Black Turfgrass Ataenius Beetle

Black Turfgrass Ataenius Beetle

The small black turfgrass ataenius beetle favors golf course turf. The adults become active in early spring, flying and depositing eggs in the soil. Eggs hatch from late spring to early summer. The larvae are very small and populations of 200 to 300 per square foot are not uncommon. Extensive root damage may kill large turf areas. In most areas, a second generation of larvae is produced from first-generation adults, which feed on roots in late summer, making this insect a double threat.

Black Turfgrass Ataenius Beetle Adult and Larva
Black Turfgrass Ataenius Larvae