Towards sustainable management of the annual bluegrass weevil

The annual bluegrass weevil (ABW) has become the most difficult-to-manage golf turf

 insect pest throughout the Northeast. Due to insecticide overuse, insecticide-resistant ABW

 populations are a growing problem. In highly resistant populations all but 1 of the currently

 available insecticides seem to be affected. Further spread and intensification of the problem

 can only be prevented with a broad multi-prong approach. As a basis for the development of

 recommendations on resistance management we are studying the degree and scope of insecticide

 resistance (ABW stages, different insecticide MoAs) to determine baseline ABW susceptibility

 to commonly used insecticides, diagnostic doses to detect resistant populations, resistance and

 cross resistance patterns and possible mechanisms, and the efficacy of selected insecticides

 against adults and larvae. We are investigating ABW chemical ecology (presence and effects of

 pheromones and plant volatiles to develop attractant-based monitoring tools. We are studying

 plant resistance mechanisms in bentgrasses, particularly plant secondary chemicals as feeding

 and oviposition deterrents. And we are investigating abiotic factors affecting ABW reproduction

 and onset of oviposition in spring to allow more accurate timing of control measures and predict

 life history events with greater precision.