Costelytra giveni

Last updated

New Zealand grass grub
Costelytra zealandica. Photograph by Siobhan Leachman (cropped).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Scarabaeidae
Genus: Costelytra
Species:
C. giveni
Binomial name
Costelytra giveni
Coca-Abia & Romero-Samper, 2016
Synonyms

Prior to 2016 mischaracterized as Costelytra zealandicus(White, 1846)

Contents

Costelytra giveni (mischaracterized as Costelytra zealandica prior to 2016), [1] [2] commonly known as New Zealand grass grub, is a scarab beetle that is endemic to New Zealand and is a prevalent pasture pest.

Taxonomy

Costelytra giveni was first described by B.B. Given in 1952, though he mischaracterized specimens as C. zealandica [1] [2] . In 2016, Coca-Abia and Romero-Samper found differences in syntype specimens between White's (1846) C. zealandica and Given's (1952) description, and revised the species name of the latter to C. giveni after Given. [1]

Identification/description

Costelytra giveni illustrated by Des Helmore showing the internal morphology COLE Scarabaeidae Costelytra zealandica 3.png
Costelytra giveni illustrated by Des Helmore showing the internal morphology

New Zealand grass grubs are one of the most common insects in New Zealand. Grass grubs belong to the holometabolous insect group, this means that they have a life cycle with four stages: egg, larva, pupa, adult. The adult beetle can grow up to a mature length of 13 mm. It has a shiny brown colouring with a thick wing covering called an elytra. Adult beetles also have a prominent plate-like piece covering the thorax called the pronotum. These adults can be seen flying in the evenings during the summer months.

Female adults lay up to 100 eggs at a time into wet or loose soil, 10–15 days after mating. Eggs are small, white, oval shaped and around 1.5 mm in diameter. 3–4 days after being laid, the eggs turn smooth, spherical, and start to swell by absorbing moisture. Once the eggs are mature they turn a dark brown/black colour.

On hatching larvae have a whitish/grey C-shaped segmented body, with a darker coloured head and dark brown jaws (mandibles). The larvae have three pairs of legs (true legs) attached to the underside of the segment behind the head, called the thorax. The length of the larvae ranges from 5 mm, when newly hatched, to 25 mm at larval maturity. Newly hatched larvae weigh 2–3 mg and grow up to 200 mg. The most obvious characteristic of larva is that the abdomen is very swollen and looks a lot bigger than any other part of the body. There are many thin fine hairs along both sides of the body, especially around the abdomen. Occasionally, grass grub larvae can be found that are purple/yellow or green in colour, these are diseased.

The pupae start off the same creamy white colour as the larvae, but slowly turn to a dark brown during pupation. They have a soft body and are generally shorter and thicker than the grass grub larvae, they grow to between 10–30 mm in length. The pupae have a thin translucent skin called the epidermal layer, through which the developing wings and legs can be seen. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Distribution

Costelytra giveni is endemic to and found throughout New Zealand. There are, however, similar species found in other countries like Acrossidius tasmaniae , the Tasmanian grass grub found in Tasmania, Australia. Grass grubs prefer altitudes below 1200m, with favored soil types being free-draining loam soils, but they are also found in peaty or sandy soils. [8]

Life cycle/phenology

Costelytra giveni illustration by Des Helmore COLE Scarabaeidae Costelyra zealandica 1.png
Costelytra giveni illustration by Des Helmore

New Zealand grass grub has an annual life cycle, taking typically one year under normal climatic conditions but can take up to two years in adverse weather such as drought or significant cold periods (this also includes periods where the soil moisture is very high), or due to a food shortage. Over that one-year period the adult beetles live for 4–6 weeks emerging in spring (October – December) when the air temperature is above 10 degrees Celsius, and undertake two main flights, the first flight is to mate and the second and consecutive are to feed and lay clutches of eggs. Females are the last to emerge from the soil, this leads to localized infestations due to them being unable to reach a significant distance before being mated. Egg cluster size can range from 5-80 eggs and range from 80–250 mm below the surface of the soil. Females can lay two to three clusters over a two to three week period. Costelytra giveni larvae hatch between November and March (depending on the time they were laid). They start to feed on roots of clover and pasture plants from the time they hatch until September. They undergo three stages (instars) before pupation.

During the summer months, the grubs moult and reach their second instar phase. By early autumn, they are usually fully grown and have reached their third instar phase. This is when they are the most detrimental to pastures as it is the final feeding phase before winter. In late autumn and during winter, they retreat down from the top 5 cm of soil and burrow down between 50–200 mm into the soil. During this phase, the grubs undergo a colour change from grayish/white into a yellow/cream colour. Once they reach the appropriate depth, the grub empties its stomach and starts to form a smooth oval shaped cell. The developing wings and legs can be seen through the then-translucent skin (epidermal layer) as develops. The size range of pupae is 10–30 mm in length. This procedure takes place over 30–40 days.

The change from pupa to mature beetle takes place over 4–6 weeks, but they remain in the soil for up to a week to let the newly formed outer skin harden, then it proceeds to dig its way up to the surface of the pasture.

The grass grub populations usually increase in a 3-5 year cycle before crashing, usually due to a buildup of disease in the soil. [9] [10]

Diet and foraging

The larvae of C. giveni tend to feed on fine roots of pasture plants like perennial ryegrass ( Lolium perenne ) and white clover ( Trifolium repens ).

Originally, only native species of grasses such as tussocks were affected, but they have subsequently adapted to feed on the exotic species that have been brought into New Zealand, as their abundance continues to grow. Adult beetles feed on leaves of trees, shrubs, brassicas and foliage of pasture crops. If there is a concentrated group of beetles flying in one area, there is potential to defoliate seedling crops and fruit trees.

Predators, parasites, and diseases

There are some species of pasture grasses, legumes, and herbs that are naturally tolerant of grass grubs including cocksfoot ( Dactylis glomerata ), tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea ) and chicory ( Cichorium intybus ) and some that are resistant like Phalaris ( Phalaris aquatica ), lucerne, (Alfalfa), ( Medicago sativa ) and lotus ( Lotus uliginosus ), ( Lotus major ).

Predators

Because they are insects, grass grubs fall prey to almost all bird species present in the same areas. Great black backed gulls ( Larus marinus ) prey on the grubs especially in areas undergoing cultivation. Starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris ) and black birds ( Turdus merula ) seem to favour grass grub larvae in their third instar phase, as well as the adult beetle, and are often seen actively digging through the soil in areas with a high grub population. Another common predator is the hedgehog ( Erinaceus europaeus ) whose intake of grass grubs can be up to 40% of the total diet of an adult hedgehog. There are a few invertebrate predators but they are not common in pastures.

Parasites

There have been recordings of Diptera species being parasites and predators of New Zealand grass grub, an example is Proscissio cana (Tachinidae) which parasitizes larvae in the third instar phase and is present in the Canterbury High country, but it only parasitizes around 20% of larvae present. In November 2012, researchers in New Zealand discovered an unknown maggot preying on grass grub larvae, with 35-50% of the grubs in the nearby area being parasitized. DNA samples from these maggots were not matched to any known species so a sample was collected and allowed to pupate, and they were finally identified as Ostenia robusta (Dolichopodidae). This is the sole species in the genus Ostenia, is endemic to New Zealand and not much is known about its biology or ecology. [11]

Diseases

Because grass grub build up large colonies in the soil, disease can spread quickly and be devastating to the population. The most common disease of the New Zealand Grass Grub is Amber disease. Amber disease is a chronic infection of the stomach of grass grub larvae, and is caused by two strains of bacteria, Serratia entomophila and S. proteamaculans . The bacteria S. entomophila is available for purchase commercially as a biocontrol agent. Once these pathogenic bacteria have been ingested, the infected larvae stop eating within 2–5 days, and gain an amber colouring due to the stomach emptying, and the levels of major digestive enzymes (trypsin and chymotrypsin) in the mid-gut decreasing. However, the infected larvae take 1–3 months to die after becoming infected. Amber disease can carry over into following generations as it is applied at a subsurface level of soil. It was first isolated in Mid Canterbury, New Zealand in 1981. [12] [13] [14] Yersinia entomophaga was first isolated from diseased grass grub larvae and is also being studied for biological pest control. [15] [16]

Cultural uses

The Māori name for C. giveni is Tutaeruru. Grass grubs are very damaging to agricultural communities. Loss in crop productivity can be the cause of economic loss. Previous findings show that the cost of crop damage due to C. giveni is said to be around $89 million per year.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Japanese beetle</span> Species of insect

The Japanese beetle is a species of scarab beetle. The adult measures 15 mm (0.6 in) in length and 10 mm (0.4 in) in width, has iridescent copper-colored elytra, and a green thorax and head. Due to natural predators, the Japanese beetle is not considered a pest in Japan, but in North America and some regions of Europe, it is a noted pest to roughly 300 species of plants. Some of these plants include rose bushes, grapes, hops, canna, crape myrtles, birch trees, linden trees, and others.

<i>Phyllophaga</i> Genus of beetles

Phyllophaga is a very large genus of New World scarab beetles in the subfamily Melolonthinae. Common names for this genus and many other related genera in the subfamily Melolonthinae are May beetles, June bugs, and July beetles. They range in size from 12 to 35 mm and are blackish or reddish-brown in colour, without prominent markings, and often rather hairy ventrally. These beetles are nocturnal, coming to lights in great numbers.

<i>Macrodactylus subspinosus</i> Species of beetle

Macrodactylus subspinosus is a North American beetle of the family Scarabaeidae. The members of its genus are known as "rose chafers", not to be confused with the European rose chafer, Cetonia aurata. M. subspinosus occurs from Eastern Canada to Colorado and is considered a pest of many crops and flowers. It is given its common name of rose chafer because it eats the leaves of roses, although it also feeds on many other plants.

<i>Agrotis ipsilon</i> Species of moth

Agrotis ipsilon, the dark sword-grass, black cutworm, greasy cutworm, floodplain cutworm or ipsilon dart, is a small noctuid moth found worldwide. The moth gets its scientific name from black markings on its forewings shaped like the letter "Y" or the Greek letter upsilon. The larvae are known as "cutworms" because they cut plants and other crops. The larvae are serious agricultural pests and feed on nearly all varieties of vegetables and many important grains.

<i>Helicoverpa punctigera</i> Species of moth

Helicoverpa punctigera, the native budworm, Australian bollworm or Chloridea marmada, is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. This species is native to Australia. H. punctigera are capable of long-distance migration from their inland Australian habitat towards coastal regions and are an occasional migrant to New Zealand.

<i>Mythimna separata</i> Species of moth

Mythimna separata, the northern armyworm, oriental armyworm or rice ear-cutting caterpillar, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in China, Japan, South-east Asia, India, eastern Australia, New Zealand, and some Pacific islands. It is one of the major pests of maize in Asia. The species was first described by Francis Walker in 1865.

<i>Xanthocryptus novozealandicus</i> Species of wasp

Xanthocryptus novozealandicus, the lemon tree borer parasite, is a wasp in the family Ichneumonidae. It is a native insect of New Zealand. It is also found in Australia and New Guinea. Females hunt for larvae of wood-boring beetles around March, including the lemon tree borer, a native cerambycid that tunnels into citrus trees, grapes and many native species. When a suitable host is found, the female pushes her ovipositor through the wood and injects her eggs into the grub. This has the incidental benefit of helping to control some pests. X. novozealandicus prefers to prey on second year lemon tree borer larvae. This specific parasite prefers to prey on larger second year larvae due to its larger size.

<i>Spodoptera eridania</i> Species of moth

Spodoptera eridania is a moth that is known to be a pest. They are one of the most important defoliators in the tropical and subtropical regions of the western hemisphere that feed heavily on plants while they are young, often resulting in skeleton leaves on their food plants. They are also heavy feeders on tomato in Florida. There is a lot of development in producing pesticides against the S. eridania, specifically a neem-based pesticide that can result in smaller and prolonged development. The wingspan is 33–38 mm. Adults are on wing year-round. The larvae feed on various weeds but prefer Amaranthus species and Phytolacca americana.

<i>Ostenia</i> Genus of flies

Ostenia is a genus of flies in the family Dolichopodidae. It contains only one species, Ostenia robusta, which is endemic to New Zealand. The species was first described by Frederick Hutton in 1901, and the genus was named after Carl Robert Osten-Sacken.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European chafer</span> Species of beetle

The European chafer is a beetle of the family Scarabaeidae. Formerly found only in continental Europe, this invasive species is now found at temperate latitudes in North America. The large, white grubs of A. majale feed on the roots of most cool-latitude grasses, both wild and cultivated. This has made the European chafer an enemy of lawns.

<i>Wiseana umbraculata</i> Species of moth

Wiseana umbraculata, also known as the bog porina, is a species of moth belonging to the family Hepialidae. There are seven endemic species and three haplotypes of Wiseana in New Zealand including bog porina. It was regarded as being common in Whanganui in the early twentieth century.

<i>Curculio elephas</i> Species of beetle

Curculio elephas is a species of beetle in the family Curculionidae, the true weevils. It is known commonly as the chestnut weevil. It is a serious pest of chestnut in Europe.

<i>Pyronota festiva</i> Species of beetle

Pyronota festiva, commonly known as mānuka beetle or mānuka chafer, is a member of the genus Pyronota of the beetle family Scarabaeidae. It is a scarab beetle endemic to New Zealand, and is commonly found in mānuka trees, hence the beetle's name. In some areas it is considered a pasture pest.

<i>Listronotus bonariensis</i> Species of beetle

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.

<i>Naupactus leucoloma</i> Species of beetle

Naupactus leucoloma is a species of broad-nosed weevil in the beetle family Curculionidae.

<i>Chilocorus cacti</i> Species of beetle

Chilocorus cacti, known generally as the cactus lady beetle or the twice-stabbed cactus lady beetle, is a species of lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae. It is native to the Caribbean region, North America, Central America, and South America. The adults and larvae feed on scale insects and attempts have been made to use it for biological pest control.

Mallophora ruficauda is a species of parasitic robber fly in the family Asilidae, endemic to South and Central America. Like other robber flies, M. ruficauda is known for its aggressive behavior and predation upon other insects, especially bees. M. ruficauda mimics a bumblebee to fool predators into thinking it has a painful sting and is not worth eating.

Yersinia entomophaga is a species of bacteria that was originally isolated from the diseased larvae of the New Zealand grass grub, Costelytra zealandica. The type strain is MH96. It is currently being studied for biological pest control of insect pests like the porina moth, Wiseana cervinata.

<i>Costelytra zealandica</i> Species of beetle

Costelytra zealandica is a species of scarab beetle found in forested areas of greater Wellington. It was originally described in 1846 by the British entomologist Adam White as Rhisotrogus zealandicus from a specimen obtained during the Ross expedition. The species is known to feed on roots of plants and trees, so is considered a pest for many farm pastures.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Coca-Abia, M. M.; Romero-Samper, J. (2016-07-02). "Establishment of the identity of Costelytra zealandica (White 1846) (Coleoptera: Scarabeidae: Melolonthinae) a species commonly known as the New Zealand grass grub". New Zealand Entomologist. 39 (2): 129–146. Bibcode:2016NZEnt..39..129C. doi:10.1080/00779962.2016.1230254. ISSN   0077-9962. S2CID   88912435.
  2. 1 2 "New name for common grass grub". Otago daily Times. 13 February 2007. Retrieved 2020-11-23– via PressReader.
  3. ↑ Child, J. (1974). New Zealand insects(2nd ed.). Auckland, New Zealand: William Collins.
  4. ↑ Crowe, A. (1999). The life-size guide to insects & other land invertebrates of New Zealand. Auckland, New Zealand: Penguin Books.
  5. ↑ Barratt, B. I .P., Toor, R. F., Ferguson, C. M., & Stewart, K. M. (1990). Grass grub and Porina in Otago and Southland: a guide to management and control. Invermay Agricultural Centre, 5(11), 14-15.
  6. ↑ Crowe, A. (2002). Which New Zealand insect: with over 650 life-size photo of New Zealand insects. Auckland, New Zealand: Penguin Books.
  7. ↑ Scott, R. R. (Ed.). (1984). New Zealand pest and beneficial insects (2nd ed). Christchurch, New Zealand: Lincoln University College of Agriculture
  8. ↑ Unelius, C. R., Townsend, R. J., Mundy, D. C., Manning, L. M., Jackson, T. A., & Suckling, D. M. (2008). Comparisons of traps and lures for monitoring grass grub, Costelytra zealandica. New Zealand Plant Protection, 61, 215-221
  9. ↑ Townsend, R. J., & Jackson, T. A. (1997). Grass grub - a persistent problem in Canterbury pastures.
  10. ↑ Jackson, T., Townsend, R., & Barlow, N. (1999). Predicting grass grub population change in Canterbury.
  11. ↑ Chynoweth, R.J.; Marris, J.W.M.; Armstrong, K.F.; Chomic, A.; Linton, J.; Chapman, R.B. (2013-01-08). "Predation by Ostenia robusta on Costelytra zealandica pupae". New Zealand Plant Protection. 66: 157–161. doi:10.30843/nzpp.2013.66.5582. hdl: 10182/8113 . ISSN   1179-352X.
  12. ↑ Jackson, T. A., & Glare, T. R. (1990). Diseases of the New Zealand grass grub, Costelytra zealandica. Proceedings and abstracts, Vth International Colloquium on Invertebrate Pathology and Microbial Control, Adelaide, Australia, 20–24 August 1990., 256-256.
  13. ↑ Poinar, G. O., Jr., & Jackson, T. A. (1992). Psammomermis canterburiensis n. sp. (Mermithidae: Nematoda) parasitic in the New Zealand grass grub, Costelytra zealandica (Scarabaeidae: Coleoptera). Fundamental and Applied Nematology, 15(1), 43-47.
  14. ↑ O'Callaghan, M., Young, S. D., Barlow, N. D., & Jackson, T. A. (1999). The ecology of grass grub pathogenic Serratia spp. in New Zealand pastures.
  15. ↑ Hurst, Mark R. H.; Becher, S. Anette; Young, Sandra D.; Nelson, Tracey L.; Glare, Travis R. (2011-04-01). "Yersinia entomophaga sp. nov., isolated from the New Zealand grass grub Costelytra zealandica". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 61 (4): 844–849. doi:10.1099/ijs.0.024406-0. ISSN   1466-5026. PMID   20495033.
  16. ↑ Hurst, Mark RH; Swaminathan, Jayanthi; Wright, David A; Hardwick, Scott; Ferguson, Colin M; Beattie, Amy; Richards, Nicola K; Harper, Lincoln; Moss, Ray A; Cave, Vanessa M; Koten, Chikako; McNeill, Mark R (2020). "Development of a Yersinia entomophaga bait for control of larvae of the porina moth ( Wiseana spp.), a pest of New Zealand improved grassland systems". Pest Management Science. 76 (1): 350–359. doi:10.1002/ps.5521. ISSN   1526-498X. PMID   31207111. S2CID   190527516.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.