By Lane Tredway, Ph.D., technical services manager, Syngenta

Now that summer is here, insect populations are ramping up and could cause significant damage. St. Augustinegrass landscapes, in particular, are very susceptible to damage from sod webworms, white grubs and southern chinch bugs, especially if these pests aren’t controlled early in the season.

Acelepryn^® insecticide is a powerful, flexible option for managing St. Augustinegrass insects without threatening pollinators or non-target organisms. Depending on your needs and pest pressures, Acelepryn can fit into a St. Augustinegrass agronomic program in different ways:

• Sod webworms: Acelepryn provides rapid control of turf caterpillars like sod webworms, as well as long-term preventative control to help minimize callbacks and labor inputs. One application of Acelepryn at 4 fl. oz./A (available in a convenient 4-oz. bottle) delivers 60 days of sod webworm control — longer than any other insecticide currently available for turf. Higher rates of 8-12 fl. oz./A targeting white grubs or billbugs can provide up to 90 days of control. View the Tropical Sod Webworm Preventative Assurance Program for more information.

Plus, guaranteed control of grubs, billbugs and caterpillars is possible with just one application by following the Acelepryn Grub, Billbug and Caterpillar Prevention Guarantee.

• White grubs: Acelepryn provides industry-leading white grub control with flexible application timing, which is made possible by its excellent soil residual. As a stand-alone grub treatment, one application of Acelepryn at 8 fl. oz./A provides season-long control of white grubs. Apply Acelepryn early in the season to control both early- and late-hatching grub species. Granular and on-fertilizer formulations of Acelepryn are also available and are highly effective on soil-dwelling insects like white grubs.
• Southern chinch bugs: Acelepryn offers an alternative class of chemistry to suppress chinch bug populations, slowing reproduction and minimizing population spikes. While not a stand-alone solution for chinch bugs, applications targeting sod webworms and/or white grubs have been shown to suppress populations and improve control provided by other products like Meridian^® brand insecticides.

A program approach

Apply a tank mixture of Acelepryn (4 fl. oz./A) and Meridian 25WG insecticide (17 oz./A) between April and June when chinch bugs typically become active in your area. This application can provide 90 days of chinch bug control, 60 days of sod webworm control and season-long control of white grubs. A follow-up Acelepryn application (4 fl. oz./A) 60 days later is recommended to prevent late-season outbreaks of sod webworms. This simple-yet-effective program can provide season-long control of St. Augustinegrass insects with only two applications. Acelepryn is also available in a convenient 4-oz. bottle, perfect for smaller lawns and spot treatments.

For more information about insect control in St. Augustinegrass, contact your local Syngenta territory manager.

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© 2023 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties and/or may have state-specific use requirements. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration and proper use. Acelepryn^®, Meridian^®, the Alliance Frame, the Purpose Icon and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. All other trademarks are the property of their respective third-party owners.