Sucking Insects (And Mites) May Feed at Different Sites
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Guess Who’s Been to Dinner Diagnosis of Leaf Injuries Based on Feeding Patterns, Symptoms and the “Leavings” Whitney Cranshaw Colorado State University Some insects Some chew insects leaves suck fluids from leaves The Basic Chewing Mouthparts of an Insect Labrum Mandibles Maxillae Labium Common Leaf Chewers • Leaf Beetles (adults and larvae) • Weevils (adults primarily) • Larvae of moths, butterflies (caterpillars) • Larvae of Sawflies • Grasshoppers, crickets, katydids • Earwigs • Slugs Chewing Mouthparts Piercing-Sucking Mouthparts Piercing-sucking mouthparts “Bugs” That Feed on Plant Fluids • Hemiptera – True Bugs (e.g., squash bug, plant bugs) – Leafhoppers, spittlebugs – Aphids, whiteflies, scale insects, mealybug • Thrips • Mites – Spider mites – Rust mites “Bugs” that Chew Insects can be picky eaters Source: NCAdvertiser Insects can be messy eaters Source: ParentDish Feeding concentrated at leaf edges Skeletonizing injuries Some Leaf Chewing Patterns Shotholes and injuries to the interior of the leaf Leaf Notching Wounds Leaf cuts originating from the leaf edge, angular in form Almost all leaf notching is produced by adult weevils (snout beetles) Root Weevils Black Vine Weevil Otiorhynchus sulcatus Strawberry Root Weevil Otiorhynchus ovatus Courtesy Ken Gray Collection Lilac Root Weevil Otiorhynchus meridionalis Leaf notching injuries Root weevil feeding occurs at night. During the day they hide at the base of the plant Root Weevil Injuries • Leaf notching of foliage by adults • Nuisance household invasions by certain species • Root pruning by larvae Black Vine Weevil Larval Damage to Taxus Semicircular cuts to leaves of green ash (or rose, lilac, Virginia creeper…..) Leafcutter Bees Megachile spp. Leafcutter bees use leaf fragments for construction of nest construction Leafcutter bee nest sites Soft, rotting wood is often excavated for nest sites Leafcutter bee excavation in rotten garden timber Leafcutter bee cutting a leaf fragment Photographs courtesy of David Shetlar Leafcutter bee carrying leaf fragment Leafcutter bee returning with leaf fragment Leafcutter bee damage to (clockwise): rose, ash, Virginia creeper, lilac For nest construction: 3-4 rectangular pieces, crimped for the base Oval pieces along the sides of the cell Leafcutter bees carry their pollen on the underside of the abdomen Pollen/nectar stores of two leafcutter bee nest cells For nest construction: 3-4 rectangular pieces, crimped for the base Oval pieces along the sides of the cell Nearly perfect circles used to cap the cell Many other insects may chew along the leaf edge – some of the time • Many caterpillars • Most sawfly larvae • Some leaf beetles • Earwigs • Grasshoppers Grasshopper feeding along leaf edge Grasshopper feeding in a more generalized defoliation pattern Leaf Chewing Injuries Produced by Caterpillars Generalized Defoliation Leaf Chewing Injuries Produced by Beetles Generalized Defoliation Colorado potato beetle Cabbageworm Frass – the Solid waste excrete by insects Grasshopper Elm leaf beetle larva Caterpillars feeding on leaves often produce very distinctly formed frass (excreted droppings) Hornworm “frass” Cabbage looper “frass” on tomatoes at Groundworks Farm Grasshopper feeding injuries Grasshopper Frass Grasshopper (with some frass) Leaf beetle larvae Slugs and Snails Class: Gastropoda Arion subfuscus Milky Garden Slug Slug injuries Slugs leave slime trails Slug trails on pavement Shothole Leaf Wounds Flea Beetles Young stages of some sawflies Shothole injuries typical of adult flea beetles Flea Beetles Crucifer Flea Beetle – Cabbage family plants, primarily Potato flea beetle (Nightshade family plants – potato, tomato, etc.) Potato flea beetle shothole feeding injury noted on peppers and tomatoes Shothole Leaf Wounds Flea Beetles Young stages of some sawflies Shothole fungus of Prunus Skeletonizers Some leaf beetle larvae Slug sawflies Some caterpillars (particularly young stages) Elm Leaf Beetle Injury Larvae produce skeletonizing injuries on leaves Cottonwood Leaf Beetle Young stages are skeletonizers Older larvae become gerneralist defoliators Pearslug (a type of sawfly) Roseslug (A type of sawfly) Skeletonizing injuries produced by Japanese beetle adults feeding on leaves Injuries Produced By Sucking Mouthparts • Aphids, leafhoppers, scales, whiteflies, mealybugs • True bugs • Thrips • Mites Piercing-sucking mouthparts Sucking Insects (and Mites) may feed at different sites • Phloem (primarily removal of sap) • Mesophyll (typically stippling leaf injuries) • Xylem Disadvantage of an exoskeleton: Molting is not for wimps! Molting is not for wimps! Molting Grasshopper Aphid life cycles – All aphids go through three feeding stages, each punctuated with a molting event Diagnostic: Cast Skins Remain after Aphids Molt Sucking Insects (and Mites) may feed at different sites • Phloem (primarily removal of sap) • Mesophyll (typically stippling leaf injuries) • Xylem Xylem-feeders Spittlebugs and sharpshooter leafhoppers Spittlebugs (Cercopidae) Adult spittlebugs (froghoppers) Sharpshooter leafhoppers feed on the xylem. They will flick watery droplets as they feed. Stippling Stippling injuries are produced by sucking insects that feed on the mesophyll Leafhoppers Hemiptera: Cicadellidae White apple leafhopper stippling injury Rose leafhopper Grape leafhopper damage Leafhopper injuries to Virginia creeper and grapes are caused by several species Small black fecal drops are excreted by many of the mesophyll-feeding leafhoppers Tar Spots Dark spots of excrement produced by mesophyll- feeding insects and mites Lace Bugs Hemiptera: Tingidae Stippling (flecking) wounds are symptomatic on the upper leaf surface Stippling injury to chokecherry Lace bugs excrete spots of dark fluid Tar spots and old cast skins are symptomatic on the lower leaf surface Order Thysanoptera Thrips Thrips Mouthparts • Single mandible – 2nd mandible vestigial – penetrates leaf surface • Paired maxillae – punctures cells below surface • Labium forms a supporting cone • Functions to “puncture – poke – suck” Thrips injuries – Silvery scars with small dark fecal spots Spider Mites Spider mites pierce cells with their whip- like chelicerae Typically they will destroy 1 to 2 dozen cells at each feeding site – then move on “Rototill and Suck” Each feeding site produces a small area of dead cells – a type of stippling injury With high mite populations, the stippling injuries may cover much of the leaf area. Spider mite feeding may induce a general bronzing of foliage Monitor to detect incipient outbreaks Old cast skins and egg shells are good diagnostics Phloem Feeding Insects • Aphids • Soft scales • Whiteflies • Mealybugs • Psyllids • Leafhoppers (some) Aphids Hemiptera: Aphididae Important Note: Presence of aphids does not equate to occurrence of plant injury! Honeydew production Honeydew Producing Insects* • Aphids • Soft scales • Whiteflies • Mealybugs • Psyllids • Leafhoppers (phloem feeding species) *All suck sap from the phloem Mealybugs Whiteflies Soft Scales Psyllids (some) Sooty Molds Fungi that grow on honeydew-contaminated surfaces Sooty mold growing on linden aphid honeydew Ants are commonly associated with honeydew producing insects Ants and Aphids A Mutualistic Relationship -Aphids provide food – honeydew -Ants provide protection Peonies and ants – a honeydew source produced by the plant alone Honeydew-like material secreted from galls of the oak rough bulletgall wasp on bur oak Honeydew of rough bulletgalls on oak attract many kinds of insects Potato/Tomato Psyllid Bactericera cockerelli Hemiptera: Triozidae …..and psyllid yellows disease Potatoes and tomatoes are susceptible. Other plants that this insect feeds on (e.g., peppers, tomatillo) do not seem to be seriously injured. The potato/tomato psyllid annually migrates northward from overwintering areas in the southwestern US and Mexico Incidence of potato/tomato psyllid in northern areas varies greatly from year-to-year. Adult potato psyllids Note: They jump when disturbed Eggs are laid leaves. They have a tiny stalk. Young nymphs tend to be light brown; older nymphs green Psyllid nymph in end stage of a molt Newly emerged adult Late stage nymph Old nymphal skin Adult “Psyllid sugar” is a unique and diagnostic excrement it produces. Psyllid sugar collected on leaves of in hoop house-grown tomatoes Psyllid Yellows A plant disease produced from the effects of toxic saliva introduced by the potato/tomato psyllid. (Plant toxemia) Color change (yellowing, purpling) is a common symptom. New growth is slowed producing a plant that is more compact/rosetted in growth habit Internode thickening and ‘aerial tubers’ are a common symptom Not treated for psyllid Yields can be greatly reduced from effects of psyllid yellows Chain tubers – belowground symptom induced from above ground feeding Premature Sprouting Symptoms to new growth of tomato Effects on tomato yield Dull color of fruit. Often associated with reduced flavor. Reduced fruit size Potato Psyllid Management • Monitoring to detect incipient infestations • Biological controls • Chemical controls Psyllids often show some edge effects during early stages of infestation Leaf Sampling Leaf Sampling for Psyllids • Distribution is highly clumped – Large sample size needed for detection • Middle part of plant often best site – Avoid brightly lit foliage Good Indicator Plant of Local Psyllid Establishment Yellow and Bright Orange are attractive colors Natural Enemies of Potato Psyllid Minute pirate bugs Damsel bugs Green lacewing larvae Parasitoids Minute pirate bugs Damsel bug adult eating plant bug Damsel bug nymph eating aphid Parasitoid – Tamarixia triozae Chemical Controls for Potato Psyllid • Several products available for commercial producers • Home garden options limited – Spinosad – Some pyrethroids.