David J. Shetlar

Trapping Phyllophaga spp. (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) in the United States and Canada using sex attractants.

Abstract The sex pheromone of the scarab beetle, Phyllophaga anxia, is a blend of the methyl esters of two amino acids, L-valine and L-isoleucine. A field trapping study was conducted, deploying different blends of the two compounds at 59 locations in the United States and Canada. More than 57,000 males of 61 Phyllophaga species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) were captured and identified. Three major findings included: (1) widespread use of the two compounds [of the 147Phyllophaga (sensu stricto) species found in the United States and Canada, males of nearly 40% were captured]; (2) in most species intraspecific male response to the pheromone blends was stable between years and over geography; and (3) an unusual pheromone polymorphism was described from P. anxia. Populations at some locations were captured with L-valine methyl ester alone, whereas populations at other locations were captured with L-isoleucine methyl ester alone. At additional locations, the L-valine methyl ester-responding populations and the L-isoleucine methyl ester-responding populations were both present, producing a bimodal capture curve. In southeastern Massachusetts and in Rhode Island, in the United States, P. anxia males were captured with blends of L-valine methyl ester and L-isoleucine methyl ester. Resumen La feromona sexual del escarabajo, Phyllophaga anxia, es una mezcla de los ésteres metílicos de dos aminoácidos, L-valina y L-isoleucina. Se condujo un estudio de campo usando diferentes mezclas de los dos componentes en 59 sitios de Estados Unidos y Canada. Más de 57,000 machos de 61 especies dePhyllophaga fueron capturados e identificados. Tres de los resultados más importantes incluyen: (1) el extenso uso de los dos componentes [de las 147 especies de Phyllophaga (sensu stricto), en Estados Unidos y Canada, fueron capturados machos de cerca del 40% de ellas.]; (2) para la mayoría de las especies, la respuesta intraespecífica de los machos a las combinaciones de los dos aminoácidos fue consistente entre años diferentes, y en todos los sitios geográficos; y (3) un inusual polymorfismo de la feromona fue descrito para P. anxia. Poblaciones de algunos sitios fueron atrapados sólo con valina, mientras que poblaciones de otros sitios fueron atrapados sólo con isoleucina. También se encontraron sitios donde las poblaciones responden a ambos componentes, valina e isoleucina, produciendo una curva de captura bimodal. En el sureste del estado de Massachusetts y en Rhode Island, en Estados Unidos, machos de P. anxia fueron atrapados en trampas con mezclas de valina e isoleucina.

Overseeding Endophytic Perennial Ryegrass into Stands of Kentucky Bluegrass to Manage Bluegrass Billbug (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Abstract Studies were conducted to determine the utility of overseedingendophyte enhanced varieties of perennial ryegrass, Loliumperenne L., into existing stands of Kentucky bluegrass, Poapratensis L., to manage bluegrass billbug, Sphenophorusparvulus Gyllenhal, larval populations and their damage. Twocommercial varieties of endophyte enhanced perennial ryegrass (RepellII and Triple Play) were overseeded at two different rates in thefield. S. parvulus larval populations, their damage, andturfgrass composition were monitored over the course of 3 yr.Significantly fewer larvae were found in plots overseeded with RepellII, whereas Triple Play had no significant effect on larval populationdensity. Endophyte infection was confirmed in ≈58% of all Repell IIshoots, whereas only ≈31% of Triple Play shoots were infected.Regression analysis, using a segmented model, demonstrated that larvalpopulations declined as the proportion of endophyte-infected perennialryegrass increased. However, no additional reductions in larvalpopulation density were achieved in stands containing >40%endophyte-infected perennial ryegrass. Visual damage varied withcultivar, seeding rate, and year, but generally decreased as theproportion of endophyte-infected perennial ryegrass increased. Althoughseeding rate had an initial effect on turfgrass composition, thesedifferences were not detected after the first year of the study.Results indicate overseeding existing stands of Kentucky bluegrass withendophytic varieties of perennial ryegrass can reduce S.parvulus larval populations and their damage. However, plantgenetic characteristics (i.e., different cultivars) may be overridingdeterminants of many aspects of plant performance includingestablishment, tolerance to insect feeding, and expression ofendophyte-mediated resistance.

Hairy chinch bug (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) damage, population density, and movement in relation to the incidence of perennial ryegrass infected by Neotyphodium endophytes.

Abstract Studies examined hairy chinch bug, Blissus leucopterus hirtus Montandon, damage, population density, and movement in stands of perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenne L., containing various proportions of endophyte infected plants (E+). Our main objective was to determine the utility of mixtures containing E+ for management of chinch bugs. Chinch bug damage and population density decreased linearly as the proportion of E+ increased. This trend held true even when chinch bug populations were extremely high. Chinch bug nymphs emigrated more quickly from stands containing 100% E+ than they did from stands containing 50 or 0% E+, whereas adult chinch bug emigration was relatively unaffected by the proportion of E+. Our results indicate that turfgrass mixtures containing E+ can reduce chinch bug damage and population density.

Ground Beetle Assemblages (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and Their Seasonal Abundance in Cool Season Turfgrass Lawns of Quebec

Abstract Turfgrass lawns support a diverse fauna of arthropods including ground beetles, a major predator and seed feeding group. Despite their ubiquity and ecological roles, few studies have looked at ground beetle diversity and composition within lawns. We studied assemblages of Carabidae and their seasonal abundance in a newly established and a 10-yr-old lawn located in Quebec City, Canada. Carabids were sampled from May to November in 2003, 2004, and 2005 using pitfall traps. A total of 17 species in 10 genera and 7 tribes were identified. In the new lawn, three ground beetle species represented 72% of total Carabidae: Harpalus rufipes (30%), Clivina fossor (30%), and Amara aenea (12%). In the older lawn, the most abundant species were Amara aenea (31%), Bembidion mimus (21%), and Dyschirius brevispinus (19%), representing 71% of total Carabidae. Ground beetles were six times more abundant at the older site, and there were minor differences in species diversity between sites and years. For the most abundant Carabidae collected, seasonal abundance patterns were similar for A. aenea and B. mimus with peak abundance in July and/or August. For Harpalus rufipes, seasonal abundance was higher in 2003 and 2005 than in 2004, suggesting a biennial life cycle.

Implementing integrated pest management in professional lawn care: a case study

Human choices regarding land cover management practices may influence ecosystem services provided by urban green spaces. We conducted a 2-year study to compare biological (weed, insect, and disease), aesthetic (lawn quality), and economic (lawn care program cost) attributes of an integrated pest management (IPM) program, in which pesticides are applied on the basis of treatment thresholds, with a standard program, in which pesticides are applied on a calendar basis without pest monitoring. Both programs were managed by a professional lawn care operator. Although weed incidence was low, the IPM program had significantly more lawns with weed presence than the standard program during 2005 and 2006. However, only 21% of the IPM lawns required herbicide applications in 2005, and none exceeded the treatment threshold (5% weed cover) in 2006 as compared to 100% of the standard program lawns being treated for weeds in both years. The IPM program also had significantly more lawns with insect damage than the standard program during June 2005 and August 2005, but not September 2005 and throughout 2006. Only 28% of the IPM lawns required insecticide applications in 2005 and none exceeded the threshold (5% insect damage) in 2006 whereas all of the lawns in the standard program received insecticide treatments in both years. Rhizoctonia blight was present on some of the lawns, but was not a common problem. Although lawn quality was high for both programs (>8, on a scale of 1–9), it was significantly higher for standard than for IPM program lawns during 2005, and June 2006 and September 2006, but not August 2006. The annual lawn management costs were lower for the IPM (

The effect of climate change on skin disease in North America

281.50) than the standard program (

Sorption of chlorpyrifos and fonofos on four soils and turfgrass thatch using membrane filters

458.06). Thirty one percent of the IPM program customers who continued with the study in 2006 did so because they were satisfied with the IPM program. Among those who did not continue with the program, 33% cited weed or insect problems, while 33% expected better results. The implications of these findings for implementation of IPM in professional lawn care are further discussed.

Black cutworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larval emigration and biomass in mixtures of endophytic perennial ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass.

&NA; Global temperatures continue to rise, reaching new records almost every year this decade. Although the causes are debated, climate change is a reality. Consequences of climate change include melting of the arctic ice cap, rising of sea levels, changes in precipitation patterns, and increased severe weather events. This article updates dermatologists about the effects of climate change on the epidemiology and geographic ranges of selected skin diseases in North America. Although globalization, travel, and trade are also important to changing disease and vector patterns, climate change creates favorable habitats and expanded access to immunologically naïve hosts. Endemic North American illnesses such as Lyme disease, leishmaniasis, and dimorphic fungal infections have recently expanded the geographic areas of risk. As temperatures increase, epidemic viral diseases such as hand‐foot‐and‐mouth disease may develop transmission seasons that are longer and more intense. Chikungunya and dengue are now reported within the southern United States, with Zika on the horizon. Cutaneous injuries from aquatic and marine organisms that have expanding habitats and longer durations of peak activity include jellyfish envenomation, cercarial dermatitis, and seabather eruption, among others. Skin cancer rates may also be affected indirectly by changes in temperature and associated behaviors.

Preventive Control of Bluegrass Billbug, Sphenophorus parvulus , in Lawn Turf, 2012

Abstract Chemical transport in soil is a major factor influencing soil and water contamination. Four soils and turfgrass thatch, representing a wide range of organic carbon OC content were studied to determine sorption Kd and Kf parameters for the insecticides chlorpyrifos and fonofos. The batch equilibrium method was used. The concentration of insecticide was measured in the solution as well as in the solid phase to determine the most accurate sorption data. Four soils and thatch were equilibrated for 24 h at 22 ± 1OC with aqueous insecticide solutions. Four concentrations of the insecticides, each <50% of their respective water solubilities, were selected for the experiments. After extraction with an organic solvent, the concentration of insecticides in the aqueous solution was determined by gas liquid chromatography using electron capture detection for chlorpyrifos, and nitrogen/phosphorus detection for fonofos. Data obtained were fitted to the log and simple linear form of the Freundlich equation. Mas...

Curative Control of Sod Webworms and Black Cutworms in Bentgrass Turf, 2012

Abstract Studies examined the possibility that mixtures of endophytic perennial ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass provide resistance against larvae of the black cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel). We hypothesized that resistance against A. ipsilon in such stands would stem from the influence of Kentucky bluegrass on A. ipsilon growth and behavior rather than the influence of endophytic perennial ryegrass. In replicated greenhouse experiments, black cutworm larvae initially emigrated more quickly from pots containing monocultures of endophytic perennial ryegrass than from Kentucky bluegrass monocultures or polycultures of Kentucky bluegrass and endophytic perennial ryegrass. However, biomass of emigrating larvae decreased linearly as the proportion of Kentucky bluegrass increased. Turfgrass mixtures containing endophytic perennial ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass may provide resistance against A. ipsilon mainly through the physiological effects of Kentucky bluegrass on A. ipsilon growth and development, but possibly through the influence of endophytic perennial ryegrass on A. ipsilon movement and foraging behavior as well.