Leatherjackets

[backwoodsman]

Very rare to find them under the green surface. There is little or no nutrition for them. Green approaches are ideal.

Unfortunately not the case at our place. We've had two or three greens wrecked by leatherjackets. (Or more correctly, by combination of leatherjackets themselves and crows going after them). But yes, also had fairly extensive damage on fairways, tees and aprons.

 

[jim8flog]

Not according to the Torquay head greenkeeper ! Perhaps there is more than one spray that could be used against leatherjackets ?

And then perhaps your greenkeeper does not follow the reports from BIGGA

Even the guide for players mentions it

You can also download a poster to be placed around your golf club.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

And then perhaps your greenkeeper does not follow the reports from BIGGA

Even the guide for players mentions it

You can also download a poster to be placed around your golf club.

Other options are available, perhaps the Torquay HGK is using one of those.

 

[jim8flog]

Other options are available, perhaps the Torquay HGK is using one of those.

When we were looking at some of the other 'options' these were totally totally discarded as some were were a 'kills all option'. Totally indescriminate about what bugs it kills.

When I did some reading up about the some of the products available in America certainly did not want to go there. Some people were reporting pets dying after applying it to their lawns.

 

[jim8flog]

There is a treatment for leather jacket and chafer grub infestation which I have used successfully. Nematodes.
The chemical treatment is still available in the USA.

I had a read on the BIGGA site about the use of nematodes. Looks interesting but not sure if it would be suitable for where we play due to the conditions. When I next see the course manager I will mention it to him

 

[jim8flog]

I found this on the BIGGA site

https://www.bigga.org.uk/news-listing/acelepryn-emergency-authorisation-july-2020.html

Maybe it is what is being used on Torquay greens

 

[backwoodsman]

I found this on the BIGGA site

https://www.bigga.org.uk/news-listing/acelepryn-emergency-authorisation-july-2020.html

Maybe it is what is being used on Torquay greens

Acelepryn was given temporary, emergency approval for use against leatherjackets in 2018. Which meant it could be used within a short, time-limited, "window" that year - although its efficacy is somewhat variable. . A similar emergency approval was granted in 2019. I think (but won't swear) that an emergency approval was not granted in 2020. Outside of these "one off"" emergency approvals, there are currently no available "commercial" chemical controls against leatherjackets. Non-chemical methods are available - eg, as other have mentioned, nematodes, tarpaulins, and so on.

One of the problems is that commercial use of pesticides is strictly regulated - whereas "private use" (ie us as gardeners) is rather less so. Which means we, as gardeners can often use stuff that professionals (greenkeepers, parks contractors, farmers, foresters, etc) can't. For example, Rulefan's pilot friend brought back some stuff from USA. It probably wasnt illegal for Rulefan to use it (although it will have been of dubious legality for the pilot to bring it) but a commercial user (ie your greenkeeper) would have been crucified if caught using it.

 

[peld]

We don't have a problem so much with the leatherjackets, it is the badgers that keep digging them up that iis our problem. Couple of years back badgers dug up the whole of our third fairway, though you would never know now.

we have the same issue - the badgers!
fortunately, they dont attack the main fairways and greens, but have decimated the areas around greens on certain holes at our place. only just calming down and had chance to repair the holes

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

we have the same issue - the badgers!
fortunately, they dont attack the main fairways and greens, but have decimated the areas around greens on certain holes at our place. only just calming down and had chance to repair the holes

Bung the local farmer £50 to report TB in his herd of cows ?

 

[Tashyboy]

Lawns in this part of my town have been devastated by the chafer grub for a few years now. An airline pilot friend brought me a few cans of the USA treatment for a couple of years and then he retired. I was attacked the following year. Then I was pointed to nematodes and haven't had a problem for four or five years since. But many of my neighbours still suffer badly from the crows digging for grubs in the late spring and eggs in late summer.
Oddly, golf courses tend to suffer more from crows (and badgers) digging for daddy long legs larva (leather jackets) normally in the autumn and when the ground warms up in the spring

Chafer grubs, they nearly tipped me over the edge. Last couple of years I worked at the pit,the Mansfield area had a massive problem with chafer grubs. The stuff you could use at the time was called “ Provado”, now banned. Anyway it was going for £2 a packet. If you could get it. 10 packets in a box. Anyway me brother went to his van at Mablethorpe, just happened to call into a garden centre and the shelves were rammed with it. He bought every box and asked me to sell them at the pit. I think I sold 100 boxes in 2 days at £10 a box. The problem was it will kill the grubs for a year, but there back the following year, apparently they like Sandy soil. one thing you have mentioned cheers me up. I put nematodes down a couple of years ago and not seen any since. ?

 

[Tashyboy]

Scroll down through the replies in the tweet, there is a picture of the greenkeepers dogs eating ??

bet the dog gets worms ?

 

[rulefan]

Acelepryn was given temporary, emergency approval for use against leatherjackets in 2018. Which meant it could be used within a short, time-limited, "window" that year - although its efficacy is somewhat variable. . A similar emergency approval was granted in 2019. I think (but won't swear) that an emergency approval was not granted in 2020. Outside of these "one off"" emergency approvals, there are currently no available "commercial" chemical controls against leatherjackets. Non-chemical methods are available - eg, as other have mentioned, nematodes, tarpaulins, and so on.

One of the problems is that commercial use of pesticides is strictly regulated - whereas "private use" (ie us as gardeners) is rather less so. Which means we, as gardeners can often use stuff that professionals (greenkeepers, parks contractors, farmers, foresters, etc) can't. For example, Rulefan's pilot friend brought back some stuff from USA. It probably wasnt illegal for Rulefan to use it (although it will have been of dubious legality for the pilot to bring it) but a commercial user (ie your greenkeeper) would have been crucified if caught using it.

An EA for Acelepryn is in force until 31 August 2021

 

[backwoodsman]

An EA for Acelepryn is in force until 31 August 2021

Ok - didn't know that.

We'll have to wait & see what happens after August then? If it's been given EA for four years on the trot, there must be some sort of thought of making it permanent? Only trouble is, it never was the best chemical control for leatherjackets - but as our head GK says, it's better than nothing.

Ps. Just had a look at the 2021 "On-label" approvals - looks to me like the 2021 emergency approval only relates to use against chafer grubs? But if I recall correctly, that's similar to 2018 & 2019 - when it was initially approved for chafer, and leatherjacket approvals got added later in the year?

 

[rulefan]

Ok - didn't know that.

We'll have to wait & see what happens after August then? If it's been given EA for four years on the trot, there must be some sort of thought of making it permanent? Only trouble is, it never was the best chemical control for leatherjackets - but as our head GK says, it's better than nothing.

Ps. Just had a look at the 2021 "On-label" approvals - looks to me like the 2021 emergency approval only relates to use against chafer grubs? But if I recall correctly, that's similar to 2018 & 2019 - when it was initially approved for chafer, and leatherjacket approvals got added later in the year?

Yes, I heard indirectly that is what Henry Bechelet is saying this year also. Leatherjackets tend to be a problem later in the year. I made my attack on the chafer grubs a couple of weeks ago but sample testing suggested I haven't got any this year. The autumn dose must have got the eggs.