Total Landscape Care Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/423422
2015 | Total Landscape Care | Chemical Guide 5 INSECTICIDES Insecticides for Turf I f you feel outnumbered in your war against insect pests in turf, you're not alone. Thankfully, the odds are ever in your favor, especially given the number of chemical tools you have for controlling them. There are lots of insecticides registered for use on turf and landscape ornamentals. On the next pages, you'll find a current and comprehensive guide that will serve as a quick reference, allowing you to compare chemical products available to help you combat insect pests in turfgrass. If you're looking for products that control insect pests in ornamentals, flip over to our chart on ornamental insecticides on page 36. The Chemical Guide is presented in table format because this is the most practical way to let you cross-reference pests and the chemicals available for their control. At the same time, it allows us to provide other useful information, such as chemical class, form of application and plant tolerances, in a simple and clear format. The first table here lists insects across the top and the active ingredients of products down the left side. You may know a chemical by its brand name. However, the same active ingredient may be present in numerous brands. Therefore, we list chemicals by the trade or common name of the active ingredient(s). This eliminates redundancy and reduces confusion with brand names. Once you locate the insect you'd like to target, slide down to see all of the active ingredients designed to control it. You'll also see some additional information in the table about each active ingredient, such as to which chemical class it belongs, (helpful if you are trying to rotate chemicals in an effort to limit resistance); its mode of action, which tells you if the insects have to ingest the product or simply be exposed to it; and its form of application: bait, dust, granular or spray. Many applicators specialize in one form of application (such as liquid or granular), so it's important to know whether a chemical will suit your operation. Each of these elements can help you identify which active ingredient and, therefore, product, best suits your needs. Use the third page of the chart to locate brand names and suppliers for each of the active ingredients listed in the table. This makes for easy cross-referencing. Remember, these specification charts are only for reference. They are not a recommendation for use, nor are they a substitution for application instructions. As always, consult the product label and follow all label instructions. Labels can sometimes be confusing. If you are unsure about using a certain product in your location, contact the nearest cooperative extension office, your county agricultural agent or the manufacturer and ask for more technical information.