The Canadian Entomologist (2015) 147, 89-96

James A. Tansey, Lloyd M. Dosdall, Julie J. Soroka and B. Andrew Keddie (2015)
The influence of weather parameters on crucifer flea beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) capture heights
The Canadian Entomologist 147 (1), 89-96
Abstract: The crucifer flea beetle, Phyllotreta cruciferae (Goeze) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is the most important pest of seedling canola, Brassica napus Linnaeus (Brassicaceae), in North America, yet effects of weather on its dispersal and flight activity are not completely understood. We investigated effects of ambient temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, atmospheric pressure, barometric flux, and precipitation on capture heights of P. cruciferae over four site-years in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada. Capture heights increased with mean ambient temperatures for both generations of beetles, with 15°C determined as an estimated minimum temperature for flight. Although capture heights decreased with greater minimum relative humidity, and atmospheric pressure, and increased with greater mean wind speed, the contributions of these factors were determined to be minor relative to that of mean temperature. Results of the current study will contribute to more accurate predictions of the invasion of canola crops by P. cruciferae and contribute to improved integrated management of this important pest species.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): James A. Tansey, Juliana J. Soroka, Basil Andrew Keddie

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
population dynamics/ epidemiology

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Phyllotreta cruciferae	Rape/canola (Brassica napus)	Canada (west)