Billbugs are the newest enemy at Glendale CC

We have been hit with an infestation of Billbugs here at Glendale CC and the results of their feeding are starting to show. Billbugs are small insects that live in the soil while they are in the larvae stage of development. Once they hatch the look like a small brown beetle. The adults don't do any damage, but the larvae chew on the crown of grass plants and kill the turf.

The photo above shows the Billbug larvae that are tearing up our course. They are about the size of a grain of rice. We are in the middle of a three day process of spraying an insecticide on the entire course to kill them. I have never seen this level of infestation at Glendale, we had some two years ago on the sixth and seventh fairways. We sprayed the affected areas and I never thought about it since. Last Sunday morning I was here helping the water crew when I noticed some areas I thought were burned from being too dry. Upon closer inspection I found that not to be the case. The area next to #1 tee is shown below. 

 

There is widespread damage on the driving range tee making it unusable until we can get re-seeded. We'll have to wait and see how much damage is caused around the course by the bugs since it takes 4-5 days for the insecticide to kill them. I'm sure the greens will be OK, but fairways and tees could be affected in some areas.

 

I grabbed a handful of turf next to #1 tee and pulled it up like I was picking up a pile of cut grass clippings. I guess I actually was pulling up a pile of dead clippings since the Billbugs chewed off the crown of the plants and severed them from the roots.  

The collar around the practice area green got torn up by Crows looking for Billbugs to eat. I have never seen Crow damage this bad. This entire area will have to be stripped and sodded. The photo below shows #6 white tee and the damage around it.

I will closely monitor the condition of the course over the next several days and post any more damage that occurs.

Steve Kealy

Golf Course Superintendent