Birds pecking on the green is not the problem

Bowling News

The Bowls Central website provides a wide range of articles about green maintenance and offers support for greenkeepers on a whole lot of topics. After listening to two local greenkeepers discussing the problem of birds pecking on the green I came across this article which covered the problem and solution. Here is a brief extract with a link to the full article for those with a particular interest in resolving this annual problem.

One of the most confounding problems for greenkeepers is birds pecking the surface of the green. The number of queries I receive asking "how do I get rid of crows?" or "how can we stop birds pecking the green?" gets larger every year.

Of course, the bird activity induced by the presence of insect grubs isn’t the main damage being caused to the green. In fact, it could be argued that if it wasn't for the birds, the problem would be much greater in many cases. The birds in this case are an alert to a potential underlying problem and should be welcomed by the greenkeeper.

However, I still see a lot of effort being put into repelling the birds, whilst the insect problem remains unaddressed. A clear example of symptom management in action. Meanwhile cranefly grubs, commonly known as leatherjackets, pose a significant problem for those greenkeepers. With the vagaries in the weather we are seeing, insect herbivore problems are on the increase on bowling greens. This isn't a great surprise as a fairly large proportion of greens lack, or are low in the natural defences needed to limit the damage caused by insect herbivores.  

Leatherjackets are the larvae of craneflies or ‘daddy longlegs,’ and their diet primarily consists of the roots and stem bases of grasses. This causes noticeable damage, including yellowing and thinning of the turf, often leading to bare patches. Large populations can destroy the entire green surface relatively quickly.

The lifecycle of the cranefly in the UK typically begins with eggs laid in the soil during late summer and early autumn. These eggs hatch into the grubs that remain active throughout the winter months, feeding on the grass. In the spring, they transition into a dormant pupal stage before emerging as adult flies in late summer, ready to start the cycle again. Given their lifecycle and the damage they cause, understanding and effectively managing these pests is a key skill for greenkeepers.

Read the full article