Turfgrass Entomology Lab Updates

By Ben McGraw, Associate Professor of Turfgrass Entomology

The last Turfgrass Entomology update stated rainfall was a major driver of insect-related issues in Pennsylvania in 2017. Little did we know that was just the tip of the iceberg. Warm and excessively wet springs in 2018 and 2019 have led to some bigger insect pest outbreak years than we have observed in the last decade.

Earthworms problems have been on the rise and continue to be an area of study for the lab. Our long-term cultural control studies have cast doubt on the ability of fairway topdressing dressing programs and acidifying fertilizers to reduce casts. We will continue to examine these effects over a longer time scale than traditional studies, as well as assess effects of products that have recently come to market. We will be soil sampling courses in spring to better understand conditions that favor earthworms and determine if corrective measures may be taken to discourage populations in these areas.

Audrey Simard joined the lab in January. She has recently completed her master’s degree at the University of Wisconsin, where she characterized how fungicides may have negative impact on pollinators. Her Ph.D. project is part of a USGA-funded study examining plant defense mechanisms against ABW.