Florida Entomologist (2013) 96, 55-63

Luis C. Martínez, Angelica Plata-Rueda, José C. Zanuncio and José E. Serrao (2013)
Leucothyreus femoratus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae): Feeding and behavioral activities as an oil palm defoliator
Florida Entomologist 96 (1), 55-63
Abstract: Leucothyreus femoratus Burmeister (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) is an important insect pest of oil palm plantations, because larvae and adults feed on plant roots and leaves, respectively. This suggests the necessity of understanding the pest's feeding and behavioral habits for pest management. Food consumption and injury to leaves of Elaeis guineensis Jacq. (Arecales: Arecaceae, African oil palm) by adults of L. femoratus in Colombia were studied. Locomotion of adults was evaluated with respect to 6 behaviors, i.e., emergence, hiding in the ground, walking, flying, feeding, and mating. In addition, larvae were collected from the roots of other plants found in the oil palm plantation in order to determine possible alternative hosts. Leaf consumption per adult L. femoratus was 13 mm²/day/insect (χ² = 19.33, P < 0.0001). Leaf injury was in the form of squares or rectangles and cumulative defoliation reached 15.5% in 60 days. The insect showed predominantly nocturnal feeding and mating (χ² = 95.53, P < 0.05; χ² = 207.01, P < 0.05, respectively). Larvae of L. femoratus were found in abundance on the roots of Croton trinitatis Millsp. (Euphorbiaceae, road side croton) and Imperata cilindrica (L.) P. Beauv. (Poaceae, cogon grass). The feeding habits of larvae and adults of this insect may be main factors in their adaptation to oil palm plantations. The understanding of the feeding habits and behaviors of L. femoratus are important to define strategies for the management of their populations in oil palm plantations.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Full text of article
Database assignments for author(s): Luis Carlos Martínez, José Eduardo Serrao, José Cola Zanuncio

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

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Leucothyreus femoratus	Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis)	Colombia