Pat
-----Original Message-----
From: Patricia Ruggiero [mailto:ruggierop@earthlink.net]
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 1999 9:06 PM
To: Sustainable Agriculture
Cc: Organic Gardening
Subject: Re: flea beetles
The July/August 1999 issue of *Nature Conservancy* magazine has an article
entitled *Double Agents: The Peril and Potential of Biological Control.*
Flea beetles used against leafy spurge are discussed, and it is stated that
*The beetles have demonstrated, in the language of the trade, selectivity --
the quality that often separates biocontrol's beauties from its beasties.
It is a quality that may cost its seekers two to three years of overseas
odysseys and extensive feeding experiments to find the bug that eats only
what it is hired to eat. It is a prerequisite for release that in the past
has not always been meticulously applied."
I am reading the hard copy magazine. Their website is www.tnc.org
The article doesn't say what the beetles do or where they go if their
preferred food is not available.
Pat
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu [mailto:owner-sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu]On
Behalf Of Kimberly Stoner
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 1999 4:28 PM
To: sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu; Mark
Subject: Re: Re:flea beetles
Mark:
There are hundreds of different species of flea beetles and most of them are
very specialized in their selection of plants on which to feed. For
example, in your organic garden, you probably have the crucifer flea beetle,
Phyllotreta cruciferae, which specializes on plants in the cabbage family.
If you grow eggplant, you probably have the eggplant flea beetle, Epitrix
fuscula, a specialist on eggplant and a few other species of solanaceous
plants. You may also have the potato flea beetle, Epitrix cucumeris, also a
specialist on Solanaceae.
Thus, you shouldn't assume that the flea beetles on leafy spurge would be
likely to feed on anything in your garden. You probably are not growing
close relatives of this spurge in your garden.
There is, however, a lively debate about the biological control of weeds,
and whether the natural enemies of weeds have been adequately tested for
their effects on all the closely related native plant species, including in
some cases, endangered species of plants.
I am surprised that they could do the distribution in the way described,
because there is usually considerable paperwork involved in moving insects
across state lines. Perhaps this species has reached the point where it has
cleared the bureaucratic hurdles.
-----Original Message-----
From: Mark <earthspn@crocker.com>
To: sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu <sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu>
Date: Wednesday, June 23, 1999 3:57 PM
Subject: Re:flea beetles
>Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't these the same beetles that chomp up my
>organic garden??
>
>Mark
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