Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

IPM is a decision-making process that integrates many factors into a pest management program while having the least impact on human health and the environment. Biological, cultural, and physical control methods are emphasized. However, IPM is not necessarily a pesticide-free program, but a homeowner may choose an IPM program that avoids the use of some or all pesticides. Proper culture, pest monitoring, sanitation, and optimal timing and selection of pesticides are all a part of an IPM program. Ultimately, if a pesticide is used, it will be used much more efficiently than in a preventive program.

Home lawn IPM should incorporate all the cultural practices discussed in Chapter 13 in Part I: Cultural Methods, of Pest Management Around the Home. Following such a program greatly reduces reliance on pesticides. But there may come a time when a weed, insect, or disease population reaches an unacceptable or damaging threshold and use of a pesticide or other control product may be justified. When intervention is warranted, IPM depends on the proper identification of the pest and selection of the most effective pest management techniques with minimal hazard to people, pets, and the environment.

Biological Control

Besides chemical insecticides, there are a few commercially available biological options. Milky spore disease of Japanese beetle is a naturally occurring bacterium, available as a powder. However, researchers have not verified its effectiveness.

Beneficial nematodes are naturally occurring insect parasites that are also sold in pest control products that can be applied like pesticides. Heterorhabditis bacteriophora is a species of nematode that may be useful for controlling grubs (“white grubs”; scarab beetles) and billbugs in the lawn soil. Steinernema carpocapsae is another nematode species useful for management of the underground stages of billbugs, annual bluegrass weevil, sod webworms, armyworms, cutworms, and European crane flies. Nematodes should be applied to moist soil in the evening and watered in after application. Effectiveness of nematodes can be variable; maximize chances of success by carefully following product directions.

Pesticides

Tables 17 to 19 list pest management options, including biological control and chemical pesticides, for home lawn use. For toxicity information, see Table 3 in Chapter 3 and Tables 4b and 4c in Chapter 4. Pesticides for turf insects are available in several forms: ready-to-spread granules, wettable powder, or emulsifiable concentrates.

Turfgrass diseases are not common in home lawns in New York State, and can be difficult to identify. Consult Cornell Cooperative Extension or a lawn care professional if a disease problem is suspected.

Note that residents of NY counties that have adopted the Neighbor Notification Law need to post the yard area when making a pesticide application. As of January 1, 2008, these New York counties include: Albany, Erie, Monroe, Nassau, Rockland, Suffolk, Tompkins, Ulster, Westchester, and all 5 counties of the New York City area (Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, and Richmond). For details on how to comply, see Chapter 3 of this publication or this website: http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/42920.html

Also see Chapter 13 of Pest Management Around the Home, Part I: Cultural Methods for nonpesticidal means of managing pests.

Table 17. Turf Pest Management Also see Chapter 13 of Pest Management Around the Home, Part I: Cultural Methods.
Pest	Some Pest Management Options
Ants	Ants are predators of many pest insects (especially insect eggs) and are usually harmless. Mounds, however, may be undesirable in lawn areas. If needed, use baits containing hydramethylnon or make localized treatments with bifenthrin cyfluthrin, deltamethrin, esfenvalerate, lambda-cyhalothrin, or permethrin.
Bluegrass billbug	Check for infestations by looking for adult billbugs walking on driveways and sidewalks in the spring. If high populations are detected, carbaryl, bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, imidacloprid, or trichlorfon can be applied in late May through late June or mid-June to mid-July (check label). Mow the lawn before treatment and lightly water in granular treatments. Steinernema carpocapsae nematodes can be used to control billbugs in the soil. For long-term management, select endophytic grasses or other resistant varieties. NOTE: Imidacloprid is not for use in Nassau, Suffolk, Kings, and Queens counties.
Chinch bugs	Avoid drought. If apparently droughty lawns do not respond to watering, this is a sign of potential chinch bug damage. To test for their presence, place a few turf samples in a bucket of water – chinch bugs will float to the water surface. More than 25 bugs per square foot of turf may warrant control. For long-term management, select endophytic grasses or other resistant varieties. Bifenthrin, carbaryl, cyfluthrin, or imidacloprid may be used. Water lawn before treatment. A second application may be necessary two to three weeks later. Water in granular materials immediately after application.
Digger wasps	Use deltamethrin following label instructions.
Grubs (Japanese beetle, Oriental beetle, Asiatic garden beetle, European chafer, Northern masked chafer) White grub	For information on grub life cycles and sampling, see Grubs in Your Lawn (http://nysipm.cornell.edu/publications/grubs/default.asp) or call the NYS IPM Program (800-635-8356). Before treatment, ask the following questions: (1) Is the damage definitely caused by grubs? (2) Are the grubs still present and what stage are they in (actively feeding or ready to pupate)? (3) What species is causing the damage? European chafers are the most common grubs in lawns and low-maintenance turf in upstate New York. (4) Are there enough grubs to warrant treatment? (Rule of thumb: if there are more than eight grubs per square foot, consider treatment.) (5) Are alternatives to synthetic soil insecticides available? (6) If pesticide use is warranted, what is the best time to treat for grubs? (For some products, treat when grubs are young and actively feeding close to the soil surface: mid-August to late September in upstate New York, early August to mid-September in southeastern New York State). Registered insecticides for homeowner use on lawns include carbaryl and trichlorfon. These should preferably be applied from early August to mid-September, when a damaging population is confirmed. Treat when soil is moist, and water in immediately following treatments. Imidacloprid is another insecticide registered for home lawn application, which is available in upstate New York but is not registered for use in Kings, Queens, Nassau, or Suffolk Counties. Imidacloprid is a broad-spectrum, long-residual insecticide that can control grubs such as Japanese beetle, European chafer, Asiatic garden beetle, and Oriental beetle. Most formulations of imidacloprid that were available to homeowners in the past are now classified as restricted-use in New York State. Please check the product status and label prior to purchase. Imidacloprid has shown sufficient residual activity in turfgrass to control the fall brood of annual scarab grubs when applied the preceding spring or summer. High levels of grub control can be achieved when applications are made between June 1 and August 31. Late-summer and fall applications will not be effective. There has been considerable debate among turfgrass entomologists about the use of insecticides such as imidacloprid that are designed to be used before the size and damage potential of the insect population is known. (That is, these products are applied before populations of the insect can be sampled, such as time of egg hatch or several weeks before.) There is great potential for abuse of this product if it is used indiscriminately, without regard to the likelihood of having a damaging population of insects on treated areas sometime in the future. For this reason, imidacloprid should be used before egg hatch only in turfgrass areas that consistently have high grub populations. Turfgrass sites treated with imidacloprid in the spring or summer should not require grub treatments in the following fall. Parasitic nematode products containing Heterorhabditis bacteriophora nematodes may effectively control grubs if applied during August or early September. Apply to moist soil in the evening; water lawn after application.
Japanese beetle	In addition to Grub controls (above), milky disease spore powder may be of benefit for Japanese beetle grub control in southeastern New York but may take several years to have any effect. Soil must be moist with temperatures greater than 70° F and grubs must be present to maintain and spread the disease. Milky spore may be useful on large, marginal, or low-value turf areas. It is effective only against Japanese beetle grubs, not other grub species. Trapping adults is not recommended and is unlikely to reduce subsequent grub populations. However, if traps are used, keep them far away from valued trees and shrubs and empty them often.
Moles	Problem often disappears when grubs are controlled. Traps are effective when carefully set.
Oriental beetles	See Grubs (above). Oriental beetles are one of the most damaging grub species on Long Island, New York, along with the Japanese beetle. Because adults are much less conspicuous than Japanese beetles, they are often overlooked. Many times adult Japanese beetles are flying but the grub infestation is oriental beetles (OB). OB grubs are not susceptible to commercial milky disease and will not be attracted to Japanese beetle traps. Because oriental beetles oviposit slightly before Japanese beetles, treatment for grubs on Long Island should be slightly ahead of the rest of the state—the last week in July to mid-August would be ideal, but several weeks later would not cause major problems.
Sod webworms and cutworms	Apply Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), bifenthrin, carbaryl, cyfluthrin, spinosad, or trichlorfon. Treat late in the day for better effect. Wet lawn before treating and avoid treating before rain. Do not cut grass for three days after treatment. Steinernema carpocapsae nematodes are available for control of the caterpillars.

Table 18. Turf Disease Management Also see Chapter 13 of Pest Management Around the Home, Part I: Cultural Methods. Turfgrass diseases are not common in home lawns in New York State and are difficult to identify. Consult Cornell Cooperative Extension or a lawn care professional if a disease problem is suspected.
Disease	Some Pest Management Options
Anthracnose	Apply azoxystrobin, Bacillus subtilis, propiconazole, or triadimefon.
Brown patch (Rhizoctonia blight)	When the disease occurs, apply azoxystrobin, Bacillus subtilis, chloroneb, chlorothalonil, myclobutanil, PCNB (quintozene), propiconazole, or triadimefon. NOTE: Myclobutanil has limits on the number of applications that can be made in Nassau and Suffolk Counties in New York. See product label for specifics.
Dollar spot	Apply Bacillus subtilis, chlorothalonil, propiconazole, PCNB (quintozene), or triadimefon.
Fairy rings and toadstools	Mask symptoms with good fertility, watering, and mowing programs. Rake down or pick and discard the mushrooms. May apply azoxystrobin or myclobutanil where other practices are unsuccessful, following label directions. NOTE: Myclobutanil has limits on the number of applications that can be made in Nassau and Suffolk Counties in New York. See product label for specifics.
Fungal leaf spots and blights (Drechslera, Bipolaris, etc.)	Avoid systemic fungicides. Apply azoxystrobin, myclobutanil, or propiconazole. For Drechslera (Melting out), chlorothalonil or PCNB (quintozene) are also available. NOTE: Myclobutanil has limits on the number of applications that can be made in Nassau and Suffolk Counties in New York. See product label for specifics. Also, some chlorothalonil products are not allowed for use on home lawns.
Gray snow mold (Typhula)	In repeatedly severe cases, apply azoxystrobin, chlorothalonil, chloroneb, PCNB (quintozene), or propiconazole before permanent snow cover and during midwinter thaw. NOTE: Some chlorothalonil products are not allowed for use on home lawns.
Necrotic ringspot and Summer patch (“Fusarium blight syndrome”)	Where the disease has occurred in previous years, apply azoxystrobin, myclobutanil, propiconazole, thiophanate-methyl, or triadimefon, beginning in early to mid-June with a second application two to three weeks later. NOTE: Myclobutanil has limits on the number of applications that can be made in Nassau and Suffolk Counties in New York. See product label for specifics.
Pink snow mold (Gerlachia patch)	In repeatedly severe cases, apply azoxystrobin, PCNB (quintozene), propiconazole, thiophanate-methyl, or triadimefon. NOTE: Myclobutanil has limits on the number of applications that can be made in Nassau and Suffolk Counties in New York. See product label for specifics.
Powdery mildew	Only where infection is extensive and severe, apply azoxystrobin, Bacillus subtilis, myclobutanil, propiconazole, or triadimefon. NOTE: Myclobutanil has limits on the number of applications that can be made in Nassau and Suffolk Counties in New York.
Pythium blight	When the disease occurs, apply azoxystrobin, chloroneb, fosetyl-Al, or metalaxyl-M.
Pythium root and crown rot	In severe cases apply azoxystrobin, fosetyl-Al, or metalaxyl-M.
Red thread	Red thread typically does not damage turf. However, if control is deemed necessary, apply triadimefon in spring and fall or apply azoxystrobin, chlorothalonil, myclobutanil, propiconazole, or thiophanate-methyl, according to label directions. NOTE: Myclobutanil has limits on the number of applications that can be made in Nassau and Suffolk Counties in New York. See product label for specifics. Also, some chlorothalonil products are not allowed for use on home lawns.
Rust	Only where infection is extensive and severe, apply azoxystrobin, Bacillus subtilis, myclobutanil, propiconazole, or triadimefon. NOTE: Myclobutanil has limits on the number of applications that can be made in Nassau and Suffolk Counties in New York. See product label for specifics.
Smuts	In late fall when grass stops growing (November) or in early spring before grass starts growing (March), apply myclobutanil, propiconazole, or thiophanate-methyl. NOTE: Myclobutanil has limits on the number of applications that can be made in Nassau and Suffolk Counties in New York. See product label for specifics.

Table 19. Examples of fungicides registered for use on turfgrass
Active Ingredient	Trade name	EPA Reg. #	Signal Word
Azoxystrobin	Heritage	100-1093	Caution
Bacillus subtilis	Rhapsody	69592-19	Caution
Chloroneb	Teremec SP	2217-692	Caution
Chlorothalonil	Bonide Fung-onil Multi Purpose Fungicide Concentrate	4-410	Warning
Fosetyl-Al	Aliette WDG	432-890	Caution
Metalaxyl-m (mefenoxam)	Subdue MAXX	100-796	Caution
Myclobutanil	Spectracide Immunox Multi Purpose Fungicide	9688-123-8845	Caution
PCNB (pentachloro-nitrobenzene; quintozene)	Hi-Yield Turf & Ornamental Fungicide Containing 10% PCNB	5481-444-7401	Caution
PCNB (pentachloro-nitrobenzene; quintozene)	Turfcide 400	400-454	Caution
Propiconazole	Bonide Infuse Syst. Dis. Contr.	100-773-4	Warning
Propiconazole	Ferti-lome Liquid Syst. Fung.	100-773-7401	Warning
Thiophanate-methyl	Bonide Infuse Systemic Disease Control Lawn & Landscape	53883-183-4	Caution
Triadimefon	Bayer Advanced Fungus Control for Lawn Ready-to-Spread Granules	72155-46	Caution

Pest Management Guidelines A Cornell Cooperative Extension Publication	New York Pest Management Guidelines
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PCNB (pentachloro-nitrobenzene; quintozene)