Cyclocephala lurida

Cyclocephala lurida, commonly known as the southern masked chafer, belongs to the family Scarabaeidae in the order Coleoptera. It is a well-known turfgrass pest that causes significant damage to landscapes throughout the central and eastern regions of its distribution.

This species primarily targets managed turfgrass, including residential lawns, athletic fields, and golf course fairways. The larvae, often referred to as white grubs, live below the soil surface where they feed extensively on the root systems of grasses, effectively severing them from the soil.

The life cycle of C. lurida is univoltine, meaning it completes one generation per year. Adult beetles emerge during mid-summer to mate, after which females deposit eggs into the soil. The larvae undergo three developmental instars, feeding voraciously on organic matter and roots during late summer and early autumn before overwintering deep in the soil profile.

The damage caused by this pest is often characterized by patches of thinning, yellowing turf that eventually dies. Because the roots are consumed, the damaged sod can often be rolled back like a piece of carpet. Secondary damage is frequently caused by birds, skunks, or raccoons digging into the turf to feed on the abundant grub population.

Effective management requires a strategic approach focusing on the following methods:

• Monitoring grub populations using soil core samples in late summer.
• Applying systemic insecticides as a preventive measure when egg-laying activity is predicted.
• Implementing biological controls, such as applications of entomopathogenic nematodes.
• Enhancing turf vigor through proper irrigation and fertilization to help plants recover from light root damage.