Crane Fly – Cool Season // the Problem Crane Flies Are an Emerging Pest That Many Turf Managers May Not Recognize Nor Be Familiar with the Management Strategies
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Solution sheet Crane Fly – Cool Season // The Problem Crane flies are an emerging pest that many turf managers may not recognize nor be familiar with the management strategies. Two species, European crane fly (Tipula paludosa) and common crane fly (Tipula oleracea), with slightly different life cycles may be present depending on geography, which complicates management. Crane flies have been historically problematic in the Pacific Northwest and more recently in the Northeast United States as they thrive in mild winters and cool summers. However, they are now being reported in upper Midwest states including Michigan and Illinois. What To Look For The adult stage of both species looks like a giant mosquito, but do not damage turf. Both species typically lay their eggs in August and September. Larvae, called “leatherjackets” because of their tough skin, grow to become nearly an inch-long and look like a brown caterpillar with no head or legs. A distinguishing characteristic of crane fly larvae is that it retracts its pointed head into its body when disturbed. Larvae (3rd/4th instars) feed most actively and are usually the most damaging in late winter to early spring prior to pupating. They remain underground on sunny days, but feed above ground at night and often on overcast days. Larvae tunnel to the surface at night, potentially disrupting playability of the turf surface. Symptoms appear as sparse turf to bare patches which can expand into large areas of defoliation. Turf damaged by larvae is often unnoticed until feeding from birds and other vertebrates cause substantial turf damage. A second generation of common crane fly adults may also occur in the spring resulting in aggressively feeding larvae throughout the summer before pupating in early-fall. // The Solution Cultural control of crane flies is limited to reducing irrigation and limiting thatch. Crane flies thrive in moist soils and survivabil- ity of eggs is dependent upon adequate soil moisture. Thus wet August and Septembers favor population build-up. Crane flies also tend to favor areas with thatch accumulation so limiting thatch through regular aerification, topdressing, and vertical mowing/dethatching may help reduce crane fly populations. A preventative Merit® application in late-July or early-August targeting white grubs will also control 1st and 2nd instar larvae of crane flies that occur in the fall. Make sure to water-in Merit with 0.5 inch of water within 24 hours of application to maxi- mize control. In late-winter/early-spring when 3rd/4th instar leatherjackets reach 25-50 per sq ft and/or turf thinning occurs, apply Sevin® to control the larvae of both European and common crane flies, as well as adults of the common crane fly. Allectus® on fertilizer can also be applied during this same time frame to control the current 3rd/4th instar larvae of European and common crane flies, adult common crane flies, and their 1st and 2nd instar larvae developing later in the spring. Crane Fly Solutions Timing Target Solution Rate (per acre) Merit 0.5G 80 lbs Merit 2F 1.6 pt Late-July/ 1st-2nd instar larvae of European August and common crane fly Merit 75WSP 1.6 oz (1 packet) per 8,250 sq ft Allectus on Rate will vary with formulation, Fertilizer apply 0.4 lbs ai imidicloprid/acre 3rd/4th instar larvae of European Sevin 8.0 qts and common crane fly Late-Winter/ Adults of common crane fly (if present) Early-Spring 1st-2nd instar larvae of the 2nd generation Allectus on Rate will vary with formulation, of common crane fly (if present) Fertilizer apply 0.4 lbs ai imidacloprid/acre T. oleracea & T. pauludosa Life Cycles of Common and European Crane Flies* Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Adults Eggs Larvae Pupae Common Crane Fly Spring Common Crane Fly Fall European Crane Fly *Based on two generations per year for Common Crane Fly and one generation for European Crane Fly Life cycles of both the common crane fly (T. oleracea) and European crane fly (T. paludosa). Adult crane flies are visible in the fall European crane fly larvae at the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Close-up of the European crane fly 3rd instar but cause no damage to the turf. instar. Third instar are commonly referred to as larvae commonly referred to as a leatherjacket. (Bayer) leatherjackets. (Bayer) (Bayer) ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL INSTRUCTIONS Bayer Environmental Science, a Division of Bayer CropScience LP, 5000 CentreGreen Way, Suite 400, Cary, NC 27513. For additional product information, call toll-free 1-800-331-2867. Not all products are registered in all states. Bayer, the Bayer Cross, Merit and Allectus are registered trademarks of Bayer. Sevin is a registered trademark of Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc. © 2019 Bayer CropScience LP. ES-1018-GCS-506-A-R2.