Management of frit fly ( <i>Oscinella frit</i> ), a challenging turfgrass insect pest in Hawaii

Abstract Frit fly is a relatively less studied turfgrass insect pest in Hawaii, where Bermuda grass is the most susceptible host. Frit fly larvae tunnel in the grass stems near soil surface, causing the upper portion of the grass to turn yellow, then brown and die. Also, adult flies can be a nuisance pest to golfers because they are attracted to light colored objects. Due to lack of research, frit fly continues to be a management challenge for golf courses in Hawaii. A field trial at a golf course in Hawaii was therefore conducted to evaluate the efficacy of several insecticides for frit fly control. There were five treatments and an untreated control, with four replicated plots per treatment. Data on frit fly damage, turfgrass greenness, and overall turfgrass quality were collected prior to the first application, and after each of the three applications. The results showed that imidacloprid + bifenthrin + zeta‐cypermethrin treatment resulted in the best frit fly control, followed by indoxacarb treatment.