Entomological Science (2013) 16, 26-33

Jianhua Mo and Mark M. Stevens (2013)
Vertical and horizontal movements of Fuller's rose weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Australian citrus groves
Entomological Science 16 (1), 26-33
Abstract: Fuller's rose weevil (FRW; Asynonychus cervinus (Boheman)) is a pest of quarantine concern in many Asian markets for Australian citrus. We investigated vertical (tree climbing) and horizontal movements (inter-tree movements) of FRW adults in a citrus orchard during 2009-2011 with mark-recapture experiments. Trunk traps were used to intercept tree-climbing adults. The results showed that the majority of the adults released on the foliage stayed in the canopy, however considerable numbers did drop and some dropped multiple times. The rate of drops appeared to be fixed, independent of how many times the weevils had dropped before. Inter-tree movements of adults in the canopy occurred mainly within rows, probably because of touching foliage between within-row neighboring trees. Movement directions on the ground were more random, when reliance on touching foliage was not necessary. According to fitted dispersal equations, the average dispersal distance was 38 m for weevils released on foliage and 127 m for those released on the ground. Trunk banding with chemicals is an important control tactic for FRW, and based on our results, chemicals should be applied at a high enough rate (or in a wide enough band) to ensure the weevils are killed by a single crossing. For maximum reductions of FRW populations in citrus, control actions should be applied not only to infested blocks but also to neighboring blocks in the orchard.
(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): Jianhua Mo, Mark M. Stevens

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.
	Pantomorus cervinus	Citrus (genus)	Australia (South+SE)