Coleoptera seen in the crown of the plant. Usually starts on the edges of turf. Curculionidae Sphenophorus Billbug Damage occurs primarily from November brunipennis through to January. Infected turf will turn yellow initially and then brown as the larvae chew through stolons and rhizomes. The turf can easily be removed from the soil similar to scarab beetle damage. A second generation can occur in February if environmental conditions are favourable. Scarabaeidae Aphoditus tasmaniae and headed Destruction of the turf may occur in cockchafer and autumn through the feeding activity of large Adoryphorus couloni larvae when these are present at densities Red headed of 200–500 per m2. Heavy infestations can cockchafer result in the roots of turf plants being severed to such an extent that the turf can be rolled back in sheets. Cyclocephala signaticollis Argentinian Grubs are very damaging root feeders. This scarab causes the plant to weaken and may die in times of slight heat or water stress. This can be identified easily as affected plants lose their stability and wilt. Heteronychus arator African black Irregular dead of turf eaten below beetle ground. Sericesthis geminate and Lawn or Caterpillars feed on roots, the S. pruinose Pruinose sod, this way reducing the turf’s ability to scarab respond to stress. Lepidoptera Oncopora spp. Sod webworm, The removal of leaves in irregular The Underground presence of a fine silk web. Excretion on Hepialidae grass grubs leaves. Noctuidae Agrotis infusa Common The cutworm caterpillar strips the grass of cutworm or its foliage, limiting the grasses’ ability to A. ipsilon Bogong moth grow. A more devastating action of the cutworm caterpillar, and the reason for its A. munda Greasy name, is its tendency to cut off plants above, cutworm at or below the soil surface, thus the caterpillar actually destroys far more than it Brown or Pink consumes. cutworm
Coleoptera Curculionidae seen in the crown of the plant. Usually starts on the edges of turf. Sphenophorus brunipennis Billbug Damage occurs primarily from November through to January. Infected turf will turn yellow initially and then brown as the larvae chew through stolons and rhizomes. The turf can easily be removed from the soil similar to scarab beetle damage. A second generation can occur in February if environmental conditions are favourable. Scarabaeidae Aphoditus tasmaniae and Adoryphorus couloni headed cockchafer and Red headed cockchafer Destruction of the turf may occur in autumn through the feeding activity of large larvae when these are present at densities of 200–500 per m2. Heavy infestations can result in the roots of turf plants being severed to such an extent that the turf can be rolled back in sheets. Cyclocephala signaticollis Argentinian scarab Grubs are very damaging root feeders. This causes the plant to weaken and may die in times of slight heat or water stress. This can be identified easily as affected plants lose their stability and wilt. Heteronychus arator African black beetle Irregular dead of turf eaten below ground. Sericesthis geminate and S. pruinose Lawn or Pruinose scarab Caterpillars feed on roots, the sod, this way reducing the turf’s ability to respond to stress. Lepidoptera Hepialidae Oncopora spp. Sod webworm, Underground grass grubs The removal of leaves in irregular The presence of a fine silk web. Excretion on leaves. Noctuidae Agrotis infusa A. ipsilon A. munda Common cutworm or Bogong moth Greasy cutworm Brown or Pink cutworm The cutworm caterpillar strips the grass of its foliage, limiting the grasses’ ability to grow. A more devastating action of the cutworm caterpillar, and the reason for its name, is its tendency to cut off plants above, at or below the soil surface, thus the caterpillar actually destroys far more than it consumes.
The%20Biology%20of%20Ryegrass%20and%20Tall%20fescue%202017.docx