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Curculio sayi

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Curculio sayi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Curculionidae
Genus: Curculio
Species:
C. sayi
Binomial name
Curculio sayi
(Gyllenhal, 1836)
Synonyms[1]
  • Balaninus acuminatus Casey, 1910
  • Balaninus algonquinus Casey, 1910
  • Balaninus auriger Casey, 1910
  • Balaninus macilentus Casey, 1910
  • Balaninus mollis Casey, 1910
  • Balaninus perexilis Casey, 1910
  • Balaninus setosicornis Casey, 1910
  • Balaninus sparsus Gyllenhal, 1836
  • Balaninus strigosus Casey, 1910

Curculio sayi, the small or lesser chestnut weevil, is a species of true weevil in the family of beetles known as Curculionidae.[1][2][3]

The lesser chestnut weevil is found in North America.[1]The distribution of this species extends from Canada and Massachusetts to North Carolina, Tennessee, and Ohio, and probably farther westward. It is a specialist on only trees of the genus Castanea.

Before the arrival of the chestnut blight, small chestnut weevils were a prominent pest of the chestnut crop. Reports from the early 1900s mentioned that large losses in chestnut production occurred due to infestation by Curculio sayi larvae.[4] Chestnut crop infestation rates between 50-75% were considered normal.[5]

If left unchecked, weevil populations in an orchard can develop rapidly, reaching high levels of infestation in as little as two years. [6] Infested nuts are less likely to germinate, if at all and nut damage affects chestnut seedling growth. The rate of nuts weevil infestation may vary between years, locations, cultivars, and even individual trees, burrs and nuts. [7] [8]

Similar weevil species

In Europe, Curculio elephas may occupy a similar ecological niche as Curculio sayi in North America. Curculio elephas is not as specialized as Curculio sayi in North America, as it infects chestnuts and acorns of some oak species. [9] For Curculio elephas, research has shown that the chestnut infestation rate of sparsely spiky burrs (90%) and densely spiky burrs (2%) can show great variation at the same location and year. [9] Other results suggest that chestnut weevil females avoid laying their eggs in certain chestnuts. [10] Most of the weevil infested chestnuts were found in the South and West orientation of the tree canopy. Timing of burr opening and nut drop apparently was not affected by weevil infestation of chestnuts.

Most of the weevil activity in chestnut trees was noted on warm nights between 6pm and 10pm. Light traps at 12 meter (40ft) height caught the most adult weevils. [9] Other research on pecan weevils ability to fly suggests warm temperature dependency and sex differences. At a temperature range in the mid 80'F to mid 90'F, female pecan weevils were more capable of flying high into the tree canopy. In comparison more male pecan weevils than female pecan weevils were observed crawling to the closest pecan tree trunk. [11] In plum curculio the temperature threshold between crawling versus flying behavior was 20C (68F). [12] In plum curculio the period from soil emergence to mating is 6-17 days. [13] Curculio elephas exhibits capital breeding carrying developed eggs upon soil emergence and apparently no need to feed before egg laying. [14] If Curculio sayi exhibits similar behaviors to other weevils has not been researched yet.

Both chestnut weevil species appear to exhibit an extended life cycle of a prolonged or repeated diapause. This results in a life cycle completion of one, two, three or four years. [15] In Curculio elephas a reported soil emergence from a single weevil larvae generation was 66% the first year, 30% the second year and 4% the third year on oaks. [16] A hypothesis is that diapause variation may be the result of seasonal environmental challenges to survival. In a dry summer, one quarter to three quarter of the developed female adults may not be able to emerge through hardened soil and perish. [8]

External morphology

The average length of the body alone is about 1/4" (6mm). [4]

Dorsal view (about 6x magnification)

Males are approximately 10 mm in overall length with comparatively shorter rostrums (slender snouts). Females are approximately 15 mm in overall length with comparatively longer rostrums.

In the small chestnut weevil the first segment of the antenna funicule is longer than the second.

Life cycle

First soil emergence of adults may vary from May, June to July, according to locality and season - growing degree days. In Mid Missouri adults started emerging from the soil in May and June, stopped emerging in July and started emerging again in late August until October. [17] In New York State, the adult population reached it peak in mid October at 2,500 growing degree days. [18]

Adults, from a single generation of larvae, may emerge from the soil over multiple years. Seasonal population dynamics may vary in different climate zones. [18] [19] [20] Male and female beetles emerge from the soil at similar times and at similar numbers. Dry and hardened soil conditions in summer and early fall may slow soil emergence and affect in-soil survival rates. [17]

Development

A mated female weevil uses her long snout to chew a hole in the side of the nut shell or lining. Research on a similar chestnut weevil (Curculio elephas) in Europe suggest that egg laying may occur into selected nuts and not random. Apparently, Curculio elephas is non selective about what burr to approach. It is also non selective to egg laying if a burr has one, two or three viable nuts. Research results suggests that European chestnut weevils select a specific nut quality for egg laying. Curculio elephas also does not appear to chemically mark a nut where it has deposited a egg, nor does it appear to sense in other ways if a nut already has an egg deposited. [8] If this egg laying behavior is similar in Curculio sayi has not been researched. If Curculio sayi taste tests nut meat before egg laying or how many nuts the weevils probe before an egg is layed has not been researched. Clean adult weevil chew holes are usually too small to visually identify on the nut shell. Only when an adult weevil chew hole starts a mold infection, may weevil chewing activity become visually identifiable on the nut shell surface.

The nutrient quantity in a viable chestnut can support development of several larvae (up to a dozen) at the same time.

Eggs hatch in five to seven days. When hatched, the large, white, legless grubs (larvae) feed on the tissue of the growing chestnut kernels. [4] When the larvae reach their last of four instar inside the chestnut, they chew a 1/8" hole in the chestnut shell and emerge. Most larvae emerge and fall to the ground while the chestnut is still in the tree.

Peak emergence of larvae from fallen nuts occurs at six days post harvest and drops to low emergence levels by day 16 post harvest. A few larvae may still emerge from infested chestnuts more than four weeks post harvest. [18] Refrigeration of harvested chestnuts or cold temperatures slows grub development.


Most nut-emerged larvae burrow 7-15cm below the soil line.[17] There they build a soil chamber. They pupate after several months (up to 18 months or longer) and remain in their chamber for at least one season. [17]


Infestation Controls

Cultural control through orchard sanitation is the first step in managing chestnut weevil. [20] Underground larval mortality of the European chestnut weevil was reported to be greater than 50%. Predation by mammals or invertebrates in an orchard may increase mortality rates. [8] Natural mortality rates for Curculio sayi have not been researched yet.


Chemical control via insecticides of the adults is possible. Chemical control approaches require scouting and positive identification in August and September, and possibly weekly application of broad spectrum insecticides to the top of the orchard canopy. [19] [20]


Biological control of the small chestnut weevil larvae by applying entomopathogenic fungi and entomopathogenic nematodes to the soil may be possible. The effectiveness of entomopathogenic nematodes may take two to three years of soil applications before nuts and weevil larvae fall.[21]

Postharvest heat treatment of collected chestnuts can stop development of weevil eggs and larvae without destroying the viability of the nut. Soaking for 20 minutes in water maintained at 120° Fahrenheit is an effective method. [22]

Weevil larvae frass in the chestnut is associated with Aspergillus fungi which produce the diarrheagenic toxin emodin.[23]

Scouting

Scouting for soil emerging adults is somewhat effective with a dark colored pyramid trap. These traps should be set one per acre well before chestnut bloom occurs and checked twice a week.

The most effective method of identifying weevil presence within an orchard is via limb- tapping over a light colored sheet. Weevils drop when a branch is jarred. [19] Adult weevils are considered poor dispersers with average flight distance 220 m. [24]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Curculio sayi Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2018-04-26.
  2. ^ "Curculio sayi species details". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 2018-04-26.
  3. ^ "Curculio sayi Species Information". BugGuide.net. Retrieved 2018-04-26.
  4. ^ a b c Chittenden, Frank Hurlburt, ed. (1908). The Nut Weevils Yearbook of the Department of Agriculture. US Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Entomology.
  5. ^ Brooks, F.E.; Cotton, R.T., eds. (1929). The Chestnut Curculios. US Department of Agriculture.
  6. ^ Johnson, W.T. (1956). On the Biology and Control of the North American Chestnut Weevils (Ph.D. Thesis). University of Chicago.
  7. ^ Dalgeish, Harmony J; Shukle, John T; Swihart, Robert K. (2012). "Weevil seed damage reduces germination and seedling growth of hybrid American chestnut". Canadian Journal of Forest Research. 42 (6): 1107–1114. doi:10.1139/x2012-067.
  8. ^ a b c d Menu, F; Debouzie, D (1995). "Larval development variation and adult emergence in the chestnut weevil Curculio elephas Gyllenhal (Col., Curculionidae)". Journal of Applied Entomology. 119 (1–5): 279–284. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0418.1995.tb01286.x. S2CID 85857060.
  9. ^ a b c Buerges, G; Gal, T (1981). "Zur Verbreitung und Lebensweise des Kastanienruesslers (Curculio elephas Gyll., Col.: Curculionidae) in Ungarn". Zeitschrift für Angewandte Entomologie. 91 (1–5). Blackwell Verlag GmbH: 1–533.
  10. ^ Desouhant, Emmanuel; Debouzie, Domitien (1998). "Oviposition pattern of phytophagous insects: on the importance of host population heterogeneity" (PDF). Oecologia. 114: 382–388.
  11. ^ Raney, Harley G. (1967). FLIGHT HABITS OF THE PECAN WEEVIL, CURCULIO CARYAE (B.S. Thesis). Oklahoma State University.
  12. ^ Prokopy, Ronald J; Wirth, Catherine B.; Leskey, Tracy C. (1999). "Movement of plum curculio adults toward host trees and traps: Flight versus walking". Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. 91 (3): 385–392. doi:10.1023/A:1003626613823.
  13. ^ Lienk S. E. (1980). "Plum curculio" (PDF). New York State Agricultural Experiment Station. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  14. ^ Pelisson, Pierre-Francois; Bel-Venner, Marie-Claude; Rey, Benjamin; Burgevin, Lorraine; Martineau, Francois; Fourel, Francois; Lecuyer, Christophe; Menu, Frederic; Venner, Samuel (2011). "Contrasted breeding strategies in four sympatric sibling insect species: when a proovigenic and capital breeder copes with a stochastic environment". Functional Ecology. 26 (1): 198–206. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2435.2011.01925.x.
  15. ^ Soula, Bertrand; Menu, Frederic (2005). "Extended life cycle in the chestnut weevil: prolonged or repeated diapause?". Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. 115 (2): 333–340. ISSN 0013-8703.
  16. ^ Pelisson, Pierre-Francois; Bernstein, Carlos; Francois, Debias; Menu, Frederic; Venner, Samuel (2013). "Dispersal and dormancy strategies among insect species competing for a pulsed resource". Ecological Entomology. 38 (5): 470–477. doi:10.1111/een.12038.
  17. ^ a b c d Keesey, Ian W.; Barrett, Bruce (2008). "Seasonal Occurrence and Soil Distribution of the Lesser Chestnut Weevil, Curculio sayi (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Mid-Missouri". Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society. 81 (4): 345–354. doi:10.2317/JKES804.08.1. S2CID 85604543.
  18. ^ a b c Filgueiras, C.C.; Willett, D.S. (2022). "Phenology and Monitoring of the Lesser Chestnut Weevil (Curculio sayi)". Insects 2022, 13, 713. 13 (8): 713. doi:10.3390/insects13080713. PMC 9409741. PMID 36005338.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ a b c Lizotte E. (2014). "Chestnut Weevil: A Potential Pest of Michigan Chestnuts". Michigan State University. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  20. ^ a b c Lizotte E. (2020). "Managing chestnut weevil in Michigan in 2020". Michigan State University. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  21. ^ Filgueiras, C.C.; Willett, D.S. (2022). "The Lesser Chestnut Weevil (Curculio sayi): Damage and Management with Biological Control Using Entomopathogenic Fungi and Entomopathogenic Nematodes". Insects 2022, 13 (12), 1097. 13 (12): 1097. doi:10.3390/insects13121097. PMC 9788462. PMID 36555007.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ Guyer, D. Chestnut Growers Inc., 2018 [1]
  23. ^ Wells, J.M.; Cole, R.J.; Kirksey, J.W (1975). "Emodin, a toxic metabolite of Aspergillus Wentii Isol. Weevil-Damaged Chestnuts". Appl. Microbiology. 30 (1): 26–28. doi:10.1128/am.30.1.26-28.1975. PMC 187107. PMID 1147616.
  24. ^ Keesey, Ian W. (2007). The seasonal occurrence, soil distribution, and flight characteristics of Curculio sayi (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in mid-Missouri (M.S. Thesis). University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.

Further reading

  • Lobl, I.; Smetana, A., eds. (2013). Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera, Volume 7: Curculionoidea I. Apollo Books. ISBN 978-90-04-26093-1.
  • Lobl, I.; Smetana, A., eds. (2013). Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera, Volume 8: Curculionoidea II. Apollo Books. ISBN 978-90-04-25916-4.


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