Listronotus maculicollis

Definition

A small weevil species (family Curculionidae) native to North America and the primary insect pest of annual bluegrass (Poa annua) in managed turf, especially golf greens and grass tennis courts. Adults are dark with a distinctive pale, maculated pronotum; larvae feed internally on grass stems and crowns, causing characteristic yellowing and dieback. The species has expanded its range markedly since the 2000s, spreading from the northeastern United States into Canada and south to North Carolina, and has broadened its host range to include perennial ryegrass and creeping bentgrass.

Etymology

Latin: maculicollis, 'spotted neck,' referring to the pale markings on the pronotum.

Example

Superintendent monitoring for Listronotus maculicollis adults with soap flushes on putting greens in early spring, before oviposition begins and larval damage becomes visible.

Synonyms

• Annual bluegrass weevil
• ABW

Related Terms

• Curculionidae
• Listronotus
• Poa annua
• turfgrass pest
• weevil
• soap flush
• crown-feeding

Usage Notes

Often abbreviated ABW in turfgrass management literature. Not to be confused with the closely related Listronotus bonariensis (Argentine stem weevil), a pest of ryegrass in New Zealand and Australia. Management relies heavily on timed insecticide applications targeting adults before egg-laying or young larvae before they bore into stems; biological control options remain limited.