Building on its success from last year, DuPont launched today a new, updated Weeviltrak.com for golf superintendents needing to control the annual bluegrass weevil (ABW).
Superintendents can register with Weeviltrak.com to receive real-time email updates with findings and recommendations on controlling first generation ABW based on information from university researchers and Weeviltrak.comcooperators.
Degree-day monitoring, the state of forsythia bloom and larval stages are all studied at each Weevil Trak site and factored into a customized 2010 Optimum Control Program.
WeevilTrak involves the participation of seven researchers who are analyzing turf samples at 47 monitoring sites throughout CT, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, VA, VT and WV. The researchers are helping DuPont by providing real-world optimal timing recommendations for first generation annual bluegrass weevil control featuring applications of DuPont Acelepryn and DuPont Provant insecticides.
The researchers and cooperators contributing to the WeevilTrak.com website include:
- Dr. Steve Alm, University of Rhode Island
- Rod Ferrentino, Ferrentino & Co., Inc
- Danny Kline, Penn State University
- Steve McDonald, Turfgrass Disease Solutions
- Dr. Chuck Silcox, DuPont Professional Products
- Dr. Stan Swier, University of New Hampshire
- Dr. Pat Vittum, University of Massachusetts
The timing of ABW activity is highly dependent on weather and other key factors that impact egg laying by over-wintered adults. It is critical to control annual bluegrass weevil early in the season to preclude the challenge of controlling multiple stages of weevils later in the summer.
WeevilTrak.com has been designed to help superintendents determine the best timing for their insecticide applications to stop the turf damage caused by annual bluegrass weevil, one of the most troublesome pests in the northeastern United States.
