Adult Billbug in Utah

Billbugs, what are they?

Billbug adults are a type of weevil.  They are also sometimes called “snout beetles”.

What should I know about billbugs?

Billbugs may cause damage to small or large sections of turf.  Adults emerge from hibernating and begin to become active around April and May when soil temperatures exceed 65 degrees F.  The females then begin to feed for a short period of time and then search out a suitable place to begin laying eggs.  Egg laying typically continues through August.  The larvae feed on the insides of grass stems hollowing them out.  Once the larvae pupates, the pupa may feed on the crown and roots of the grass.  Large populations of billbugs may do significant damage in a short period of time.

How can you determine if you have billbugs?

One trick used by many in our field perform a tug test.  Simply put you grab a handful of turf that looks damaged and pull it up.  If the turf stays intact and does not pull up easily it is normally a good indicator that the turf is drought stressed and simply need more water.  If on the other hand the grass peels away from the soil as if it has been scalped it may be billbugs.  If you observe the bottoms of the grass blades carefully you should notice the stems hollowed out and also see saw-dust like material (frass) collecting on the surface and insides of the hollowed out stems.

Control options.

Chemical control is generally the best option for immediate relief.  Do it yourselfers may purchase over the counter products labeled for this purpose.

With a one-time treatment and charge Extermiman® will guarantee the elimination of billbugs in your lawn all season long.

Turf managers should obviously implement healthy turf management practices to assist in warding of billbug attacks.