Anasa tristis

Last updated

Anasa tristis
Squash bug nymph 1736.JPG
Nymphs on a squash plant
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Heteroptera
Family: Coreidae
Genus: Anasa
Species:
A. tristis
Binomial name
Anasa tristis
(De Geer), 1773
Eggs on underside of squash plant's leaf Anasa tristis eggs.jpg
Eggs on underside of squash plant's leaf
Squash bug eggs on the underside of yellow crookneck squash leaves Squash eggs 1316.JPG
Squash bug eggs on the underside of yellow crookneck squash leaves
Nymphs of several instars, on squash Anasa tristis nymphs.jpg
Nymphs of several instars, on squash

Anasa tristis is a species of bug in the family Coreidae. It is a major pest of squash and pumpkins, found throughout North America, and is a vector of the cucurbit yellow vine disease bacterium. [1] These bugs can emit an unpleasant odor when disturbed. It is commonly known as the squash bug but shares this name with certain other species.

Contents

Description

The adult Anasa tristis is a greyish-brown, somewhat flattened insect reaching a length of about 1.5 cm (0.6 in) and a width of 0.75 cm (0.3 in). There is often a row of alternate brown and gold spots along the margin of the abdomen. Adults survive for three or four months. [2] [3]

Adult Anasa tristis, adult.jpg
Adult

Host plants

Anasa tristis can be found on various members of the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, but most often occurs on pumpkins and squashes. Some varieties and cultivars are more susceptible to attack than others. Research has shown that nymphs can grow to adulthood with varying degrees of success on different host plants; 70%, 49%, 14%, 0.3% and 0% survived to maturity on pumpkin, squash, watermelon, cucumber and cantaloupe melon respectively. [3] Larvae that primarily fed on cucumbers were more likely to live longer than those who fed on water alone, although these larvae didn't gain any substantial amount of weight in its developmental stage. [4]

Life cycle

In the southern part of its range, the adult female Anasa tristis lays two or three batches of about eighteen eggs, but in the northern part of the range it just lays a single batch. The eggs are oval, somewhat flattened and bronze in colour, and are deposited on the underside of the leaves of the host plant. They may be clustered close together or more widely dispersed but are often regularly arranged. The eggs hatch after seven to nine days into nymphs which have five instar stages. The first instar nymphs are green and about 2.5 mm (0.1 in) in length. Each successive instar is larger and less hairy and grey. The fifth instar is grey, with developing wing pads and about 10 mm (0.4 in) in length. The complete nymphal stage lasts about 33 days. [3]

Damage

Anasa tristis is a true bug that feeds by sucking sap, mainly from the leaves, but sometimes also the fruit. Historically, at least as far back as 1902, some gardeners believed that Anasa tristis had toxic saliva, however more recent research from 1993 suggests the process of harming plants does not involve any toxins. What happens is that the insects physically damage the xylem and leaves of the plant, which causes them to wilt, darken in colour and die. [5] The heavier the infestation, the greater the damage to the plant. Sometimes one plant or part of a plant can be heavily attacked while surrounding plants are untouched. [3] Besides the direct damage their feeding causes to the plant, these insects can act as vectors for cucurbit yellow vine disease caused by the bacterium Serratia marcescens . This disease can kill the plants. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitefly</span> Family of insects

Whiteflies are Hemipterans that typically feed on the undersides of plant leaves. They comprise the family Aleyrodidae, the only family in the superfamily Aleyrodoidea. More than 1550 species have been described.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coreidae</span> Family of insects

Coreidae is a large family of predominantly sap-sucking insects in the Hemipteran suborder Heteroptera. The name "Coreidae" derives from the genus Coreus, which derives from the Ancient Greek κόρις (kóris) meaning bedbug.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silverleaf whitefly</span> Species of true bug

The silverleaf whitefly is one of several species of whitefly that are currently important agricultural pests. A review in 2011 concluded that the silverleaf whitefly is actually a species complex containing at least 40 morphologically indistinguishable species.

<i>Acalymma vittatum</i> Species of beetle

Acalymma vittatum, the striped cucumber beetle, is a beetle of the family Chrysomelidae and a serious pest of cucurbit crops in both larval and adult stages. It is distributed from eastern North America to the Rocky Mountains. It is replaced in the west by Acalymma trivittatum, a duller species often with greyish or pale white elytra rather than yellow.

<i>Diabrotica undecimpunctata</i> Species of beetle

Diabrotica undecimpunctata, the spotted cucumber beetle or southern corn rootworm, is a species of cucumber beetle that is native to North America. The species can be a major agricultural pest insect in North America. Spotted cucumber beetles cause damage to crops in the larval and adult stages of their life cycle. Larvae feed on the roots of the emerging plants, which causes the most damage since the young plants are more vulnerable. In the adult stage the beetles cause damage by eating the flowers, leaves, stems, and fruits of the plant The beetles can also spread diseases such as bacterial wilt and mosaic virus.

<i>Diaphania nitidalis</i> Species of insect

Diaphania nitidalis, the pickleworm, is a serious agricultural pest insect in the family Crambidae. It damages squash primarily, but it is also a common pest of other cucurbits such as cucumbers and melons. It is a tropical species which can be found in the southern United States. In the southern United States, earlier plants are less affected compared to later plantings. It does not tolerate cold temperatures. The species was first described by Caspar Stoll in 1781.

<i>Diabrotica speciosa</i> Species of beetle

Diabrotica speciosa, also known as the cucurbit beetle and in Spanish as vaquita de San Antonio is an insect pest native to South America. Its larvae feed on the roots of crops. The cucurbit beetle is also known to transmit several viruses such as comoviruses and different mosaic viruses. This is native to South America and is now distributed in Central America and other global areas.

<i>Mictis profana</i> Species of true bug

Mictis profana is a species of insect in the family Coreidae known by the common names crusader bug and holy cross bug. It is distributed in Australia, Indonesia, and the Indo-Pacific.

<i>Aphis gossypii</i> Species of insect

Aphis gossypii is a tiny insect, an aphid ("greenfly") in the superfamily Aphidoidea in the order Hemiptera. It is a true bug and sucks sap from plants. It is a widely distributed pest of a variety of agricultural crops in the families Cucurbitaceae, Rutaceae and Malvaceae. Common names include cotton aphid, melon aphid and melon and cotton aphid.

<i>Trichopoda pennipes</i> Species of fly

Trichopoda pennipes is a species of feather-legged fly in the dipteran family Tachinidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cucumber beetle</span> Common name for several species of beetles

Cucumber beetle is a common name given to members of two genera of beetles, Diabrotica and Acalymma, both in the family Chrysomelidae. The adults can be found on cucurbits such as cucumbers and a variety of other plants. Many are notorious pests of agricultural crops. The larvae of several cucumber beetles are known as corn rootworms.

<i>Diabrotica balteata</i> Species of beetle

Diabrotica balteata is a species of cucumber beetle in the family Chrysomelidae known commonly as the banded cucumber beetle. It occurs in the Americas, where its distribution extends from the United States to Colombia and Venezuela in South America. It is also present in Cuba. It is a pest of a variety of agricultural crops.

<i>Planococcus citri</i> Species of true bug

Planococcus citri, commonly known as the citrus mealybug, is a species of mealybugs native to Asia. It has been introduced to the rest of the world, including Europe, the Americas, and Oceania, as an agricultural pest. It is associated with citrus, but it attacks a wide range of crop plants, ornamental plants, and wild flora.

<i>Aphis craccivora</i> Species of true bug

Aphis craccivora, variously known as the cowpea aphid, groundnut aphid or black legume aphid, is a true bug in the family Aphididae. Originally of probable Palearctic origin, it is now an invasive species of cosmopolitan distribution.

<i>Saissetia coffeae</i> Species of true bug

Saissetia coffeae, known generally as hemispherical scale, is a species of soft scale insect in the family Coccidae. Other common names include the helmet scale and coffee brown scale.

Cacopsylla pyricola, commonly known as the pear sucker, is a true bug in the family Psyllidae and is a pest of pear trees (Pyrus). It originated in Europe, was introduced to the United States in the early nineteenth century and spread across the country in the next century.

<i>Leptoglossus gonagra</i> Species of insect

Leptoglossus gonagra, known as the passionvine bug, citron bug or squash bug in different parts of its range, is a species of leaf-footed bug in the family Coreidae. It is found in Africa, the Caribbean, Central America, North America, South America, Southern Asia, the Pacific Ocean and Oceania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giant mesquite bug</span> Species of insect

The giant mesquite bug is an insect of the order Hemiptera, or the "true bugs". As a member of the family Coreidae, it is a leaf-footed bug. As the common name implies, it is a large bug that feeds on mesquite trees of the American Southwest and Northwestern Mexico.

<i>Clavigralla gibbosa</i> Species of true bug

Clavigralla gibbosa, the tur pod bug, is a species of leaf-footed bug in the family Coreidae. It is found in India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, where it is a pest of pigeon pea.

<i>Aulacophora foveicollis</i> Species of beetle

Aulacophora foveicollis, the red pumpkin beetle, is a species of beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is a foliar pest of members of the Cucurbitaceae, particularly the pumpkin. It is also a pest of millets in India.

References

  1. Arnold, 2001
  2. Mertz, Leslie (20 January 2016). "Squash Bugs Still Making Growers Crazy After All These Years". Entomology Today. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Capinera, John (1 March 1999). "Squah bug: Anasa tristis". Featured Creatures. IFAS. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  4. Cook, Colwell A.; Neal, Jonathan J. (1999-04-01). "Feeding Behavior of Larvae of Anasa tristis (Heteroptera: Coreidae) on Pumpkin and Cucumber". Environmental Entomology. 28 (2): 173–177. doi: 10.1093/ee/28.2.173 . ISSN   0046-225X.
  5. H. B. Doughty, J. M. Wilson, P. B. Schultz, T. P. Kuhar, Squash Bug (Hemiptera: Coreidae): Biology and Management in Cucurbitaceous Crops, Journal of Integrated Pest Management, Volume 7, Issue 1, January 2016, 1, https://doi.org/10.1093/jipm/pmv024
  6. Boucher, T. Jude (1 May 2005). "Cucurbit Yellow Vine Disease (CYVD) In Connecticut". University of Connecticut, Cooperative Extension System. Retrieved 30 March 2016.