Issue 2, May 7, 2018
Pet Conscious Grub Control
It may be difficult to find articles specifically discussing pet safety in lawn care. In many cases, this is because products that meet human standards are also safe for pets. Many products are safe for cats and dogs when they are applied according to the labeled instructions, so it is important to read the product label before you purchase a product and again before you apply that product. Check the Precautionary Statements section of the label, if the product has any precautions specifically related to humans or domestic animals, they will be listed here and they will often describe the concern.
* This is only part of the Precautionary Statement for GrubGone!® G.
Most product labels also provide a re-entry interval. This statement, listed in the Directions for Use section of the label under Non-Agricultural Use Requirements, will let you know how long to keep people and pets out of an area after a treatment has been applied. The re-entry interval statement can also be influenced by the product formulation. If the product label does not provide a re-entry interval, National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) recommends that products with granular formulations that are spread over turfgrass should be thoroughly watered-in then allowed to dry and insecticides sprayed onto turfgrass should be allowed to dry before people or pets re-enter the treated area. If it rains within a few days of application, NPIC recommends keeping pets off the lawn until it dries again.
** This is only part of the Directions for Use for Merit® 75WP
While product labels may have a statement about domestic animal safety, it is also important to know that some pets may react differently to certain products than others. According to NPIC and veterinary journals, pyrethroids and pyrethrins are not safe for cats. However, pyrethroids and pyrethrins are not very effective in treating grubs and they are unlikely to be in products that target grubs. Many other household products contain these active ingredients so it is worth checking the ingredients list in the Product Information section on any label if you have cats or if neighborhood cats may be passing through treated areas. This is also why veterinarians often remind their clients not to treat cats with flea and tick treatments labeled for dogs. One easy trick for identifying a pyrethroid is to look for "-thrin" or "-ate" endings on the ingredient list.
Scouting
Scouting is the most important step in determining whether a treatment is necessary or economical. August is the best time to scout for grubs because young grubs are hatching and beginning to feed on grass roots. To scout for grubs, choose a location in the turfgrass that is near pavement and away from trees. Cut a 1 sq.ft. patch of turfgrass and roll it back to expose the grubs underneath. If you count 10 – 12 grubs or more in those patches, you have enough insects to cause significant injury and can apply a treatment to the turfgrass.
Chemical Controls:
Merit® is the trade name for a neonicotinoid insecticide called imidicloprid. When this product is applied as labeled, it has low toxicity. The label indicates that people and pets should not re-enter the treated turfgrass until the product has dried. This is a systemic insecticide, meaning it is taken up by plants and can remain active inside them for some time. Because of this, it has the potential to harm pollinators visiting treated plants. It is recommended that neonicotinoids not be applied to or near flowering plants (including clover and weeds) to prevent pollinator exposure.
Dylox® the the trade name for trichlorfon. This product has low toxicity to people and pets. It can be purchased as a granular formulation that must be incorporated, watered-in and allowed to dry before people and pets can re-enter treated turfgrass.
Acelepryn® is the trade name for chlorantraniliprole. This product has no signal word, indicating very low toxicity to people and domestic animals. This product can be applied as either a spray or granular formulation. The label for spray applications indicates that people and pets should be kept off treated turfgrass until the spray has dried. The label for the granular formulation does not provide a re-entry time for non-agricultural use, so it is recommended that people and pets keep off the treated turfgrass until the granules have been watered-in and allowed to dry completely.
If you or your clients are specifically looking for treatments without synthetic chemical active ingredients, there are options for biological control and cultural control.
Biological Controls
GrubGone!® is a microbial product that can be an effective option in controlling white grubs. The active ingredient in this product is Bt galleriae (Bacillus thuringiensis galleriea), a soil microbe that targets beetle larvae. This product has low toxicity to people and pets. The label indicates that people and pets should not re-enter treated turfgrass until the dust has settled after application.
Milky spore powder is another type of microbial control that can be used to control Japanese beetle grubs. This product is not effective in controlling other species of grubs. If the damage in the turf is caused by chafers or June beetles, milky spore will not be an effective tool. This product has low toxicity to people and pets. It does not provide a specific re-entry interval after application, so it is recommended that people and pets keep off treated turfgrass until the dust has settled after application.
Cultural Controls:
One product-free strategy, is to make turfgrass less attractive by reducing irrigation during July and Aug. At this time, adult beetles are actively mating a depositing eggs and well-irrigated turfgrass is the most attractive location for egg-laying. This is the safest and cheapest option but may result in some browning from lack of water during the hottest part of the summer. (Sarah Hughson)
References
National Pesticide Information Center. Pets and Pesticide Use Topic Fact Sheet. http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/petspest.pdf
Richardson, J. A. 2000. Permethrin Spot-On Toxicoses in Cats. J Vet Emerg Crit Care. 10: 103-106. Also available at: https://aspcapro.org/sites/pro/files/d-veccs_april00.pdf
Bayer Environmental Science. Merit® 75 WS Product Label. Research Triangle Park, NC. http://www.cdms.net/ldat/ld6L2002.pdf
Bayer Environmental Science. Dylox® 6.2 Product Label. Research Triangle Park, NC. http://www.cdms.net/ldat/ld14B001.pdf
Syngenta Crop Production, LLC. 2014. Acelepryn®. Greensboro, NC. http://www.cdms.net/ldat/ldUA2010.pdf
Syngenta Crop Production, LLC. 2014. Acelepryn® G. Greensboro, NC. http://www.cdms.net/ldat/ldB7R006.pdf
Phyllom Bio Products. 2017. GrubGone!® G. Oakland, CA. http://www.phyllombioproducts.com/documents/grubGONE!%20G%20Label.pdf
St. Gabriel Organics. Milky Spore Powder. Orange, VA. http://www.groworganic.com/media/pdfs/pbi700-b.pdf
Author:
Sarah Hughson