Requirements for Technical Support in the Adoption of Augmentation Biological Control

1. Requirements for Technical Support in the Adoption of Augmentation Biological Control Norm Leppla, Howard Frank & Al Clarke University of Florida,IFAS & Becker Underwood

2. Alien Invasive Mole Crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae) Shortwinged mole cricket, Scapteriscusabbreviatus Southern mole cricket Scapteriscusborellii Tawny mole cricket Scapteriscusvicinus

3. Seasonal Distribution of Mole Cricket Stages

4. Mole cricket damage and chemical control cost ~ $100 million annually in the Southeastern U.S. Chemicals are too expensive for use on pasture land. Mole crickets rebound in most treated areas. Concern about non-target effects of chemicals. Chemical Control

5. Need and Market for Mole Cricket Nematodes in Florida • Large Ranches- There are about 1200 ranches >500 acres totaling 4.6 million acres of pasture or rangeland in Florida. According to the ranchers, about 600,000 acres are infested by mole crickets. • Small Ranches- About 28,000 ranches are <180 acres, most have 10-50 acres. At least 10% of these ranches are infested. • Sports Turf- There are about 15,000 acres of athletic fields and 50,000 acres of golf courses in Florida. • Residential- There are about 3 million acres of residential turf. At least 10% are bahiagrass and some bermudagrass. (primary grasses infested by mole crickets)

6. Need and Market for Mole Cricket Nematodes in Florida Al Clarke (Becker Underwood): The most significant untapped market is pasture. I continually get calls in the spring and fall from ranchers desperate to find a way to control mole crickets. There are no effective chemical treatments labeled for pasture use. Even with a good chemical alternative, ranchers would find them cost prohibitive and only a short-term solution.

7. In vitro Nematode Production Steinernemascapterisci

8. Suppliers of Nematac S • Pasture and Sod Farms • Helena Chemical • ProSource One • Diamond R Fertilizer • Griffin Fertilizer • Triangle Chemical • Growers Fertilizer • Crop Production Services

9. Mole Cricket Wasp Howard Frank Larra bicolor (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae) Larraflower, Spermacoceverticillata(Rubiaceae) Turf-Tec International, Tallahassee, FL

11. Biological Control of Mole Crickets in Florida by the Nematode Mean Number of Large Mole Crickets Trapped

12. Mole Cricket Nematode in Florida • 6 months- 80% mole crickets infected • 1 year- infected mole crickets spread nematodes across the pasture • 3 years- • 85% decline in mole crickets • 40-95% recovery of bahiagrass • 20-35% infected mole crickets

13. Pasture condition in 2002 3 yr after nematode application ~ 95% grass canopy ground cover

14. Mole Cricket Biological Control Al Clarke (Becker Underwood): In 2002, virtually every sale of Nematac S required a personal call by a Becker Underwood representative and we were unable to create momentum at the distributor or end user level to achieve continued growth. Al Clarke

15. Preferred Information Channels of Small Farm Operators in Florida Personal Contact

16. Distance Small Farm Operators Travel to Extension Events

17. Mole Cricket Nematode Sales 2002-2010 Acres Treated

18. Mole Cricket Biological Control Al Clarke (Becker Underwood): When I suggest Nematac S and discuss proper application, we usually come to an impasse because application equipment is simply not available. At one time, there was a professional applicator in Central Florida but he charged $25 - $35/acre. That cost plus the $25/acre cost for Nematac S drives almost all ranchers away.

19. Mole Cricket Survey- 2008

20. Restoration of Mole Cricket Biological Control

21. Nematode Application Equipment

22. Florida Livestock Extension Agents

23. Mole Cricket Nematode Field Demonstrations

24. Mole Cricket Nematode Sales 2002-2011

25. http://www.floridalivestockagents.org http://ipm.ifas.ufl.edu