We are conducting a series of extension and research activities to slow the spread and reduce the negative impact of exotic crane flies in turfgrass habitats of the northeastern U.S.

Two species of exotic crane flies - highly injurious to turfgrass - invaded extreme northwestern New York in 2004. Turfgrass covers 3.5 million acres in NY and is a $5 billion industry. This was the first detection of Tipula paludosa, the European crane fly, in the eastern U.S., and the first report of Tipula oleracea, the common crane fly, in eastern North America. Both species are native to Europe, but have become firmly established in the U.S. after their accidental introduction. Larvae inhabit the top layer of the soil, where they feed underground on roots and aboveground on foliage of their host plants. They will attack grasses across the full spectrum of management intensity, from golf course greens to home lawns, including sod farms, grass-seed fields and pastures, and certain other horticultural crops.
Because of their high capacity for outbreak, the arrival of any new exotic is of considerable agricultural and ecological concern. Unless we build awareness and establish safeguards to curtail their range expansion, the movement of sod, container stock, and other materials could occasion spread of this exotic species locally and regionally, across NY and into New England. Though they were limited to Erie and Niagara Counties in 2004, we have now detected the insects as far east as Oswego County, and a second establishment on Long Island. They will continue to move across the state and into the Northeast, and they will have a negative impact on the turf industry.

Since NY and the Northeast have no experience with crane fly pests, we are working to alert and arm the turf industry. They require information on how to detect, identify, and monitor for the presence of these new pests, and they need the tools to suppress populations if they become problematic. In order to establish control recommendations, we conducted field efficacy trials in the spring and fall over two years to assess curative and preventive control products, respectively. We disseminated information on invasive crane flies in eight extension presentations that reached approximately 1030 individuals in 2005, including golf course superintendents, lawn care specialists, master gardeners, extension agents, sod farmers, and others associated with NY`s green industry. To establish the current distribution in order to monitor future spread, we conducted surveys on 30 golf courses across western NY. In addition, an electronic fact sheet was published as part of the NY State Integrated Pest Management (NYS IPM) fact sheet series.

So far, the impact of this program has been to build statewide and regional awareness about invasive crane fly pests. The stakeholders present at extension programming are now better equipped to diagnose and interpret potential crane fly problems and better able to choose and target control products. As additional information transfer is combined with the results of applied research, the spread of these unwanted invasives will be held more and more in check by a prepared and informed industry, and thereby pose a smaller barrier to the business of turfgrass management. By being aware and prepared, we can reduce the severity of crane fly outbreaks, leading to one less burden on pest management practitioners, one less reason to apply insecticides, and one less strain on tight economic budgets and sensitive environments.

Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

• Rick Hoebeke (Department of Entomology, Cornell)
• Carolyn Klass (Department of Entomology, Cornell)
• Ping Wang (Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell)