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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Sunflower and Plant Biology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #150090
Title: SUNFLOWER BEETLE (COLEOPTERA: CHRYSOMELIDAE): PATTERN OF LARVAL DISTRIBUTION AND PARASITISM IN CULTIVATED SUNFLOWER FIELDS

Author
item BREWER, GARY - NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV
item Charlet, Laurence

Submitted to: Journal of Kansas Entomological Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/11/2003
Publication Date: 1/29/2004
Citation: Brewer, G.J., Charlet, L.D. 2004. Sunflower beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): Pattern of larval distribution and parasitism in cultivated sunflower fields. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society. 77(1):21-25.

Interpretive Summary: The sunflower beetle, Zygogramma exclamationis (Fabricius), is a major pest of commercial sunflower in the Plains area of central North America. Although an economic injury level for the sunflower beetle has been determined, the pattern of distribution of the larvae and their natural enemies within the field has not been described. Over a three year period, fields were sampled for sunflower beetle larvae and for larvae of a fly parasite that attacks the larval stage of the beetle, Myiopharus macellus (Reinhard). Sunflower beetle larvae were generally found to have aggregated distributions. Knowledge of the distribution pattern will allow the development of more efficient sunflower beetle sampling protocols. Rates of parasitism by M. macellus throughout fields were equivalent, indicating effective host searching by this natural enemy of the beetle.

Technical Abstract: The sunflower beetle, Zygogramma exclamationis (Fabricius), is a major pest of commercial sunflower, Helianthus annuus L. (Asteraceae), in the Plains area of central North America. Although an economic injury level for the sunflower beetle has been determined, in-field distributions of the larvae and their natural enemies have not been described. Over a three year period, fields were sampled for sunflower beetle larvae and for larvae of the endoparasitoid, Myiopharus macellus (Reinhard). Sunflower beetle larvae were generally found to have aggregated distributions. Knowledge of the distribution pattern will allow the development of more efficient sunflower beetle sampling protocols. Parasitism rates of M. macellus throughout fields were equivalent, indicating effective host searching. Although the data supports aggregated distributions for M. macellus, it is less clear than that for the sunflower beetle.