The spotted cucumber beetle, a member of the leaf beetle family, is a major agricultural pest in North America. The distinct 12 spots on its forewings that is their prominent distinguishable feature, have also resulted in their name. Finnish entomologist Count Carl Gustaf Mannerheim first described it in 1843.
Size: 6.4mm
Color: Its body is yellowish-green, with twelve characteristic black spots on each of their elytra. The antennae, head, and legs are black.
Other Characteristic Features: Their antenna appears long and slender, measuring 1.6 mm long.
They look like worms because of their slender white bodies and are almost 12mm long. They have a brown capsule for a head that grows in length as the larvae pass through each instar – 0.3 mm for the first instar, 0.4 mm for the second, and 0.6 mm for the final stage. It has three pairs of long brown legs, alongcol3 a dark plate on the dorsal part of its last segment.
A total of 2 ½ – 3 weeks are required for complete larval development, split as seven days for the first instar, five days for the second, and four days for the third stage.
The pupae are white in the beginning, turning yellow as they mature. They are 7.5 mm long and 4.5 mm wide. The cocoon has spines on it as a form of protection, with a pair of stout spines on the tip and smaller ones on the dorsal col3 of their abdomen. This stage lasts for 6-10 days.
The eggs are yellow and oval-shaped, laid in clusters of 25-40 near the host plant. They are 0.7 mm long and 0.5 mm wide. Generally, it takes 6-9 days to hatch, that may prolong up to 30 days during cold weather condition.
| Other names | Southern corn rootworm |
| Lifespan | 60 days in summer; 200 days in winter |
| Distribution | North America, ranging from southern Canada, the continental USA, and parts of the central highlands of Mexico |
| Habitat | Agricultural fields |
| Predators | Braconid wasps, soldier beetles, and some nematodes |
| Seasons active | March to July |
| Host plants | Cucurbit plant |
| Diet of adults | The leaves of beans, corn, cotton, cucumbers, soybeans, and squash. |
Damage caused by these beetles can be identified from holes in the leaves they chewed through and the scars caused by feeding on the host plant, primarily the stems, crowns, and fruits.
Larvae can cause more significant damage to young plants by attacking their roots, preventing their development.
Image Source: i.imgur.com, extensionentomology.tamu.edu, pnwhandbooks.org, entnemdept.ufl.edu, 3.bp.blogspot.com, researchgate.net
The spotted cucumber beetle, a member of the leaf beetle family, is a major agricultural pest in North America. The distinct 12 spots on its forewings that is their prominent distinguishable feature, have also resulted in their name. Finnish entomologist Count Carl Gustaf Mannerheim first described it in 1843.
Size: 6.4mm
Color: Its body is yellowish-green, with twelve characteristic black spots on each of their elytra. The antennae, head, and legs are black.
Other Characteristic Features: Their antenna appears long and slender, measuring 1.6 mm long.
They look like worms because of their slender white bodies and are almost 12mm long. They have a brown capsule for a head that grows in length as the larvae pass through each instar – 0.3 mm for the first instar, 0.4 mm for the second, and 0.6 mm for the final stage. It has three pairs of long brown legs, alongcol3 a dark plate on the dorsal part of its last segment.
A total of 2 ½ – 3 weeks are required for complete larval development, split as seven days for the first instar, five days for the second, and four days for the third stage.
The pupae are white in the beginning, turning yellow as they mature. They are 7.5 mm long and 4.5 mm wide. The cocoon has spines on it as a form of protection, with a pair of stout spines on the tip and smaller ones on the dorsal col3 of their abdomen. This stage lasts for 6-10 days.
The eggs are yellow and oval-shaped, laid in clusters of 25-40 near the host plant. They are 0.7 mm long and 0.5 mm wide. Generally, it takes 6-9 days to hatch, that may prolong up to 30 days during cold weather condition.
| Other names | Southern corn rootworm |
| Lifespan | 60 days in summer; 200 days in winter |
| Distribution | North America, ranging from southern Canada, the continental USA, and parts of the central highlands of Mexico |
| Habitat | Agricultural fields |
| Predators | Braconid wasps, soldier beetles, and some nematodes |
| Seasons active | March to July |
| Host plants | Cucurbit plant |
| Diet of adults | The leaves of beans, corn, cotton, cucumbers, soybeans, and squash. |
Damage caused by these beetles can be identified from holes in the leaves they chewed through and the scars caused by feeding on the host plant, primarily the stems, crowns, and fruits.
Larvae can cause more significant damage to young plants by attacking their roots, preventing their development.
Image Source: i.imgur.com, extensionentomology.tamu.edu, pnwhandbooks.org, entnemdept.ufl.edu, 3.bp.blogspot.com, researchgate.net
