Turfgrass Entomology Lab

Our goals are to conduct research into the control of insect pest populations in turfgrass, while protecting the environment, and providing sustainable, real world solutions to turf professionals.

Our research program focuses on understanding the biology and ecology of turfgrass insect populations to improve current management practices and develop novel, more sustainable management and monitoring programs.  Given the heavy reliance on chemical controls in many managed turfgrass systems, little is known about the ecology of many soil arthropod pests and communities.  We have used the annual bluegrass weevil (Listronotus maculicollis Kirby), a severe and widespread pest of intensely managed turfgrass, as a model to explore many questions that we have regarding insect ecology.

Our Core Research Areas

• Turfgrass Entomology
• Insect behavior
• Biological Control
• Cultural and mechanical control
• Insect Ecology
• Insecticide resistance

We welcome prospective graduate students and collaborators interested in novel, multidisciplinary research that seeks to solve real-world turf insect problems.

The Turf Entomology program involves a number of grad students and researcher technicians, as well as turf cooperators across the state.