PREFERENCES OF JAPANESE-BEETLE AND SOUTHERN MASKED CHAFER (COLEOPTERA, SCARABAEIDAE) GRUBS AMONG COOL-SEASON TURFGRASSES

Feeding preferences of Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman, and southern masked chafer, Cyclocephala lurida Bland, grubs for six commo n cool-season turfgrasses were evaluated in choice tests in the greenh ouse. On the basis of larval distributions, Papillia japonica consiste ntly preferred perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenne L., over all other t urfgrasses tested. In contrast, C lurida showed no consistent pattern of preference. Presence of one grub species did not affect distributio n of the other species. Grubs did not discriminate between tall fescue , Festuca arundinacea Schreb., infected with the endophyte Acremonium coenophalium Morgan-Jones & Gams and endophyte-free tall fescue.