The European crane fly (ECF) is a rare insect in the United States as a whole, but ECFs are all too familiar to some golf course superintendents in the Northeast. ECFs were first identified in western New York in 2004 and became an evident obstacle for superintendents after 2009 when ECF began spreading across Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Today, populations continue to spread. Concentrated in the Pacific Northwest and the Atlantic Northeast, these exotic species scalp golf course greens by disrupting the turf’s rooting zone and by feeding on crowns and leaf blades.

There are many natural species of crane flies, but only two are known to cause damage to turf and both require careful scouting to identify. The Tipula paludosa (European crane fly) only produces one generation per year and is less dispersed geographically, but tends to cause more damage since its range is concentrated. The Tipula oleracea (Common crane fly) produces two generations per year. It also moves more frequently and seems to be more widespread than ECFs.

Scouting for ECFs
It is best to scout for ECF adults in the fall and spring. ECF damage tends to look like black cutworm damage in aerification holes on greens’ surfaces. Larvae have a pupal case, also called a leather jacket, which may stick up from the surface of a green by one-half of an inch. Often, larvae go undetected until population levels cross the damage threshold. The number of larvae per square foot can range from 15 to 40, which makes it necessary to make local decisions on treatment.

ECF Treatment Options
There are limited options for biological control of ECFs. Limiting the moisture during egg lay will reduce damaging populations but likely will not eliminate them. Contact insecticides (carbaryl, pyrethroids) will cause larvae to come to the surface and sometimes accumulate. Curative applications are typically made in May and give about 50 to 60 percent control. Preventive insecticide applications of Acelepryn® insecticide at a rate of 8 to 16 fl oz per acre are typically made in the fall and can provide 70 to 90 percent control. Acelepryn covers a broad spectrum of insect species – crane flies, white grubs and turf caterpillars like black cutworm.

To find out if your area could be affected by ECFs, check out this Google Hangout hosted by Turf Republic featuring research from Daniel Peck, Ph. D, formerly with Grass Systems Entomology.

European crane fly specimens from Dr. Peck’s research

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