LEXINGTON – The Department on Entomology at the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, is studying a newly arrived pest affecting turfgrasses commonly found at golf courses.
The annual bluegrass weevil, a small type of beetle, is considered one of the largest threats to golf course turfgrass in the Northeastern United States. More recently, the ABW has made its way to the Southeast, causing golf course superintendents and managers to rethink how they protect their courses from damage caused by this very costly pest.
ABW adults and larvae feed on short mown turfgrasses commonly found in golf course fairways, collars, approaches and putting greens. Adults feed on individual leaf blades. However, larvae feed inside the stems of grasses and, when big enough, begin feeding on the crown of the plant, which is the growth point located at the base of grasses.
If left unchecked, ABW can kill large swards of turfgrass. This is especially problematic on golf courses where turf is valued for its aesthetic appeal and used as the playing surface for the sport.
“We know a lot about the ABW’s biology and seasonal activity in the Northeast, but we don’t know when the different life stages are active here in Kentucky and when populations peak in abundance,” said Caleb Wilson, assistant professor of Urban Landscape Entomology at UK. “A big part of this research project is to better understand the ABW’s seasonal activity in different parts of the Bluegrass region where this critter is established so that superintendents across Central Kentucky can manage it more effectively.”
The Kentuckiana Golf Course Superintendents Associationprovided a gift to fund this project to help advance UK’s turfgrass research in the region.
UK, in partnership with the KGCSA, wants to reduce pest management costs for golf course superintendents and managers — helping make better decisions to treat and produce healthier turfgrass in Kentucky.