| Adults emerge from pupae in the soil in
late summer, and females mate and lay eggs in turfgrass within 24 hours.
Eggs hatch into wormlike larvae, often called "leatherjackets."
Leatherjackets feed on roots and crowns of plants during the fall and
spring. They remain mostly underground but may feed on the aboveground
parts of plants on damp, warm nights. They spend the winter in the
soil but do not feed until the weather warms up. Leatherjackets pupate
mid- to late spring just below the soil surface. In late summer and
fall, adults emerge to start the cycle again. |
Photos by Ken Gray, courtesy of Oregon State University
|
