David Smitley
Contact Me
Professor Emeritus
                  MSU Extension
                
Phone:
      
      517-355-3385
      
      
Email:
      smitley@msu.edu
      
Degrees:
        PhD - North Carolina State University (1985) 
MS - University of Georgia (1980) 
BS - Michigan State University (1978)
      
Related Work
Authored Articles
- Suspected annual bluegrass weevil on golf course in Michigan, June 13, 2022
 - Fall armyworm damage on putting greens, October 21, 2021
 - Fall armyworm egg masses hatching now could bring new turf damage soon, September 24, 2021
 - What growers and landscapers need to know about box tree moth, July 19, 2021
 - If you planted boxwood shrubs this spring, check them for box tree moth, May 28, 2021
 - How to choose and when to apply grub control products for your lawn, May 22, 2020
 - Lymantria dispar outbreaks in Michigan, August 22, 2019
 - How to protect pollinators in urban landscapes and gardens, July 11, 2019
 - Pollinators in urban landscapes, May 1, 2019
 - Protecting pollinators during home lawn grub control, May 1, 2019
 - Flowers throughout the year, May 1, 2019
 - Biological control and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for protecting pollinators, May 1, 2019
 - Potential impact of mosquito and nuisance insect sprays on pollinators, May 1, 2019
 - Landscape plants and wildflowers attractive to butterflies for nectar feeding, May 1, 2019
 - Selection, planting and care of trees and shrubs to avoid the need for pesticides, May 1, 2019
 - Do not spray pollinator-attractive plants with insecticides when open flowers are present, May 1, 2019
 - Creating and maintaining pollinator friendly habitat, May 1, 2019
 - Considerations for disease management, May 1, 2019
 - Best Management Practices, May 1, 2019
 - How to control invasive pests while protecting pollinators and other beneficial insects, May 1, 2019
 - Better habitat for bees, May 1, 2019
 - Introduction to protecting and increasing pollinators in your landscape, May 1, 2019
 - Factors that threaten pollinator health, May 1, 2019
 - Tree, turf and ornamental plant update – June 22, 2018, June 22, 2018
 - Do grub control products work?, May 31, 2017
 - European crane flies observed around lawns and homes in southern Michigan, May 22, 2017
 - Lace bugs on ornamentals in the nursery, August 11, 2016
 - What are all those little brown beetles on the porch?, August 4, 2016
 - Grub damage to lawns is being reported now in drought-stricken parts of Michigan, November 2, 2015
 - Avoid falling for tree and shrub pest control scams, July 28, 2015
 - Turfgrass pest and disease diagnostic services offered free to northern Michigan turf managers, July 2, 2015
 - Thin azaleas with crusty stems may have azalea bark scale, June 2, 2015
 - Watch for European crane fly injury to turfgrass in April and May, April 9, 2015
 - Nursery insecticide product recommendations for key nursery pests, October 2, 2014
 - Ataenius and cutworms feeding on golf courses, July 18, 2014
 - Planting garden center flowers is good for bees and other beneficial insects, June 25, 2014
 - Growing a variety of flowering plants helps bees and other beneficial insects, May 20, 2014
 - Tea scale found in Michigan nursery plants, May 8, 2014
 - How to protect bees in my yard and garden, April 10, 2014
 - What are the alternatives to grub control insecticides?, April 1, 2014
 - Watch for leafminers on mums in greenhouses, March 11, 2014
 - Greenhouse insect management without neonicotinoids, February 27, 2014
 - Look out for European crane flies and turf damage in October around Grand Rapids and Detroit, September 19, 2013
 - Whitefly management on poinsettia for fall 2013, August 14, 2013
 - What can I do about Japanese beetles landing on our golfers?, July 17, 2013
 - A question about grub control products and honey bees, June 27, 2013
 - Two easy tips for avoiding grub damage in your yard, June 27, 2013
 - Controlling grubs in nursery fields, June 6, 2013
 - 2012 Drought stress may result in more insect and disease problems on shade trees this year, May 30, 2013
 - Scout for aphids before shipping greenhouse plants, May 3, 2013
 - Watch for European crane fly damage in Grand Rapids, Mich., and Detroit area, May 2, 2013
 - Dead patches in lawns or golf course roughs may be from grubs, April 25, 2013
 - Weevils and Zimmerman pine moths: Early spring landscape pests to think about now, March 22, 2013
 - How to handle resistant spider mites in your greenhouse, March 5, 2013
 - Failure to water-in insecticides after application may result in poor grub control, September 21, 2012
 - Help shade trees recover from July 2012 drought, September 7, 2012
 - Does a dormant lawn need to be treated for grubs?, July 12, 2012
 - The ups and downs of Japanese beetle populations, July 12, 2012
 - Hungry deer are devouring Hostas and more, July 5, 2012
 - Insect pests now appearing in turf, June 28, 2012
 - Euonymus webworm causing some damage to burning bush around Grand Rapids, Mich., May 24, 2012
 - Black vine weevil adults emerging in Ottawa County, May 24, 2012
 - Does your Mugho pine look like a poodle?, May 18, 2012
 - Serpentine mines in columbine leaves caused by a leafminer, May 18, 2012
 - Eastern tent caterpillar outbreaks patchy and localized, May 18, 2012
 - European crane fly damage appearing now in Grand Rapids, May 14, 2012
 - Turf damage from grubs and skunks is coming to an end for this spring, April 27, 2012
 - A question about milky spore applications and grubs, April 13, 2012
 - Nurseries should be scouting poly-houses for pest problems, March 16, 2012
 - European chafer grubs are hungry, March 16, 2012
 - Use degree days and plant phenology to anticipate timing of pest problems this spring, March 16, 2012
 - Diagnosing chinch bug problems in home lawns, August 26, 2011
 - Emamectin benzoate trunk injections as a diagnostic tool, July 15, 2011
 - Japanese beetles are out and about, July 15, 2011
 - July is the best time to treat for European chafer grubs on home lawns, July 1, 2011
 - Forecasting insect activity by noting plant development and degree days, July 1, 2011
 - Japanese beetles are on the way, July 1, 2011
 - Managing spider mites in nurseries, July 1, 2011
 - Feedback on new bark and ambrosia beetles in Michigan, June 24, 2011
 - Watch for potato leafhopper feeding injury to red, Norway and sugar maples, June 10, 2011
 - Four-lined plant bugs: Attractive with a big appetite, June 3, 2011
 - Black vine weevil adults will emerge soon, June 3, 2011
 - A good year for spittlebugs, June 3, 2011
 - Common spring leafminers, May 27, 2011
 - Large flight of June beetles could mean more grubs next year, May 23, 2011
 - New bark beetle pests in Michigan, May 20, 2011
 - Cyclamen mite injury found on Delphinium (Larkspur), May 5, 2011
 - Trunk injections are changing the tree care industry, April 29, 2011
 - Protecting Austrian and Scotch pine from Zimmerman pine moth, April 15, 2011
 - European chafer grub damage to peak the next two weeks, April 15, 2011
 - White pine weevil has already started working; have you?, April 15, 2011
 - A new study on the risk of moving firewood, July 30, 2010
 - A question from emeraldashborer.info, April 16, 2010
 - Home lawn questions answered, August 21, 2009
 - New test results show that TREE-äge trunk injections provide excellent protection for two years, August 7, 2009
 - Now is a good time to see three notorious beetles: European chafer, emerald ash borer, Japanese beet, July 10, 2009
 - Update on professional products for control of emerald ash borer on individual trees, May 1, 2009
 - Emerald ash borer treatments for homeowners, May 1, 2009
 - Test provides promising results for those wanting to protect their trees from emerald ash borer, May 16, 2008
 - Tree-Äge receives Michigan SLN registration for control of emerald ash borer, April 18, 2008
 - Emerald ash borer treatment products for professionals, April 18, 2008
 - Help treated ash trees by watering, July 13, 2007
 - Updates on emerald ash borer treatments, May 25, 2007
 - Spring treatments for emerald ash borer, April 28, 2006
 
Articles Featuring
- Smitley Recognized for Support of Michigan Golf Industry, May 9, 2022
 - MSU alum Elena Rivas manages golf course in Spain, February 28, 2019
 - Smitley receives highest horticultural entomology award from ESA, November 29, 2017
 - MSU entomologists share science, network and compete at annual Entomological Society meeting, November 21, 2017
 - Dave Smitley interviewed on PolliNation Podcast about nursery industry and efforts to protect pollinators in urban landscapes, June 26, 2017
 - Bee kind: Making greenhouse and nursery plants more pollinator-friendly, February 14, 2017
 - Planting tips to attract and protect pollinators focus of new MSU publication, April 28, 2016
 
Authored Documents
- Raise the Mowing Height for Weed and Grub Defense, December 21, 2023
 - Managing Spider Mites on Christmas Tree Farms, April 30, 2022
 - Turf Tips for the Homeowner: European Chafer, February 8, 2018
 - How to treat hemlock trees for hemlock woolly adelgid, June 22, 2017
 - Japanese beetle: Tips for your lawn, May 16, 2017
 - Sod webworm: Tips for your lawn, May 15, 2017
 - European chafer: Tips for your lawn, May 12, 2017
 - Chinch bug: Tips for your lawn, April 14, 2017
 - Smart lawn care to protect pollinators, January 25, 2017
 - White Grubs in New Sod: What Do I Do?, February 18, 2016
 - European Chafer and Japanese Beetle on Sod Farms, June 8, 2015
 - Black Cutworms, June 8, 2015
 - Watch for Grub Damage in the Fall and Next Spring, May 28, 2015
 - Bluegrass Billbug, May 28, 2015
 - Growing Flowering Plants that are Safe for Pollinators in the Yard and Garden, October 23, 2014
 - Pest Management on Poinsettias, July 17, 2014
 - Protecting Pollinators in the Yard and Garden, April 17, 2014
 - Insect Controls for the Greenhouse Industry, February 28, 2012