Nematodes in Residential Lawns

I am fascinated with nematodes after to listening to this week’s lectures on nematode management.  It’s amazing how something so small can be so difficult to eradicate.  If a homeowner gets these little pests in his yard, he has absolutely no way to control them.  The only option a homeowner has is to keep the lawn as stress free as possible is by proper management of the lawn.  These management practices are the same that I have stated all semester.  They are proper mowing height and amount of fertilizer, and deep infrequent watering.   

One question that I have is what happens to the nematodes during the winter?  Do they continue to feed on the roots of dormant grass?  I did some research but found little answers.  I did find that nematode activity is dependent on temperature causing more damage during high temperatures with activity tapering off during cold periods.  I did not find enough information to know what happens to nematode infested grass while the grass is dormant.  Maybe this answer is not known.  In any case, the nematodes will still be there the next season.  Hopefully the grass was healthy enough to withstand any nematode feeding while it was dormant.  I can’t imagine having to constantly deal with an infestation.  The only solution to a homeowner has to ridding their lawn of a nematode problem is to rip out the current lawn and resod with a host resistant cultivar.  These little guys can give a homeowner a big headache and possibly an empty pocket book.   

http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/Crow_RP_07.pdf

Larra bicolor Wasp

After listening to this week’s lectures on turf pests, it seems that there is some help from beneficial insects to lower turf pest populations, but to gain good control over a pest population one has to use a chemical spray.  I thought if the beneficial insects were somehow attracted to a yard, the increased population of the beneficials could then control the pest population and eliminate the need for chemical spray.  I figured I was not the first to think of the idea of attracting beneficials, and did a little research to find out what others already know.  It didn’t take me long to find out about the Larra bicolor wasp.  This wasp parasitizes mole crickets by laying an egg inside the cricket.  The wasp larva feeds on the mole cricket killing it within two weeks.  The Larra bicolor wasp is not an aggressive wasp because it does not form and guard nests, so you don’t have to worry about being stung.  And, yes, you can attract this wasp to your yard.  It feeds on the nectar of the southern larra flower.  The flower is not very attractive, but I am all in for planting one or two southern larra plants in my yard if it will help to minimize a turf pest.   

     

Image retrieved from: http://midsouthentomologist.org.msstate.edu

 

http://ipm.ifas.ufl.edu/resources/projects/molecricket1.shtml

http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/fasulomolecrickets/mcri0300.htm