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The Blister Beetle Meloe Proscarabaeus (Coleoptera: Meloidae) a Dangerous Pest Threatens Field Crops in New Valley Governorate, Egypt

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The Blister Beetle Meloe Proscarabaeus (Coleoptera: Meloidae) a Dangerous Pest Threatens Field Crops in New Valley Governorate, Egypt Egypt. J. Plant Prot. Res. Inst. (2020), 3 (1): 73 - 82 Egyptian Journal of Plant Protection Research Institute www.ejppri.eg.net The blister beetle Meloe proscarabaeus (Coleoptera: Meloidae) a dangerous pest threatens field crops in New Valley Governorate, Egypt Wael, E. A. El-Sheikh 1 and Ahmed, I. El-Tokhy 2 1Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Beni-Suef University, Egypt, Beni-Suef 62511, Egypt. 2Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, New Valley University, Egypt. ARTICLE INFO Abstract: Article History The blister beetle, Meloe proscarabaeus L. Received: 16/ 1 / 2020 (Coleoptera: Meloidae) was recorded for the first time as a Accepted: 27 / 2 /2020 serious insect pest attacking wheat (Triticum aestivum), Keywords faba bean , peas, alfalfa, onion and wild weeds in El- Farafra Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt. Beetles feed on Blister beetle, Meloe foliage and flowers of injured plants causing defoliation proscarabaeus, population and crop loss. The population dynamics and bionomic dynamics, wheat , El- observations in the wheat fields of M. proscarabaeus were Farafra Oasis and Egypt. studied during two successive seasons (2016/2017 and 2017/2018) in Wheat fields. The pest develops one generation per year. The beetle continued to appear during the first week of December to the first week of April, with the peak of adults at the first week of February. Beetles secrete a cantharidin fluid, a potent blistering agent which burns plant leaves and flowers and at the same time, it is strong poison to all livestock and domestic animals feeding on contaminated plants. The present work shed light on food plants, symptoms of infested crops, adult activity, environmental effects, and sexual behavior of the blister beetle M. proscarabaeus under the circumstances of El- Farafra Oasis. Introduction Blister beetles or oil beetles are regions of the western United States. In members of the family Meloidae Egypt, Alfieri (1976) recorded 9 species (Coleoptera). This family includes over belonging to family Meloidae collected 300 species in the United States (Selander from different desert localities vicinity to and Bouseman, 1960; Stebnicka, 1987; Cairo. Most adults eat only floral parts, Bologna, 1988 and Odegaard and but some, particularly those of Epicuta Ligaard, 2000). The genus Epicuta is the spp., eat leaves. El-Sheikh (2007) largest and contains many species that observed that beetles belonging to Meloe concern forage producers in semi - arid proscarabaeus L. (Coleoptera: Meloidae) 73 El-Sheikh and El-Tokhy, 2020 eat leaves and flowers of faba bean reclamation of many thousand hectares. plants. A few adults are noctural; most Many different field crops have grown are diurnal or show no distinct diel cycle successfully with high yields, especially (Selander and Fasulo, 2000 and Bologna winter Wheat and legume crops. El- and pinto, 2002). However, except for Farafra Oasis is characterized by a very first instar larvae (triunglins) frequenting hot desert climate, temperatures during flowers or clinging to adult bees. So far the summer season reach 60 degrees as known, all larvae are predators. Larvae Celsius and decrease significantly in of most genera enter the nests of wild some months during the winter to one bees, where they consume both immature degree Celsius. Rain is rare and the bees and the provisions of one or more average relative humidity is 30-45%. One cells ((Lückmann and Kuhlman, 1997; of the most common cultivated crops Klausintzer and Rauch, 2000 and there is Wheat (Triticum aestivum ), its Stebnicka, 1987). cultivated area amounts approximately In Central Europe, several types of 6500 feddans, however, and this crop is the Meloidae family have become rare in threatened by the attack of the blister some regions. The fertility of Meloidae beetle, M. proscarabaeus L., the most has reached 90% the number of eggs per serious pest (El-Sheikh, 2007). female is 9500 eggs inside a trench dug 2.Beetles sampling: by the female (Lückmann, 2001 and Field observations on the blister Bologna and Pinto, 2001). Blister beetles beetle, M. proscarabaeus L. ( Coleoptera produce cantharidin, which is toxic to : Meloidae ) including beetle emergence , people and animals (Ward, 1985). For distribution, sexual behavior, feeding centuries, cantharidin was prescribed as a habits, and dial activity were carried out cure for variety of animals. Spanshfly or throughout the years 2016 /2017 and cantharis, an oreparation of dried beetles, 2017 / 2018 in El-Farafra Oasis, western was thought to cure gout, carbuncles, desert of Egypt. Observations rheumatism and many other medical commenced from mid-November till late disorders, in addition to its use as an April; activity period of beetles in the aphrodisiac (Kinney et al., 1998). field at about 10 am. The field The present article sheds light on the observations included the study of occurrence of the blister beetle M. emergence period, population ecology of proscarabaeus, population dynamics and the beetles at different times and sexual bionomic observations in the Wheat behavior. This was carried out in two fields and other legume crops as being ways: (a) Oviposition sites of the newly recorded for the first time in El-Farafra emerged female beetles were recognized Oasis. in the field and marked; these were Materials and methods separated into eight groups, three sites 1.Study area: each, according to date of egg laying. El-Farafra Oasis lies in the Each site contained one egg mass (4000 – western desert, south part of Egypt, 4500 eggs). Wire – wooden cages, 35 x located at latitude and longitude 50 x 50 cm each, were fixed on each site. (26°49′23.3″N 27°46′33.3″E), belonging Daily observations of cages were to New Valley Governorate; it is 600 km continued until beetle's emergence. The far from Giza. El-Farafra Oasis is rich number emerged beetle of each group with submersible water which facilitates was recorded as well as time of 74 Egypt. J. Plant Prot. Res. Inst. (2020), 3 (1): 73- 82 emergence and related environmental To analyze the association prevailing temperature. (b) In El-Farafra between agro-climatic factors prevailing as a whole adult M. proscarabaeus have in El-Farafra Oasis and population been recognized in the months December, dynamic of the blister beetle adults January, February, March and April. through activity time. Weekly number of Freshly emerged beetles were marked collected beetles was plotted against the with a color code (Whitehead, 1991). considered agro-climatic factors to This proved that emergence took place in establish the relationships between these synchronous waves during November factors and adult density using correlation and December. Similarly, number of and partial regression analysis (α) (Fisher emerged beetles was correlated with et al., 1943). prevailing temperature of the Results and discussion environment. Population dynamics of 1. Food and feeding habits: newly emerged beetles and adult Adult beetles M. proscarabaeus abundance in relation to prevailing were feeding on wheat leaves, stem, and temperature and relative humidity were spikes, where the beetles are observed conducted in Wheat fields during two moving from places where they were successive seasons 2016 / 17 and 2017 / located during their summer (aestivation) 18. Density of beetles was assessed as dorms towards wheat fields and adults direct count in 100 m of Wheat plants. attack in swarms where they disperse and Counting of beetles was carried out in the start feeding for up to 80 days. El-Sheikh different directions (north, south, east, (2007) explained the blister beetle insect and west) of the field at weekly intervals pest infesting crops of beans, alfalfa, (El-Sheikh, 2019). onions and wild herbs, which is a pest on The micro-climatic conditions of flowers, sugar beets and cabbage in the air as temperature and relative Europe (Ozbeck and Szaloki, 1998; humidity were also measured. The life – Stebnicka, 1987 and Selander and Fasulo, span and the fecundity of adult were 2000). Date of planting wheat in Farafra determined by confinement freshly Oasis From mid-November, beetles begin emerged beetles in pairs (female & male) to appear when wheat is in the seedling on Wheat plants inside wire - wooden stage about 10-15 days after planting cages (35 x 50 x 50 cm) fixed in the field. these young plants are the most Daily observations on sexual behavior, preferable food for Blister beetles feeding habits periodicity and egg laying (Figure, 1). were started from the first week of The newly emerged blister beetle December (first beetle emergence) to are distinguished by strong mandibles mid-February (last date of beetle and long legs that help them climb the emergence). Data were derived from 24 plant, attack wheat seedlings, and feed on field cages. leaves and stem, causing completely 3.Meteorological data: destroy the whole plants. At risk, the M. Daily maximum & minimum air proscarabaeus secrete a yellow liquid temperatures (˚C), air relative humidity from coxal and antennal joints (Figure, (%) were supplied by the Meteorological 1). These blister beetles are used to Station at New Valley Governorate. defend themselves, and this liquid causes 4.Statistical analysis: the leaves to burn and turn brown, eventually the plant dies. Plants that are 75 El-Sheikh and El-Tokhy, 2020 under severe attack by blister beetle fail adult density was 115 and 130 beetles / to produce flowers and spikes and 100 plants in 2016 and 2017 (Tables, 1 consequently the crop is completely lost. and 2). Turco (2003) recorded a female M. With the decrease in air proscarabaeus grazing on Ranuchus sp. temperatures and the increase in relative in Cornwall. Feeding of beetles occurs humidity, the number of blister beetle during the day- light and continues until increased gradually, with the average sunset, and we notice the most general monthly catch rate of about 39-36 % number of beetles on the field side closest during the months of January and to the irrigation canals.
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