Common asparagus beetle

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Common asparagus beetle
Crioceris asparagi.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Infraorder: Cucujiformia
Family: Chrysomelidae
Genus: Crioceris
Species:
C. asparagi
Binomial name
Crioceris asparagi

The common asparagus beetle (Crioceris asparagi) is an important pest of asparagus crops both in Europe and in North America. Asparagus is its only food plant. The beetle is 6.0 mm to 9.5 mm long and slightly elongated. It is metallic blue-black in color with cream or yellow spots on its red-bordered elytra. The larvae are fat gray grubs with dark heads. [2] [3]

The adult beetles and the larvae strip the needle-like leaves off the asparagus fronds, depriving the plants of the ability to photosynthesize and store energy for future years. Additionally, they chew the spears and lay a lot of eggs on them, rendering the crop unusable. The larvae feed on the plants for a few weeks, then drop to the ground to pupate. One year may see two or three generations of the beetle. The adults overwinter in a dormant state underground or in nearby leaf litter.

The parasitic wasp, Tetrastichus coeruleus , occurring mainly in the United States and Europe, can cause up to 71% mortality in the field and has been successfully used for biological control. [4] [5]

Various insecticides (such as carbamates, pyrethroids, spinetoram, and spinosad) can be considered for pest control. [5] [6] [7]

The similar spotted asparagus beetle (Crioceris duodecimpunctata) is also a pest as an adult, feeding on tender shoots and leaves, but since the larvae feed only on the asparagus berries it is not considered to be as important.

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Crioceris, or asparagus beetle, is a genus of the family Chrysomelidae of beetles. The name is Neo-Latin from Greek κριός, ram and κέρας, horn. Not all species in the genus Crioceris feed on asparagus. Some studies have found low genetic diversity among groups of isolated Chrysomelidae, and use Wolbachia species as a genetic marker.

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

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<i>Coleomegilla maculata</i> Species of beetle

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<i>Cosmopolites sordidus</i> Species of beetle

Cosmopolites sordidus, commonly known as the banana root borer, banana borer, or banana weevil, is a species of weevil in the family Curculionidae. It is a pest of banana cultivation and has a cosmopolitan distribution, being found in all parts of the world in which bananas are grown. It is considered the most serious insect pest of bananas.

References

  1. "Crioceris asparagi". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
  2. Cranshaw, Whitney (2017-12-05). Garden Insects of North America: The Ultimate Guide to Backyard Bugs (2nd ed.). Princeton University Press. ISBN   978-0691167442.
  3. Sorensen, Kenneth; Baker, James; Cameron Carter, Cathy; Stephan, David (1 January 2003). "Pests of Asparagus". NC State Extension Publications. North Carolina State University. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  4. Capinera, J. L.; Lilly, J. H. (1 February 1975). "Bionomics and biotic control of the asparagus beetle, Crioceris asparagi, in western Massachusetts". Environmental Entomology. 4: 93–96. doi:10.1093/ee/4.1.93.
  5. 1 2 Morrison, William R.; Szendrei, Zsofia. "The Common Asparagus Beetle and Spotted Asparagus Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): Identification, Ecology, and Management". Journal of Integrated Pest Management. 5: B1–B6.
  6. Hahn, Jeffrey (2018). "Asparagus beetles". UMN Extension. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  7. Espiritu, Kevin (13 February 2019). "Asparagus Beetles: All You Need To Know About The Crioceris Species". Epic Gardening. Retrieved 8 July 2019.