Biology of mugwort weevil, Lixus fasciculatus (Col.: Curculionidae) on Artemisia vulgaris (Asteraceae) in Urmia region

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Academic Staff - Urmia University

Abstract

The biology of Lixus fasciculatus Boheman, was studied on Artemisia vulgaris L. (Asteraceae) in the fields and field margins of Urmia region. The results revealed that, the weevil completes a single generation per year and overwinters as mature larvae inside the dried stems of host plant. Adults emerge from the dead stems, in early May. After emerging, they start to feed on the leaf tissues of the host plants and mate from time to time. Females then chew holes into the stem, and lay eggs singly in the each hole. The eggs were covered with plant fibers by females for protection. Female's fecundity was calculated as 23.4±4.6 (range: 17-32). In the natural conditions, the incubation period takes 8.3±1.8  (range:  6-11)  days. Upon hatching, the young larvae bore into the stem where they feed on the tissue. The fully developed larvae make pupal cell in the stem and eventually pupate in it. Larval stage takes more than 10 months to complete inside the stem. The mature larvae stay inside the stem until late-April of the following year. The pupal stage begins in mid-April and depending on the environmental conditions lasts 13.2±4.5 (range: 11-19) days. The new generation of adults appears in the late April. The larvae of L. fasciculatus were parasitized by Rhaconotus aciculatus Ruthe, 1854 (Hym.: Braconidae), Schizoprymnus telengai Tobias, 1976 (Hym.: Braconidae) and Eurytoma ussuriensis Zeova (1995) (Hym.: Eurytomidae) in Urmia region. The association of L. fasciculatus with mentioned parasitoids are new findings. To our knowledge, this is the first report of S. telengai and E. ussuriensis from Iran.

 

Keywords

References

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BioControl in Plant Protection
Volume 5, Issue 1
September 2017
Pages 45-57

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