Trophic Interactions of <i>Ceutorhynchinae</i> spp. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) with Their Host Plants (Brassicaceae) and Their Parasitoids in the Agroecosystem of Quebec, Canada

The genus <i>Ceutorhynchus</i> Germar (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is composed of canola pests, natural enemies of Brassicaceae, and other species associated with non-crop and non-weed plants. This study aimed to establish trophic associations of <i>Ceutorhynchus</i> with thei...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Claudine Desroches, Joseph Moisan-De Serres, Émilien Rodrigue, Geneviève Labrie, Éric Lucas
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-07-01
Series:Insects
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/14/7/607
Description
Summary:The genus <i>Ceutorhynchus</i> Germar (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is composed of canola pests, natural enemies of Brassicaceae, and other species associated with non-crop and non-weed plants. This study aimed to establish trophic associations of <i>Ceutorhynchus</i> with their host plants and with their parasitoids in the agricultural landscape, in order to assess the actual beneficial or noxious ecological roles of the insects. Trophic associations were established by identifying <i>Ceutorhynchus</i> species and their parasitoids emerging from collected Brassicaceae plants in areas adjacent to canola fields and other crops in 2019 and 2020. Five <i>Ceutorhynchus</i> species were collected and identified as hosts of parasitoids in the families Pteromalidae and Eulophidae. Two functional groups were characterized: natural enemies of weeds and agricultural pests. The exotic wormseed wallflower, <i>Erysimum cheiranthoides</i> was identified as a new host plant of the invasive canola pest <i>Ceutorhynchus obstrictus</i> (Marsham), and the native tower rockcress, Arabis glabra, as a new host plant of the native <i>Ceutorhynchus neglectus</i> Blatchley. Association between the exotic <i>Ceutorhynchus typhae</i> (Herbst) and a parasitoid of the genus Elachertodomyia is reported for the first time. Finally, <i>Ceutorhynchus neglectus</i> and <i>C. typhae</i> hosted the exotic parasitoid <i>Trichomalus perfectus</i>, an important natural enemy of <i>C. obstrictus</i>.
ISSN:2075-4450