You Are Here: Management Updates 2006 Archive April 10, 2006

Date: April 10, 2006
Category: Insects
Subject: Spring Insect Development

Spring is springing - and bugs are popping!
We have not yet made our first trip down to Westchester County, but phone conversations confirm that spring is moving along quite quickly down that way. Forsythia are already past  full bloom and into that "half green, half gold" stage in some areas. But of course some golf courses see a seven to ten day difference in plant phenology on the same golf course.

We will be putting out our first applications of traditional insecticides in a field trial in Westchester County a week from today (on Patriot's Day), which is a week earlier by the calendar than we did in 2005.

We will know a lot more after we return from that trip, but right now I have to assume that insect development (grubs, annual bluegrass weevils, sod webworms) is running about a week earlier than last year in most of our "viewing area". I have even had e-mail updates from some of you in Maine indicating that the grubs are up, feeding actively and happily.

So be prepared - things will start to "happen" quickly in the next couple of weeks. We will give you an update after we return from Westchester County next week and have a chance to look at the samples.

Submitted by: Dr. Pat Vittum

DISCLAIMER - As always, it is the responsibility of the applicator to verify the registration status of any pesticide BEFORE applying it. Different states have different regulations as well. The author and the University of Massachusetts are not liable for any consequences of any pesticide "recommendations". Mention of any trade name is not to be considered endorsement of a product.

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