Blog Archives

University of Kentucky’s 46th Annual Turf and Landscape Short Course

Registration is now open for the University of Kentucky’s 46th Annual Turf and Landscape Short Course, presented in partnership with the Kentucky Horticulture Council. The event will be held at the Hardin County Extension Center in Elizabethtown, KY on February

Posted in Announcements, Lawn & Turf

Cicada Killer Season Leads to Confusion with Murder Hornets

As we head into the latter end of summer, the trees are alive with the sound of insect music thanks to annual cicadas. Depending on your opinion of their singing talents, you might be delighted or horrified to learn of

Posted in Lawn & Turf

Don’t Lose Sleep over Fall Armyworms

Last year, Kentucky was one of the many states impacted by a historic outbreak of fall armyworms. Much of the eastern U.S. was eaten up by these hungry, hungry caterpillars with lawns and fields on the menu. While things eventually

Posted in Landscapes, Lawn & Turf

Crawfish Chimneys in the Lawn

A common request in the spring is how to get rid of crawfish that are making unsightly mud chimneys in lawns. Crawfish can be common in lawns and other low-lying areas where the water table in close to the surface.

Posted in Lawn & Turf

An Overview on Development Times for Fall Armyworm

Fall armyworms are the talk of the State still, and many of the questions we receive focus on when this could happen again this year. The honest truth is that we can’t provide an exact date of when people need

Posted in Lawn & Turf

Fall Armyworm Outbreak: Round Two

About a month ago, we experienced a large fall armyworm moth flight into the state from southern areas. This resulted in outbreaks in Western Kentucky in pastures, sorghum, and soybeans, primarily double-crop beans.  Some surrounding states consider this the biggest

Posted in Forages, Grains, Lawn & Turf

Cicada Killers, Not Murder Hornets, Are in Our Yards

If you listen closely, you might hear the annual cicadas singing their songs in the trees. You might also hear some of them making their “alarm” signal, a whirring/grinding noise they use when under attack. What is there for these

Posted in Lawn & Turf

Soggy Weather means Lots of Millipedes and Fungus Gnats

Recently, we have been seeing a lot of inquiries on two denizens of dampness; fungus gnats and millipedes. While neither of these arthropods are huge problems, they can become curiosities and annoyances when the weather is as wet as it

Posted in Household Pests, Lawn & Turf

Ground-Nesting and Digger Bees

The University of Kentucky Department of Entomology receives several calls a year from growers concerned about ground-nesting or digger bees in their gardens. There are many different species of these bees, and while their sizes can vary, they are generally

Posted in Landscapes, Lawn & Turf

Green June Beetle–“The Other” White Grubs

Most fall problems with white grubs are due to root-feeding by Japanese beetles and/or masked chafer grubs. Severe damage results in irregular patches of rootless dead grass that can be pulled up like pieces of loose rug. In contrast, activity

Posted in Lawn & Turf

Scolia dubia Swarming Lawns

There have been quite a few reports last week of people with concern over wasp activity on lawns. The wasp of concern is Scoila dubia. It doesn’t have a common name but ‘grub hunter’ would describe its role. Many people

Posted in Lawn & Turf

Cicada Killer Wasps

Cicada killer wasps are busy during July and August, capturing prey and bringing it to individual burrows to feed their developing larvae. Although intimidating, these harmless insects can be destructive along walkways and on golf courses where their excavations bring

Posted in Lawn & Turf

Grass Buzzers – Green June Beetles, Blue-Winged Wasps, and Cicada Killers

Green June Beetle Bumble bee-like buzzing and ungainly flights are recognizable characteristics of green June beetle adults (Figure 1) as they patrol in search of mates and acceptable egg-laying sites. Swarms of beetles will fly over turf and pastures that

Posted in Lawn & Turf

Time for Preventive White Grub Control

Larvae of masked chafers and Japanese beetles are responsible for most of the root damage to turfgrass in Kentucky. They are flying now and rainfall provides easy burrowing for females entering the soil to lay their eggs. Soil moisture is

Posted in Lawn & Turf

Clover Mites Like Lush Lawns

Clover mites are accidental invaders that can be a temporary nuisance during early spring. These very small, reddish brown creatures appear only as moving dark spots to the naked eye. Sheer numbers, plus the resulting red-brown stain left behind if

Posted in Lawn & Turf