Zygogramma exclamationis
| Zygogramma exclamationis | |
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| Zygogramma exclamationis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Chrysomelidae |
| Genus: | Zygogramma |
| Species: | Z. exclamationis |
| Binomial name | |
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Zygogramma exclamationis (Fabricius, 1798) |
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Zygogramma exclamationis, commonly known as the sunflower beetle, is a species of leaf beetle belonging to the family Zygogramma. It is regarded as a pest of sunflower crops in North America.
Z. exclamationis is a small leaf beetle, 6–12 mm in length, 2–4 mm wide, with a brown pronotum and yellow elytra marked with three, elongated brown stripes and a single, shorter, lateral stripe ending at the middle of the wing in a small dot that resembles an exclamation point. This arrangement bears similarities to the exclamation mark from where this species gets it's Latin name. Adult beetles are morphological similar to the Colorado potato beetle, a pest of potato crops.
The larvae are humpbacked in appearance, yellow-green in colour, and may measure 0.35 inches (8.9 mm) in length at maturity.
Lateral view
Posterior view
Head (side)
Head (front)
Antenna
Z. exclamationis is native to North America. Adult beetles are phytophagus and associated with the sunflower species Helianthus annuus (common sunflower), H. giganteus (giant sunflower), and H. petiolaris (prairie sunflower). It is a major economic pest to sunflower production in North America.
Overwintering adults emerge in late May or early June. Shortly after emergence, the beetles begin to feed, mate and lay eggs singly on stems and undersides of leaves. Adults live for about 8 weeks and are capable of laying eggs for most of this period. Each female lays approximately 850 eggs, with a range of 200 to 2,000 eggs. Eggs hatch into larvae after about one week; the young larvae feed on the leaves at night. They hide among the bracts of the flower bud and amongst leaves during the day. The larvae feed for about two weeks but, because of the long egg laying period, larvae may be present in the field for about six weeks in June or July.
The larvae have four instars. When mature, the larvae enter the soil to pupate in earthen cells. The pupal stage lasts from 10 days to two weeks. Adults of the new generation emerge and feed for a short period on the sunflower head or on the uppermost leaves of the plant; they do not mate or lay eggs before re-entering the soil to overwinter.
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Wikipedia