Source: www.TurfMagazine.com
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Doug Richmond, a turfgrass entomologist and extension specialist at Purdue University, warns fellow Hoosiers, especially those living or providing lawn care services in the northern half of Indiana, to be on the lookout for spring grub damage.
The culprit, he says, is the European chafer (Rhizotrogus majalis Razoumowsky). Some areas of northern Indiana are starting to see severe damage to turfgrass caused by this pest.
“This insect is a slightly different beast than our more familiar white grub species,” writes Richmond in the latest Purdue Extension Turf Tips blog. It is more cold hardy than other common species of white grubs, and it often shows up in areas with no previous history of white grub damage, including low-maintenance areas.
Richmond points out that the pest is well-known in regions of Michigan.
And, of course, grubs do not recognize state lines and will move to wherever they find conditions suitable to feed and reproduce. So, if you’re doing lawn care in surrounding states, be on the lookout for their damage this spring.
To view images of early-spring damage caused by these turf pests, and to see the latest recommendations for controlling them, click on the article in the Purdue Turf Tip.