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Home BYGL Bug Bytes April 24, 2008 THE LITTLE BEASTIES ARE BACK!!
THE LITTLE BEASTIES ARE BACK!! PDF Print E-mail
The beasties are the ELM FLEA WEEVILS. Curtis Young first reported on these weevils in BYGL, Issue 10 on June 07, 2007. At the time, the weevils had just completed their generation and the new adults were feeding on the leaves of the host elms (Siberian, Ulmus pumila). Unfortunately, the late discovery meant that details of the weevil's development had been missed and would have to wait till 2008 to make additional observations on the insect. Curtis returned to the original host elms to check to see what might be happening with the weevils this spring. What was found was the weevils mating and feeding on the newly expanding leaves of the elms (about 1/4-3/8"). Closer inspections of the leaves revealed the feeding scars on the leaves produced by the small mandibles on the end of the weevil's prolonged proboscis. The feeding scars appear as irregularly shaped, window-paned ovals. In addition to the feeding scars, oviposition scars were also present on the mid rib veins of the leaves. Careful dissection of the mid rib veins revealed the singly deposited eggs. The oviposition was apparently fairly recent since none of the eggs had hatched at the time of examination on Monday, April 21, 2008. Growing Degree Day (GDD) accumulation in Lima on April 21 was 142. Thus, oviposition in the elm flea weevil begins at and/or before this level of GDD accumulation. This is just one observation and will need to be verified with additional observations in the coming years.

Curtis also checked a few other species of elms and elm hybrids for elm flea weevil activity. Some had no leaves expanded at the time of inspection and no weevils. The weevils were found on a Chinese elm (U. parvifolia) on which the leaf buds were barely expanded and yet the weevils were already chewing on the buds. More observations will be made on this insect as the season progresses.

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Last Updated ( Thursday, 24 April 2008 17:59 )
 

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