[artalis]

A friend of mine has an infestation of leatherjacket larvae which has destroyed her newly laid turf lawns not just once, but twice in a row. Daddy long legs is the name by which I know these critters.

The larvae is eating the grass and turning it to brown pulp. New topsoil has been added and the lawn relaid but the problem returned.

Any of you keen gardeners have a solution please to destroy these insects and inhibit a recurrence?

[michael brenock]

the soil for the lawn was obviously got from old grassland and the eggs and larvae came with it. Dig it up again and let the birds pick up the leatherjackets. Resow the lawn from July onwards when the leatherjackets will have all emerged. They are not likely to recur in newly tilled soil in two successive years. The daddy long legs is the parent of the leatherjacket.
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired)

[artalis]

[Prendo]

If the turf hasn't been totally ruined yet and if the area is reasonable small one could try the following - it worked well for me a few years ago:
In the evening cover the area with a tarpolin or old carpet or a large sheet of black plastic, turn on the hose and put in under the covering ... let it run until the area is well flooded, and then some. In the morning, remove the cover and pick off the leatherjackets - might take a few goes to get them all. I read somewhere that stoney drywalls are a special favourite haunt for the daddylonglegs.

[James Kilkelly]

from a piece I put together before

Organic or cultural control.
Ensure you have adequate drainage in your lawn, as eggs and young larvae thrive in damp conditions. Sandy soil will also show less occurrence of leatherjacket attack.

Encourage the bird population in your garden by providing trees and shrubs as shelter and feeding them occasionnaly. Your birds will keep the population of craneflys lowered resulting in less leatherjackets. Unfortunately there is a downside to the birds especially the ground feeders such as the blackbird, as they cut up the lawn in their search for leatherjacket grubs.

In the evening, water an area of soil/lawn and cover it with a sheet of black plastic, then in the early morning remove the cover to expose any leatherjackets which have come to the surface. Sweep them up and dispose or else vacate the area quickly and let the Starlings, blackbirds and robins pick them off.

For leatherjacket control you can, if the pots are manageable, pop the rootball out of the pot and pick off any visable grubs.

Digging over an area of leatherjacket infested soil with a fork will also bring the grubs to the surface to be eaten by birds that flock to any piece of freshly turned sod.

You can water on a a biological control from late August to October, a parasitic nematode called Steinernema feltiae. These nematodes attack the leatherjackets causing them to die out. Steinernema feltiae can be ordered through garden centres or online.

Other Control.
Applying slug pellets which contain Methiocarb will also reduce the leatherjacket population. Sprinkle them over the ground and lightly rake in.

From..... Leatherjackets (lawn pest) - Tipula paludosa and Nephrotoma

[simonj]

Apply supernemo's, great Irish product that I have used and is a great help.

I know its anecdotal, but last year the areas dosed with supernemo showed little leatherjacket or cutworm damage, but the untreated areas were hit very hard.

http://nemo.ie/