How do billbug larvae primarily affect turf?

How do billbug larvae primarily affect turf?

• A. By feeding on roots
• B. By feeding on thatch
• C. By damaging leaves
• D. By creating tunnels

Answer: (A)

Billbug larvae cause damage by feeding on the turf’s roots and crowns in the root zone. When the larvae chew through root tissue, the grass loses its ability to take up water and nutrients, so patches become weak, thin, and stressed, often dying out during heat or drought. Because the injury is below the surface, the most telling signs are thinning patches and dying areas rather than obvious leaf damage or surface tunneling. Management focuses on examining the soil/thatch for larvae and using controls that target grub-like root feeders, rather than treating leaves or relying on surface damage symptoms.

Billbug larvae cause damage by feeding on the turf’s roots and crowns in the root zone. When the larvae chew through root tissue, the grass loses its ability to take up water and nutrients, so patches become weak, thin, and stressed, often dying out during heat or drought. Because the injury is below the surface, the most telling signs are thinning patches and dying areas rather than obvious leaf damage or surface tunneling. Management focuses on examining the soil/thatch for larvae and using controls that target grub-like root feeders, rather than treating leaves or relying on surface damage symptoms.