Calligrapha pantherina | |
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Cairns, Australia 2018 | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Coleoptera |
Infraorder: | Cucujiformia |
Family: | Chrysomelidae |
Genus: | Calligrapha |
Species: | C. pantherina |
Binomial name | |
Calligrapha pantherina Stål, 1859 | |
Calligrapha pantherina, the sida leafbeetle, is a species of beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, endemic to Mexico. The larvae and adult beetles feed on the foliage of the common wireweed (Sida acuta) and the arrowleaf sida (Sida rhombifolia). This beetle has been introduced into Northern Australia as a biological control agent in an attempt to control its host plants, which are invasive weeds there. [1]
In its native Mexico, this beetle is only found in the states of Guerrero, Oaxaca, Veracruz and Chiapas. In 1989, after extensive assessment, it was released into Northern Territory Australia. Following its success in that country, it was released in 1999 into Papua New Guinea, and also later into Fiji and Vanuatu. [1] In 2016, the beetle was found to have reached New Caledonia. This caused some concern because, although there is invasive Sida acuta on the island, there are also two endemic species of Sida . [2]
Sida acuta is a small shrub that is native to Mexico but has spread to many other tropical countries. In its native land, Calligrapha pantherina has a restricted host range and feeds only on Sida acuta and the closely related Sida rhombifolia and Sida spinosa . Eggs are laid on the underside of older leaves. The larvae feed on the foliage, aggregating together for the first three instar stages and feeding separately during the fourth (last) instar. The larger larvae may also consume the flowers and fruits. When fully fed, the larvae descend to the ground, pupating among the leaf litter or buried in fine soil. The total development time from egg to adult is about 24 days. [1]
The Colorado potato beetle, also known as the Colorado beetle, the ten-striped spearman, the ten-lined potato beetle, or the potato bug, is a major pest of potato crops. It is about 10 mm long, with a bright yellow/orange body and five bold brown stripes along the length of each of its elytra. Native to the Rocky Mountains, it spread rapidly in potato crops across America and then Europe from 1859 onwards.
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The scarlet lily beetle, red lily beetle, or lily leaf beetle, is a leaf beetle that eats the leaves, stem, buds, and flowers, of lilies, fritillaries and other members of the family Liliaceae. It lays its eggs most often on Lilium and Fritillaria species. In the absence of Lilium and Fritillaria species, there are fewer eggs laid and the survival rate of eggs and larvae is reduced. It is now a pest in most temperate climates where lilies are cultivated.
The light brown apple moth is a leafroller moth belonging to the lepidopteran family Tortricidae.
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Sida acuta, the common wireweed, is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is believed to have originated in Central America, but today has a pantropical distribution and is considered a weed in some areas.
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Diorhabda carinata is a species of leaf beetle known as the larger tamarisk beetle which feeds on tamarisk trees from Ukraine, eastern Turkey and Syria east to northwest China, Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan, extending as far south as southern Iran. It is used in North America as a biological pest control agent against saltcedar or tamarisk, an invasive species in arid and semi-arid ecosystems.
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Galerucella calmariensis is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is commonly known as the black-margined loosestrife beetle and is native to Europe and Asia where both adults and larvae feed on purple loosestrife. It has been introduced in North America as a biological control agent for purple loosestrife.
The Asiatic rhinoceros beetle, coconut rhinoceros beetle or coconut palm rhinoceros beetle, is a species of rhinoceros beetle of the family Scarabaeidae. O. rhinoceros attacks the developing fronds of raffia, coconut, oil, and other palms in tropical Asia and a number of Pacific islands. Damaged fronds show typical triangular cuts. The beetle kills the palms when the growing point is destroyed during feeding. They also infest dead trunk debris.
Samea multiplicalis, the salvinia stem-borer moth, is an aquatic moth commonly found in freshwater habitats from the southern United States to Argentina, as well as in Australia where it was introduced in 1981. Salvinia stem-borer moths lay their eggs on water plants like Azolla caroliniana, Pistia stratiotes, and Salvinia rotundifolia. Larval feeding on host plants causes plant death, which makes S. multiplicalis a good candidate for biological control of weedy water plants like Salvinia molesta, an invasive water fern in Australia. However, high rates of parasitism in the moth compromise its ability to effectively control water weeds. S. multiplicalis larvae are a pale yellow to green color, and adults develop tan coloration with darker patterning. The lifespan, from egg to the end of adulthood is typically three to four weeks. The species was first described by Achille Guenée in 1854.
Gratiana boliviana is a species of beetle in the leaf beetle family, Chrysomelidae. Its common name is tropical soda apple leaf beetle. It is native to South America, where its distribution includes Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. It specializes on tropical soda apple, an invasive plant species. It has been released as an agent of biological pest control against the weedy plant in Florida and other parts of the United States.
Zygogramma bicolorata, variously referred to as the Parthenium beetle or Mexican beetle, is a species of leaf beetle in the subfamily Chrysomelinae, native to Mexico.
Listronotus bonariensis is a species of weevil that is native to South America and is commonly known as the Argentine stem weevil. It is a pest of grasses and cereals, with the larvae being more destructive than the adult insects. It has spread to Australia and New Zealand, where it is regarded as a pest species.
Zygogramma suturalis, commonly known as the ragweed leaf beetle, is a species of leaf beetle belonging to the genus Zygogramma. Native to North America, it has been introduced into Russia and China for the biological pest control of ragweed.
Galerucella placida, is a species of leaf beetle found in South Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia. It is widely used as a bio-control agent in many rice and wheat fields to control weeds.