Agricultural and Forest Entomology (2006) 8, 97-101

Christer Björkman and Karin Eklund (2006)
Factors affecting willow leaf beetles (Phratora vulgatissima) when selecting overwintering sites
Agricultural and Forest Entomology 8 (2), 97-101
Abstract: 1 Leaf beetles are major pests in willow plantations used as short-rotation coppice for biomass production. The beetles overwinter mainly outside the plantations. An understanding of the factors affecting adult leaf beetles seeking overwintering sites may provide information that could be valuable when developing methods to control the beetles.
2 We conducted a field experiment in a willow plantation with a high abundance of the leaf beetle, Phratora vulgatissima. We positioned overwintering constructions (OWCs) made out of bundles of reed (Phragmites australis) outside the plantation.
3 Leaf beetles preferred (i) to fly towards silhouettes; (ii) OWCs positioned 1.5 m above the ground compared with ones 0.5 m above the ground; (iii) OWCs orientated vertically compared with OWCs orientated horizontally; and (iv) reeds of a diameter of approximately 5 mm.
4 Leaf beetle size was not correlated with reed diameter.
5 It is concluded that the leaf beetle P. vulgatissima selects an overwintering site based on factors at both larger and smaller scales. The possibilities for using OWCs made of reed bundles as tools to monitor and control are discussed.
(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): Christer Björkman

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
environment - cropping system/rotation
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Phratora vulgatissima	Willow (Salix)