For the last 10 years, Annual Bluegrass Weevil (ABW) has become an issue in the mountains of Western NC. The adult insect emerges in springtime, where they overwintered in dense wooded areas on the outskirts of the golf course. It's life cycle starts again, and multiple generations are produced every growing season. Controlling this insect can be a real challenge. It's not only expensive but the timing is absolutely critical.
The 3 tees on hole #5 are showing the effects of ABW damage.
On a couple of our tees, we are seeing some minor damage from the ABW. Specifically, #5 tees and #9 tees. On top of that, these tees don't get near the sunlight they need, so recovering from any kind of damage is very difficult. We continue to monitor the activity of adults by doing soap flushes in key areas on fairways and tees. The soap irritates their skin, causing them to surface, where they can be counted. We also monitor and scout for the larval stage in the soil. These tiny grubs feed on the roots of the turf as well.
Above, Chad Stockton is performing a soap flush on the 1st fairway.
On a completely different topic, the USGA recently shared this graphic from one of their US Open preview programs this past week. I shared this graphic in the past but it is still amazing to consider how much golf course maintenance technology and the education of Superintendents has evolved over the last 40 plus years. We know the insect is here to stay, so we are committed to studying it's lifecycle and timing to get the best control possible.
