Cyphocleonus achates

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Cyphocleonus achates
Knapweed root weevil.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Infraorder: Cucujiformia
Family: Curculionidae
Genus: Cyphocleonus
Species:
C. achates
Binomial name
Cyphocleonus achates
Fahraeus

Cyphocleonus achates is a species of true weevil known as the knapweed root weevil. It is native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean and is used as an agent of biological pest control against noxious knapweeds, especially spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa). It has recently been spotted in India.

Contents

Cyphocleonus achates "knapweed root weevil". Cyphocleonus achates.jpg
Cyphocleonus achates "knapweed root weevil".

Life history

The adult weevil is dark gray and white speckled and 14 to 15 millimeters long. The female lays about 100 eggs during her 8- to 15-week adult lifespan. The eggs are deposited one by one in notches the female digs into the root crown of the knapweed. The larva emerges from the egg and tunnels into the root cortex where it feeds on the plant tissue. Sometimes a gall is produced in the feeding area. Adults feed on the leaves but it is the larva that does the most damage to the plant. Small plants can be killed by the larva's destruction of the root tissue. In their native range, most C. achates overwinter as 2nd instars, though in the introduced range, the vast majority overwinter as 1st instars. [1]

Biocontrol in North America

It was first released as a knapweed biocontrol in the 1980s in the United States. It is established in much of the western United States and there is evidence that it reduces knapweed biomass. [2] [3] [4] C. achates is thought to be responsible for a recent (2000s) observed decline in spotted knapweed, but this decline may also be attributable to a recent severe drought. [5] [6] The weevil prefers spotted knapweed, but it is sometimes found on diffuse knapweed. It has not been shown to attack native flora.

Cyphocleonus achates was released to the Hiawatha National Forest in Michigan's Upper Peninsula in summer 2009. [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Centaurea</i> Genus of flowering plants belonging to the daisy and sunflower family

Centaurea is a genus of over 700 species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Members of the genus are found only north of the equator, mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere; the Middle East and surrounding regions are particularly species-rich. In the western United States, yellow starthistles are an invasive species. Around the year 1850, seeds from the plant had arrived to the state of California. It is believed that those seeds came from South America.

<i>Centaurea diffusa</i> Species of flowering plant

Centaurea diffusa, also known as diffuse knapweed, white knapweed or tumble knapweed, is a member of the genus Centaurea in the family Asteraceae. This species is common throughout western North America but is not actually native to the North American continent, but to the eastern Mediterranean.

<i>Centaurea solstitialis</i> Species of flowering plant

Centaurea solstitialis, the yellow star-thistle, is a species of thorny plant in the genus Centaurea, which is part of the family Asteraceae. A winter annual, it is native to the Mediterranean Basin region and invasive in many other places. It is also known as golden starthistle, yellow cockspur and St. Barnaby's thistle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lixinae</span> Subfamily of beetles

Lixinae is a subfamily of true weevils, included in the Molytinae in many older treatments. They are mainly root feeders, although some develop in flower buds or stems. Several species are used in biological control of invasive weeds, namely knapweeds (Centaurea).

<i>Cyrtobagous salviniae</i> Species of beetle

Cyrtobagous salviniae is a species of weevil known as the salvinia weevil. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against the noxious aquatic plant giant salvinia.

<i>Agapeta zoegana</i> Species of moth

Agapeta zoegana is a species of moth known as the sulphur knapweed moth and the yellow-winged knapweed root moth. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against noxious knapweeds, particularly spotted knapweed and diffuse knapweed.

<i>Bangasternus fausti</i> Species of beetle

Bangasternus fausti is a species of true weevil known as the broad-nosed seed head weevil. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against noxious knapweeds, particularly spotted knapweed, squarrose knapweed, and diffuse knapweed.

Chaetorellia acrolophi is a species of tephritid fruit fly known as the knapweed peacock fly. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against noxious knapweeds, especially spotted knapweed.

Larinus minutus is a species of true weevil known as the lesser knapweed flower weevil. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against noxious knapweeds, especially diffuse knapweed and spotted knapweed.

<i>Larinus obtusus</i> Species of beetle

Larinus obtusus is a species of true weevil known as the blunt knapweed flower weevil. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against noxious knapweeds, especially spotted knapweed.

<i>Metzneria paucipunctella</i> Species of moth

Metzneria paucipunctella is a species of moth known as the spotted knapweed seed head moth. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against noxious knapweeds, particularly spotted knapweed.

<i>Larinus curtus</i> Species of beetle

Larinus curtus is a species of true weevil known as the yellow starthistle flower weevil. It is native to Southern Italy, Southern Europe, the Middle East and the Caucasuses. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against the noxious weed yellow starthistle in the United States.

<i>Urophora affinis</i> Species of fly

Urophora affinis is a species of tephritid or fruit flies in the genus Urophora of the family Tephritidae. It has been released in the United States and Canada as a biocontrol agent to control spotted knapweed. U. affinis became established in Montana in 1973.

<i>Trichosirocalus horridus</i> Species of beetle

Trichosirocalus horridus is a species of true weevil, native to Europe. It is a biological pest control agent that was introduced into the United States in 1974 to control exotic thistles, especially in the Cirsium and Carduus genera.

<i>Pterolonche inspersa</i> Species of moth

Pterolonche inspersa, sometimes called the brown-winged knapweed root moth, is a small moth of the family Pterolonchidae.

<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>Centaurea stoebe</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae

Centaurea stoebe, the spotted knapweed or panicled knapweed, is a species of Centaurea native to eastern Europe, although it has spread to North America, where it is considered an invasive species. It forms a tumbleweed, helping to increase the species' reach, and the seeds are also enabled by a feathery pappus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meadow knapweed</span> Species of flowering plant

Meadow knapweed is a fertile hybrid between black knapweed and brown knapweed. It is also known by the common names of hybrid knapweed or protean knapweed. The taxonomic status of the species is uncertain, and meadow knapweed has been variously described as different species. The Flora of North America refers to meadow knapweed as the nothospecies Centaurea × moncktonii.

References

  1. ↑ Janelle G. Corn; Jim M. Story; Linda J. White (2009). "Comparison of Larval Development and Overwintering Stages of the Spotted Knapweed Biological Control Agents Agapeta zoegana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) and Cyphocleonus achates (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Montana Versus Eastern Europe". Environmental Entomology. Environmental Entomology 38(4):971-976. 2009. 38 (4): 971–976. doi: 10.1603/022.038.0403 . PMID   19689874. S2CID   21932353.
  2. ↑ Corn, J.G., Story, J.M., White, L.J., 2006. Impacts of the biological control agent Cyphocleonus achates on spotted knapweed, Centaurea maculosa, in experimental plots. Biological Control 37, 75–81.
  3. ↑ Jacobs, J.S., Sing, S.E., Martin, J.M., 2006. "Influence of herbivory and competition on invasive weed fitness: observed effects of Cyphocleonus achates (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and grass-seeding treatments on spotted knapweed performance" (PDF). Environmental Entomology 35, 1590–1596. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-01-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ↑ Janelle G. Corn; Jim M. Story; Linda J. White (2007). "Effect of Summer Drought Relief on the Impact of the Root Weevil Cyphocleonus achates on Spotted Knapweed". Environmental Entomology. Environmental Entomology 36(4):858-863. 2007. 36 (4): 858–863. doi:10.1603/0046-225X(2007)36[858:EOSDRO]2.0.CO;2. ISSN   0046-225X. PMID   17716476. S2CID   26496725.
  5. ↑ Dean Pearson; Yvette Ortega. Managing Invasive Plants in Natural Areas: Moving Beyond Weed Control (PDF). In: Weeds: Management, Economic Impacts and Biology. ISBN   978-1-60741-010-2.
  6. ↑ Sturdevant, N., S. Kegley, Y. Ortega, and D. Pearson. 2006. Evaluation of establishment of Cyphocleonus achates and its potential impact on spotted knapweed. USDA FS FHP General Technical Report 06-08:1-9
  7. ↑ Janel Crooks. "Hiawatha Releases Biocontrol Insects to Control Invasive Knapweed Plants". US Forest Service.
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