The spinach carrion beetle, Silpha bituberosa, rarely occurs at levels significant enough to cause noticeable damage, and insecticide treatment would seldom be economical.
Carrion beetles are oval-shaped, horizontally flattened, and dull black with longitudinal raised ridges on the wing covers. The larvae appear slightly flattened and are shiny black with distinct segmentation. The larvae look much like sowbugs or pillbugs, but carrion beetle larvae are capable of moving much faster. The adults spend the winter in the soil in field margins, ditch banks, fence rows and alfalfa fields. They can move into sugarbeet fields early in the spring. Females lay eggs in the soil in May and June and larvae will develop in three to four weeks through early summer. In addition to sugarbeet, they will feed on lambsquarters, nightshade, and alfalfa.
Both adults and larvae will feed on the leaves of sugarbeet with field borders being most likely to show damage. Feeding damage appears as ragged defoliation near the edges of the leaves with residues of crushed plant tissue at the feeding sites. Larvae will cause the most damage. They are primarily a threat during seedling emergence and establishment when the limited leaf area of the sugarbeet increases the impact of the damage.
Early season scouting should indicate whether these insects are present in great enough numbers to cause significant damage. Once sugarbeet have reached about the four-leaf stage, damage potential would be minimal as plants outgrow additional damage unless populations are extreme. Carrion beetles rarely occur in levels significant enough to cause noticeable damage, and insecticide treatment for this insect would very seldom be economically warranted.
Product List for Carrion Beetles:
Insecticide |
Product per Acre |
Preharvest Interval , remarks |
|
Lannate WSPR, LVR |
WSP 0.25-1.0 lbs./A LV 0.75-3.0 pts./A |
PHI 7 days; REI 48 hrs. |
RRestricted use pesticide. |
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"The information herein is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and that listing of commercial products, necessary to this guide, implies no endorsement by the authors or the Extension Services of Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming or Montana. Criticism of products or equipment not listed is neither implied nor intended. Due to constantly changing labels, laws and regulations, the Extension Services can assume no liability for the suggested use of chemicals contained herein. Pesticides must be applied legally complying with all label directions and precautions on the pesticide container and any supplemental labeling and rules of state and federal pesticide regulatory agencies. State rules and regulations and special pesticide use allowances may vary from state to state: contact your State Department of Agriculture for the rules, regulations and allowances applicable in your state and locality." |
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Categories: Insects, Sugarbeets, Carrion Beetles, Seed/Seedling Attacking Insects
Date: 04/19/2006