Technical
Chafers and Leatherjackets
The Munch Bunch! A
In this article, John Handley, Technical Manager for Maxwell Amenity, explains how the loss of chemical controls for chafer grubs and leatherjackets will have to lead to a change of mindset and management practices when it comes to their control. Here, he provides an overview of the lifecycle of both pests and discusses natural control methods that have already proven effective
118 I PC JUNE/JULY 2016
menity grassland and the managed amenity sector lost the use of two key pesticides last year; suddenly and with very little warning. Two active ingredients - imidacloprid and
chlorpyrifos - used generally for the treatment of chafer grubs and leatherjackets respectively, were withdrawn and no chemical alternatives are likely to be forthcoming. As it currently stands, imidacloprid, the active ingredient in Merit Turf, can be used until the end of October, though it will only be available to those who had the foresight to purchase before the sales deadline elapsed.
For imidacloprid, here are the important authorisation dates:
a) 31 October 2015 for sale and distribution by the authorisation holder
b) 31 October 2016 for the disposal, storage and use of existing stocks
Chlorpyrifos authorisation ended:
a) 31 March 2016 for sale, distribution and use by any persons
b) 30 September 2016 for the disposal and storage of existing stocks by any persons
These changes mean that, by the end of this year, there will be no chemical methods for the control of chafers and leatherjackets in the UK amenity grassland and managed amenity turf sector. There are alternatives, and these have been
used effectively for over a decade. However, it requires a revolution in the way we think about pests in turf. Some professional users have been exploring
these options for a few years, sensing increasing pressures on chemical technologies and a growing awareness that a dependence on the status quo may undermine their ability to manage future problems. The thematic strategy on the sustainable use of pesticides invokes us to explore the use of cultural, then biological controls, before ultimately deferring to chemical controls.
An article I wrote in September 2011 on Ashburnham Golf Course and their use of nematodes to effectively treat problems that they had with Chafer grubs, demonstrated a
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