Hunting Billbug: Biology and Management in Turfgrass

UGA Extension contacts:
William Hudson and Shimat Joseph

Hunting billbug, Sphenophorous venatus vestitus (Family: Curculionidae) is an important weevil pest of turfgrass in Georgia. It’s called a “billbug” because of its long snout, or bill, which has small mandibles at the tip. Hunting billbug infestations in turfgrass are not easily detected until the first signs of feeding damage, such as discoloration or irregular patches, appear scattered across the turfgrass. Although hunting billbugs attack all major turfgrass genotypes, damage on zoysia grass cultivars can be particularly serious. In addition to hunting billbug, several other species of billbugs are found in warm-season turfgrass including the lesser billbug, S. minimus, and uneven billbug, S. inaequalis.

Published by University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. For more information or guidance, contact your local Extension office.

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