The volume opens with an account of turfgrass in the modern environment and then offers fundamental information on insects and their arthropod relatives. For each major insect or group, the book covers taxonomy, importance, history and distribution, host plants and damage, description of life stages, life history and habits, and natural enemies. Birds and mammals that are attracted to turfgrass by the presence of insects are also considered. The book provides an overview of detection and diagnosis of insect infestation, survey techniques, and principles of strategy and control.
Every chapter of the original edition has been updated to the current state of knowledge. Among the highlights of the second edition are new chapters on biological control principles, on sampling techniques and setting thresholds, and on integrated pest management. The chapters on chemical control and on insect habitats in turf have been expanded considerably, as have those on billbugs, mole crickets, cutworms, white grubs, and ants.
To aid in identification, this new edition features 576 color images on 72 plates. Larger, clearer images show the life stages of nearly all turfgrass insects to be found in North America north of the Rio Grande, as well as examples of damage. A distribution map and full-sized sketches of developmental stages are also included for each insect pest discussed.
