• Early spring weather dictates adult activity, and the key to successful control is targeting overwintered adults and first-generation larvae early
  • Missing this window means battling ABW all season
• Rapid reproduction leads to 2-4 overlapping generations per season
• Larvae develop at different rates within each generation
• Multiple life stages require different control approaches
• Success has traditionally depended on scouting and precise application timing

• Regional scouting and updates from independent entomologist researchers
• Combines Growing Degree Day monitoring for precise heat accumulation data, phenological indicators and scouting data for tracking ABW movement
• Strategically placed monitoring devices track conditions for ABW development in real-time
• Precise timing honed by 15 years of ABW data
• First treatment is critical in Phase 1. With ABW’s irregular emergence and few effective adulticides left, waiting until adults begin laying eggs allows Atexzo to control adults and early larvae with its strong residual for more complete control.
• Unlike narrow-spectrum alternatives, WeevilTrak Plus controls multiple turf pests including grubs, billbugs, caterpillars, ants, and chinch bugs—delivering comprehensive protection with fewer applications.

• March-April: ABW adults emerge from overwintering sites (tree line litter, tall grass, protected areas) and move to susceptible turf.
• Mid-April to May: Overwintered females lay eggs in annual bluegrass stems and leaf sheaths.  As eggs hatch, larvae bore into the stems and begin feeding.
  • Controlling overwintered adults and small larvae is critical for season-long success. Using Atexzo during this time, which works through contact and ingestion, is ideal for control.
• Late May through mid-June: Third instar larvae exit the stems and feed on crowns and surface roots, causing extensive damage.
  • Ference works systemically to protect plants.

• Late June to early July: Adults emerge, feed, mate and initiate second generation
• Multiple generations (2-4 per season) create overlapping life stages
• As summer progresses, asynchronous generations complicate control

With support from Syngenta, researchers at NC State University will continue to monitor ABW populations in the Cashiers and Boone/Blowing Rock areas of North Carolina to identify peaks in adult activity. As in the past, although you won’t receive phase alerts, you will receive email notifications with the most up-to-date information we have via the WeevilTrak Plus blog. As peak adult activity can vary widely from location to location, superintendents should continue scouting and using soap water flushes to monitor adult populations in their specific areas.

The former WeevilTrak guarantee following the previous control strategy will continue to be honored by Syngenta during 2026 as some customers may not have access to Atexzo because of state registration timing. Syngenta will be sending an additional alert this year to help support the overwintered adults and first summer generation.