Problem: Black Turfgrass Ataenius Beetle
Problem Info
Grass wilts despite abundant moisture. Damage begins in late spring and becomes worse with hot, dry weather. Small irregular dead patches converge to form large dead sections. Weakened and dead turf is easily removed, revealing numerous pupae and grubs. Adults are reddish-brown to shiny black beetles, also 1/8 to 1/4 inch long. Ataenius beetle prefers closely mowed bluegrasses and bentgrasses; it is primarily a problem on golf courses (rarely on home lawns).
Analysis
Ataenius spretulus This beetle prefers closely mowed annual and Kentucky bluegrasses and bentgrasses. Only one generation occurs per year in the North; two or three generations occur from the middle latitudes south. Adults overwinter in nearby wooded areas, among leaf litter and mulch, and return to turf in early spring. The grubs cause damage by feeding on roots where soil and thatch meet. Damage is heaviest just before larvae pupate in early summer.
Solution Advice
Control annual bluegrass to make the lawn less attractive to females.
