November is a time for golf course superintendents to be thinking about making snow mold applications and putting the course to bed for the year. Even for turf entomologists, the threat of turf loss due to insect feeding seems like a distant memory. However, last week I handled phone calls and received samples from a course in Westchester Co. NY, (just outside of NYC) that indicate that Tipula oleracea (the common crane fly) is not only present in the area, but in numbers capable of damaging greens and tees at this time of the year.
The superintendent did an excellent job of detecting the problem early in the start of the invasion curve. He was alerted to the problem by following bird activity (in this case droppings and pecking). With a little bit of digging he was able to find the larvae (picture above) in greens and tee boxes.
It is much easier to tell which of the two European crane flies (ECFs) species you have by examining the adults, but since the adults are probably long gone and given the relative size of the larvae at this time of the year, it is most likely that this is the common crane fly. This particular ECF has the ability to fly further distances than its close relative Tipula paludosa. Therefore, superintendents in the area need to be monitoring the turf starting in late April-mid May for signs of crane flies. Two things you can look for: (1) pupal cases sticking out of the turf and (2) adult swarms.
Pupae work their way from the soil to the surface, and their casings protrude out like little twigs. This is easily seen by looking at ground level for these little “sticks” on short mown turf (esp. tee boxes). At higher heights of cut, the pupal casing might be seen resting on the top of the turf canopy (when the adult crane fly evacuates it) and is slightly harder to find.
When adult ECFs emerge from the pupal casings, they can often be seen flying low across the turf. Alert your rough mowers to look for swarms of “giant mosquitoes” (we know they are not mosquitoes) coming out of the turf as the mower approaches.
One final note: I welcome your samples for ID. I failed to mention to the superintendent that you should send your larval samples in a vial of alcohol (rubbing alcohol, cheap grain alcohol, vodka are all fine for short term storage). I was at a conference on the West Coast when the larval samples arrived. I found this five days later when I returned:
