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University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Department of Entomology

Turfgrass Entomology

KEY TO COMMON TURFGRASS INSECT PESTS

SOIL-ACTIVE INSECTS FEEDING ON CROWNS, ROOTS AND UNDERGROUND STEMS

1.		C-shaped,cream-colored bodies; three pairs of short legs behind reddish-brown head; 1/4 to 1 inch in length	White Grubs
	a.	Spines on raster without distinct pattern	Masked Chafer Grubs
	b.	Spines on raster arranged in two distinct parallel lines	May/June Beetle Grubs
	c.	Spines on raster forming "V" shape	Japanese Beetle Grubs
	d.	Very small grub; spines on raster without distinct pattern; two pad-like structures on raster	Black Turfgrass Ataenius Grubs
2.		Creamed-colored, legless bodies with brown heads and bodies; 1/4 to 1/2 inch long; appear similar to a grain of puffed rice	Billbug Larvae (Grubs)

SURFACE-ACTIVE INSECTS FEEDING ON LEAVES AND STEMS

1.		Gray to tan caterpillars; 1/4-1 inch long with small dark spots on body	Sod Webworms
2.		Caterpillars with six true legs on front part of body, prolegs on abdomen, and brown to gray head; 1 ½ inches in length	Cutworms and Armyworms
	a.	Dark brown to black on upper side; paler on underside; three narrow yellow stripes on back and a broad yellow stripe on each side, bronze sheen	Bronzed Cutworms
	b.	Dark gray to black with pale stripe down back; few other markings	*Black Cutworms*
	c.	Grey to brown with orange lateral stripe and a series of darker lateral markings; row of yellow or white dots down middle of back	*Variegated Cutworms*
	d.	Gray to yellowish green tinged with pink; stripes down center of back and along each side; head light brown with a distinct honeycomb pattern	*Armyworms*
	e.	Gray to yellow-green, stripes on sides, inverted "Y" marking on head	*Fall Armyworms*
3.		Hard-shelled, dark brown to black 1/4 inch long weevils with mouthparts located at the end of curved snout or bill, slow moving, "play possum" when disturbed	*Bluegrass Billbug Adults*
4.		Predominantly black bodies with white wings or wingless; 1/10 inch; Nymphs are small bright red insects with a white band across the abdomen	*Chinch Bugs*
5.		Light green aphid, 1/10 inch long with narrow, dark green stripe down back; black-tipped legs, antennae and cornicles ("tail pipes"); winged and wingless forms	*Greenbugs*
6.		Small, wedge-shaped green or brown insects 1/8 to 3/8 inch long; very active - jumping, flying or rapidly moving over leaf blades	*Leafhoppers*
7.		Minute (less than 1/32 inch), oval-shaped, reddish-brown to green bodies; often suspended in network of fine webbing on undersides of grass blades	*Spider Mites*
8.		Small brown to black insects active on soil surface; volcano-like mounds of soil	*Ants*