Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Viburnum leaf beetle, an introduced pest

The viburnum leaf beetle (Pyrrhalta viburni) was introduced accidentally along with non-native ornamental viburnums from Europe and Asia. It took perhaps a hundred years for it to become settled and to start multiplying in noticeable numbers. By then it had found out that native viburnums, such as arrowwood, were good to eat and lacked defenses against them. The consequences were, perhaps, unavoidable; the beetle is spreading across North America ravaging native viburnums.
Adult viburnum leaf beetles © Beatriz Moisset

Read the whole article:
Viburnum under siege
Viburnum under siege. Part 2



Leaf damage caused by the larvae on arrowwood viburnum  
© Beatriz Moisset


Larva and leaf damage. © Beatriz Moisset

Egg cases © Beatriz Moisset
Egg cases © Beatriz Moisset

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