Viburnum leaf beetle

Pyrrhalta viburni
Dorsal view
Lateral view
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Chrysomelidae
Subfamily: Galerucinae
Genus: Pyrrhalta
Species: P. viburni
Binomial name
Pyrrhalta viburni
(Paykull, 1799)

Pyrrhalta viburni is a species of leaf beetle native to Europe and Asia, commonly known as the viburnum leaf beetle. It was first detected in the United States in Maine in 1994.[1] The UK-based Royal Horticultural Society stated that its members reported Pyrrhalta viburni as the "number one pest species" in 2010.[2][3] Female beetles burrow into viburnum twigs and create 'spaces' in pith tissue. Then they lay eggs in clusters of covering them with frass. Eggs overwinter in these cavities where they are protected from water loss and being consumed.[4]

The spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris is used and developed as a biological control agent against the beetle.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 Desurmont, G.; Weston, P. A. (2008). "Predation by Podisus maculiventris (Say) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) on Viburnum Leaf Beetle, Pyrrhalta viburni (Paykull) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Under Laboratory and Field Conditions". Environmental Entomology 37 (5): 1241–1251. doi:10.1093/ee/37.5.1241. ISSN 0046-225X.
  2. "Top 10 pests". Wisley, England: Royal Horticultural Society. 19 January 2011. Archived from the original on 9 October 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  3. "Viburnum beetle". Wisley, England: Royal Horticultural Society. 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  4. "How to win the battle against the viburnum beetle". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2015-05-02.

External links


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