1. Biological Control of the Annual Bluegrass Weevil in New Jersey B. A. McGraw and A. Koppenhöfer

2. Listronotus maculicollis Single most destructive insect pest on golf course turfgrass in the NE, U.S. Primarily feeds on annual bluegrass, a prevalent grass weed on golf courses Managed preventatively with pyrethroids

3. ABW Development Vittum et al. 1999 Cameron and Johnson, 1971

4. Annual Bluegrass Poa annua Highly invasive grass weed found cool- temperate regions Performs well under close mowing Performs poorly in heat/drought stress

5. ABW Damage

7. New Jersey Survey for Infected ABW

9. Infection of ABW by endemic EPNs Late-stage infection by endemic nematodes in ABW larva. Early-stage infections in ABW larva and late stage infection in pupa.

10. Entomopathogenic nematode life cycle

11. Survey for natural pathogens of ABW in NJ County # GC sampled # of areas sampledw/ ABW w/ EPN- infected ABW w/ EPN in soil Bergen 4 19 91 0 Morris 2 5 20 0 Essex 2 15 00 2 Middlesex 1 6 20 1 Monmouth 2 5837327 Total1110350430 % Total--498*29 EPN in Soil: 34% H. bacteriophora, 66% S. carpocapsae ABW infections: 98% H. bacteriophora, 2% S. carpocapsae

12. Seasonal Dynamics

13. Seasonal dynamics of ABW and infections by endemic EPN in GC fairways Pine Brook GC, Manalapan, NJ

18. Future Research Conduct laboratory assays against various lifestages of ABW, EPNs and environmental variables Conduct field trials with promising EPNs Monitor the impact of ABW on P. annua and overseeding on the turfgrass species

19. Acknowledgements: Technical support: E. Fuzy, M. Resnick and Z. Eagan Funding: GCSAA, USGA and Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science