ISSN:
1612-4766
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
Notes:
Summary L. cyanella L. is known to occur in Europe, Siberia, and Japan. A map showing personal records ofL. cyanella on creeping thistle(Cirsium arvense) is given in Figure 2. Our findings suggest thatL. cyanella is more common and more evenly distributed in the western parts of Europe (western France and southern England) than in central Europe (Switzerland, Germany, Austria), where only a very small proportion of the thistle stands examined yielded the beetle. There are no personal records from southern Europe. The hibernating adults ofL. cyanella appear in late April and May on the rosettes and young shoots ofC. arvense, where they start feeding and ovipositing. The larvae which are covered with their faeces feed on the lower side of the leaves ofC. arvense. Pupation takes place in the soil. In the laboratory the whole development from egg to adult lasted about 35 days. There is only one generation per annuum. All available field observations ofL. cyanella refer toC. arvense as host plant (one record fromCirsium vulgare). “Short-term feeding tests” with adults ofL. cyanella yielded feeding responses withCarduus,Cirsium spp. andSilybum. Test plants belonging to 17 other genera of the Compositae family were not accepted. As shown in Table 1 this “Carduus-Cirsium-Silybum pattern” has also been found in feeding experiments with other highly specialized thistle insects. Within its subfamily (Criocerinae)L. cyanella appears to have developed a unique host association, since to date no related species are known to feed on thistles or other Cynareae. Because of its high degree of host specifityL. cyanella may be a potential candidate insect for the biological control of creeping thistle in North America. Further feeding tests with larvae and investigations as to the reasons for the scarcity ofL. cyanella in central Europe should be made, before a definite decision about the usefulness ofL. cyanella as a biological control agent can be taken.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02330152
