Delia urbana

Other common names:

Couch fly, couch tip fly, adult couch tip maggot.

 

Description:

Their lifecycle is a complete metamorphosis with 3 instars and 1-5 generations per year. Adults, which are white-brown to dark brown in colour, with large eyes and narrow wings, lay eggs into the leaf axis of couch grass varieties which then turn into maggots. The white maggots can be up to 5 mm long.

 

Susceptible Turf:

Warm-and cool-season turf grass varieties.

 

Symptoms:

Visual symptoms include the grass tips chewed or distorted, discolouration of tips and subsequent turf stress. Couch tip maggot damage can be seen in spring and summer and the couch tip fly is also seen in autumn.

 

Control options:

• Pesticides: See available tabs below for registered products. Use as per label instructions.
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM): Use a combination of approaches listed on this page.
• Cultural: Nil.
• Mechanical: Nil.

 

Disclaimer:

Turf Finder or its developer accepts with no responsibility for any consequences whatsoever resulting from the use of any information or product(s) listed herein. Products are to be applied as per label instructions.