Biology:Zygogramma suturalis
| Zygogramma suturalis | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: | |
| Species: | Z. suturalis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Zygogramma suturalis (Fabricius, 1775)
| |
Zygogramma suturalis, commonly known as the ragweed leaf beetle, is a species of leaf beetle belonging to the genus Zygogramma.[1] Native to North America, it has been introduced into Russia and China for the biological pest control of ragweed.
Description
This leaf beetle is small with a brown head and pronotum, and yellow elytra marked with two wide margins of brown on each wing; one in the middle and one at the suture.
Distribution
Z. suturalis is native to Canada and the USA.[1]
It was introduced into Russia in 1978 in an attempt to control invasive Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed).[2] About 1500 specimens were originally released which had eliminated ragweed at the experimental control site by 1983. The success of Z. suturalis in Russia led to a population explosion with densities of up to 100,000,000 adults per square kilometre recorded subsequently.[3]
It was introduced to China as a biological pest control for ragweed in 1987.[4]
Lifecycle and habitat
Adults and larvae feed on Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed), A. psilostachya, and A. trifida.[5]
Overwintering adults began feeding in late April or early May of the following year, having emerged when ragweed seedlings were only 2–5 cm tall.[6] Larvae of the first or spring generation began feeding in mid-May or early June and most reached maturity by early July.[6] Larvae of the second or late summer generation were evident during the first two weeks of August.[6]
No complex courtship behavioural patterns have been observed in Z. suturalis; copulation most commonly takes place during the late morning or early evening and lasts from a few minutes to well over an hour.[6] Females lay between 145 and 563 eggs, over a period of 22–42 days.[6] Eggs are deposited in clusters of two or three on the underside of young ragweed leaves, usually near the leaf tip.[6]
Investigations in the USA showed that Z. suturalis had 2 generations a year,[6] but field investigations in China have shown that the beetle species could have up to 3 generations a year in that populations.[4] At 26±1 °C, the average lifespan of the adult female and male was 82.5 and 67.8 days respectively.[4] The mated females began laying eggs two weeks after emergence. Each female lays an average of 394 eggs.[4]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Zygogramma suturalis (Fabricius, 1775)". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. 2017. https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=720105#null.
- ↑ Kovalev, O.V.; Reznik, S.Ya.; Cherkashin, V.N. (1983). "Specific features of the methods of using Zygogramma Chevr. (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) in biological control of ragweeds (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., A. psilostachya D.C.)" (in ru). Entomologicheskoe Obozrenije 62: 402–408.
- ↑ Reznik, S. Ya.; Spasskaya, I. A.; Dolgovskaya, M.Yu.; Volkovitsh, M.G.; Zaitzev, V. F. (2008). "The ragweed leaf beetle Zygogramma suturalis F. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Russia: current distribution, abundance and implication for biological control of common ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.". Proceedings of the XII International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds: pp. 614–619. http://www.invasive.org/proceedings/pdfs/12_614-619.pdf.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Wan, F. H.; Wang, R. (1989). "Biology of Zygogramma suturalis (F.) (Col.: Chrysomelidae), an introduced biological control agent of common ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia.". Chinese Journal of Biological Control 5 (2): 71–75. http://www.cabi.org/isc/abstract/19901138419.
- ↑ Clark, S. M.; LeDoux, D. G.; Seeno, T. N.; Riley, E. G.; Gilbert, A. J.; Sullivan, J. M. (2004). Host Plants of Leaf Beetle Species Occurring in the United States and Canada (Coleoptera: Orsodacnidae, Megalopodiae, Chrysolmelidae exclusive of Bruchinae). Coleopterists' Society. p. 257. https://www.zin.ru/animalia/coleoptera/pdf/clark_ledoux_et_al_2004.pdf.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Piper, Gary, L. (1975). "The Biology and Immature Stages of Zygogramma Suturalis (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)". The Ohio Journal of Science 75 (1): 19–24.
External links
Wikidata ☰ Q2009210 entry
 |  |
