Category: Pest Control

If you have walked out on your lawn recently you may have noticed hundreds of small, buff colored, moths flittering here or there as you approach.  These may be alarming for both farmers as well as turfgrass managers because they;...

This is the time of year to target for grub control. Whether your grub control products were applied a month ago, last week or are to be applied next week, the time when they actually do their work is early...

The Giant Canada goose (Anatidae: Branta canadensis maxima) recently has become one of the most serious pests of parks and golf courses in the Eastern half of the United States. These geese are probably the most adaptable of all waterfowl and, if...

Hunting billbug is becoming a significant problem in parts of southern Indiana where zoysiagrass is grown.  These insects typically have two generations per year in this part of the Midwest with the larvae of both generations being capable of causing...

With the winter snows melting away many are often surprised to find a series of tiny trails on the surface of their lawns and turfgrass fields.  These are vole highways.   Voles are often called meadow mice or field mice. While...

A number of solitary bees and wasps reside in turfgrass and landscapes. Because of their ability to harm humans, these insects often evoke a great deal of anxiety. However, in reality they very rarely sting. Education is the single best...

In response to requests from our industry, we will be teaching a workshop in Spanish at Field Day on July 21. “White Grub Biology and Control” will be taught by Victoria Caceres from the Department of Entomology. This is a...

Grub control products are currently being displayed in the center aisles of retail department and discount stores and are advertised on the radio as providing season-long grub control when applied in early May. What are the facts behind this recommendation?...

Superintendants and lawn care professionals in the southernmost counties of Indiana should be advised that adult billbug activity has already been documented at one of the monitoring sites in the Evansville area.  Mr. Jeff Sexton, Assistant Superintendant at Rolling Hills...

This summer saw some extensive billbug damage in many parts of Indiana.  Obvious damage to Kentucky bluegrass in the central and northern parts of the state are not uncommon and can usually be attributed to the bluegrass billbug.  However, reports...

We have been monitoring reports of very large infestations of armyworm moths flying into Kentucky this spring.  Armyworms move north with storms from the southern states each year and depending upon how and where the storms blow will dictate when...

Moles are back at it again!. These small subterranean, tunnel-making  pests can cause big frustrations for those managing turfgrass and landscapes.  Mole damage is most noticeable during the spring and fall, but spring may be the most effective time to...

The presence of three potentially serious white grub pests of turfgrass and ornamental plants were confirmed this year during surveys conducted by the Turfgrass Entomology and Applied Ecology Laboratory at Purdue University and the Indiana Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey with...

Reports of grub damage are becoming more frequent this week. A number of reports of damage have come from northern IN where moisture conditions have created ideal conditions for grub damage in spite of preventative insecticide applications. If grub damage...

As summer stresses start to take a toll on our cool-season grasses on greens, more questions are arising about the potential of nematodes. We found ring and stunt nematodes in many of our samples from last year, but we're not...

It seems that the Japanese beetles have been arriving early for the last few years but this year is truly an exception. The first Japanese beetles of the year were observed in central Indiana on the 3rd of June. This...

It appears that our unseasonably warm spring has pushed the activity of many insects as much as 2-3 weeks ahead of traditional expectations. Among the turfgrass insects that are showing up early this year are the billbugs. These insects over-winter...

The presence of two potentially serious white grub pests of turfgrass and ornamental plants has recently been confirmed in three northern Indiana counties; Porter, St. Joseph and Allen. The European chafer and Asiatic garden beetle are similar in biology to...

It was just a matter of time. While invasive species such as the emerald ash borer have been garnering so much attention in the press, the Turfgrass Entomology and Applied Ecology Laboratory at Purdue University has been tracking the spread...

During late March and April we get many calls about voles and vole damage in turfgrass. Voles are among the most important vertebrate pests in turf areas. Unfortunately the name ‘vole' is very close to the name ‘mole' causing some...