is experiencing European chafers, and we have even found some in western massachusetts.

This species can be particularly difficult because it stays up feeding later in the fall and returns to the root zone earlier in the spring than other species. In addition EC tend to be less susceptible to several insecticides than are other species.

Grub activity remains notable, but with the spring rains, some turf areas are managing to outgrow some of that damage. Preliminary results from our grub survey indicate that European chafers are the dominant species in eastern Massachusetts, showing up in most sites inside Route 495. Oriental beetles are also showing up from samples from Cape Cod and southeastern Massachusetts.

It is too late to treat for grub problems this spring.

The spring phenology is slowly settling down. At one point we were three weeks (or more) ahead of normal, but now things are settling in. Annual bluegrass weevil adults have been active, but we have not had as many reports from people actually seeing adults in large numbers on greens. The weevils should be laying eggs now (early May) in Massachusetts, and tiny larvae should be hatching by 20 May or so. Treatments for Annual Bluegrass Weevils should have gone down between 20 April and 5 May for those folks in metropolitan New York a bit later further north.

Black turfgrass ataenius adults are active as well, but egg laying should begin just a bit later.

- Submitted by: Dr. Pat Vittum