More Sweep Net Photos

Insect Storage & Transport Container with holes, label

Add food & surfaces

Keep shaded!! Keep Cool!!

Cooler, packing, ice packs

Store in refrigerator

Transport in coolers

The insects need proper food and care for transport

Separate Cool in refer to slow

Hand pick

Aspirator = “bug sucker”

Accelerator

Larinus minutus knapweed seed head weevil

Accelerator-Sweep net through flea beetle infestation. -place nettings in screen. –flea beetles fit through screen.

-flea beetles fall through funnel into jar. –release fairly well cleaned up.

-measure flea beetle #’s by volume.

Insect Economy Defoliators

Seed Head Feeders

Leaf Galls

Stem Galls

Stem Borers

Root Borers

Root Feeders Other: fungi, nematodes, bacteria, etc..

Insects need the proper habitat!

Specific Insect How To Cyphocleonus achates – knapweed root boring weevil

Agapeta zoegana – knapweed root boring moth

Larinus minutus – knapweed seed head weevil

Aphthona spp. – leafy spurge flea beetles

Oberea erythrocephala – leafy spurge root boring beetle

Mecinus janthinus – toadflax stem boring weevil.

Bio-agent Collection Cyphocleonus: hand pick, sweep net

Agapeta: hand pick, sweep net, vac

Larinus: sweep net + asperator or pump

Aphthona: sweep net + accelerator

Oberea: sweep net + hand pick from net.

Cyphocleonus achates – Root Boring Weevil Adults emerge Aug./Sept. Lay eggs on root crown Larvae bore into root Over winter as larvae in

root Feeding in taproot and

exit hole cause damage Pupate in early summer Emerge and do it all

again Do not fly 2000-29,000+/yr..

Cyphocleonus achates knapweed root boring weevil

Agapeta zoegana - root boring mothBiology: Adults emerge spring/summer

Lay eggs on lower stem

Larvae hatch, mine down stem into the root

Larvae over winter in root

Pupate in soil early/late spring

Larvae can move a short distance through soil to a new plant if theirs dies

Adults disperse by flying

Collected 2,950 in 2007!

Larinus minutus Biology:• Over winters as adult weevil!

• Adults gather at knapweed plants when flower buds appear

• Females lay one egg per flower

• Larvae soon hatch and consume seeds (that is a good thing!!)

• Pupate in destroyed flower

• Emerge as adult in late summer

• Fly away and over winter

• Strong flier, readily disperses

• Great one-two punch with root borers!!

Larinus Collections

Aphthona – leafy spurge flea beetles Adults emerge from soil early/mid summer

Release pheromone, stay together

Adults feed on spurge leaves, high #’s can damage plants

Scatter eggs on soil around spurge plants

Larvae soon hatch, feed on root hairs

Major effect: larval root feeding

Larvae feed all fall, winter & spring

Pupate in soil in late spring

Becoming very successful bio-agent!

Can hop & fly, we need to disperse them…