Patterns of Variation in the Seasonal Dynamics of <I>Listronotus maculicollis</I> (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Populations on Golf Course Turf

Abstract

Listronotus maculicollis (Kirby) is a burgeoning pest of Poa annua L. in the northeast United States. To develop an understanding of its spatial and temporal association with golf course landscapes, we described the patterns of variation in certain population parameters across site (Fayetteville and Ithaca, NY), year (2004-2006), and management habitat (fairway, intermediaterough, rough). In weekly surveys along fairway transects, we sampled larvae (identified to instar) by soil core extraction and adults (identified to sex and maturation)by hand collection. Five instars were confirmed based on head capsule width measurements; there was no overlap among instars. Sex ratio was significantly male-skewed on the rough versus the fairway. Insect load, a measure of population size based on cumulative insect-days, varied from 3.0- to 18.5-fold across sites and years and averaged 8.7- and 8.0-fold greater on the fairway than rough for larvae and adults, respectively. Visual assessment of stage-specific population fluctuation curves revealed no divergence in adult males and females, i.e., no evidence of protandry. Variation was greater by year than by site in terms of overall shape of the fluctuation curves, relative abundance of overwintered to spring and summer adults, population synchrony, and number of generations (two to three). Evidence of bimodal spring generations showed that early season population synchrony may be linked to the pattern of adults transitioning from overwintering to developmental habitats. The magnitude of variation in population dynamics underscores the relevance of decision-making strategies and has implications for improving both the spatial and temporal targeting of intervention tactics.