Turfgrass-pests

Guides

• Cercopidae

  froghoppers, spittlebugs

  Cercopidae is the largest family of Cercopoidea, a group of xylem-feeding insects in the hemipteran suborder Auchenorrhyncha. Commonly called froghoppers or spittlebugs, these insects are known for the frothy protective masses produced by nymphs and the powerful jumping ability of adults. A 2023 phylogenetic study elevated the New World subfamily Ischnorhininae to full family status as Ischnorhinidae, leaving Cercopidae sensu stricto as a monophyletic Old World group comprising two subfamilies: Cercopinae and Cosmoscartinae. Members are significant agricultural pests of forage grasses, sugarcane, and turfgrass throughout tropical and subtropical regions.

  xylem-feedingjumping-insectsagricultural-pestsspittle-masseshemimetabolousvectorforage-grass-pestssugarcane-peststurfgrass-pestsOld-World-distribution2023-taxonomic-revisionIschnorhinidae-split

• Cyclocephala

  Masked Chafers

  Cyclocephala is a large genus of scarab beetles in the subfamily Dynastinae, commonly known as masked chafers. Adults are small brown beetles (10–15 mm) with a distinctive black facial mask across the eyes. The genus is endemic to the Americas, ranging from southeastern Canada to Argentina, India, and the West Indies. Adults are nocturnal or crepuscular and attracted to lights. Larvae develop in soil, feeding on organic matter and plant roots, and are significant pests of turfgrass.

  scarab-beetlesmasked-chafersturfgrass-pestswhite-grubsnocturnal-beetlesDynastinaesoil-dwelling-larvaeroot-feederssex-pheromonespollinatorsagricultural-pestsentomopathogenic-fungi-research

• Tipulidae

  Large Crane Flies, Crane Flies

  Tipulidae is a large family of true flies in the order Diptera, comprising over 4,200 described species in more than 30 genera. Members are commonly known as crane flies or large crane flies, characterized by their elongated bodies and exceptionally long, slender legs. Adults are typically short-lived and often do not feed; their primary purpose is reproduction. Larvae occupy diverse moist habitats including soil, leaf litter, decaying wood, and aquatic environments, where most feed on decaying organic matter. The family has a fossil record extending to the Late Jurassic.

  DipteraNematoceracrane-fliesdecomposerssaprophagousshort-lived-adultsmating-swarmsturfgrass-pestsharmless-to-humansworldwide-distributionLate-Jurassic-fossilsCharles-Paul-Alexandermaxillary-palps13-antennal-segmentsLimoniidaePediciidaemosquito-hawk-misnomerdaddy-longlegs-confusionleatherjacketsaquatic-larvaeterrestrial-larvaespring-emergencelight-attractionwingless-snow-crane-flies-in-genus-Chionea-(now-Limoniidae)