Curculionoidea, or non-wood leaf borer, is one species that is often disliked by fruit growers. Why? Because his presence at every stop always makes the leaves torn apart or disappear with his own actions.
If I'm not mistaken, I personally have written about them several times at different times, but in my previous writings I still talk about self-introduction, about this particular beetle. But on this occasion, I want to tell you about their characters at the bus stop or their chosen location.
Previously I wanted to say, and based on the results of the search and the results of the explanations of several experts, said they were a beetle not an insect. Of course this is when viewed in terms of body posture and some of the characters attached to him (already explained before).
If you ask, about a thing, why am I so interested in discussing this species? So the answer is very simple because seeing in the field all its characters can make garden owners annoyed with its presence.
When I saw the condition of his presence in the agricultural sector and became a source of complaints from the farming community, this is where my interest was to explore it. It turns out that when you look closely, it turns out that he has several characters that he has, including:
1. Without choosing the type of plant, as long as it is available in the environment
Each animal species certainly has several different characters both in terms of instincts or interests that attract it, if every insect species likes nectar or other plant parts, but unlike this one beetle, it never dominates flower nectar or anything else, because it has the power very strong, in the form of molars to chew something. While flying insects do not have molars or mouths, they will suck every flower nectar with tools contained in their bodies, for example, butterflies often suck flower nectar because they have a trunk instead of a mouth.
Having a strong molar strength, so he can live often and last a long time in the location of his choice, his chewing power also makes it easy for him to live anywhere as long as he has plants that have green leaves. Their life is very easy as long as there are plants in a habitat, unlike other insects that are always looking for every nectar of choice, if a plant has petals it has food and even then the fans are not only them but there are others. Including other flying insect species that have the same body character, and are always joined in the a petals.
With characters that support their every life, here, farmers want to be always ready to anticipate every movement and power in a protected plant.
Its chewing power can destroy every leaf in every stop, and don't underestimate its existence even if you see only one pair. Because the breeding is very fast, besides the eggs are very much. As a calculation of their development can be seen below.
Number | Attendance capacity | Amount generated |
---|---|---|
1 | One pair | Can produce hundreds of eggs, in one week |
2 | Hundreds of pairs | Can produce thousands of eggs in one month |
3 | Hundreds of tails | Can produce thousands of species |
Seeing the population of its existence in one plant tree, if its presence is not anticipated, then in one month it can destroy thousands of plant leaves, if left continuously for 3 months, then the plant that was originally shady, will only be left, only the branches. So the leaves have been eaten by this leaf-eating beetle species. In the end, fruit farmers will experience crop failure.
2. Have perfect endurance
Accurately about the age range, personally do not have accurate data about their body resistance, but based on field observations their presence in the plant is quite long, as long as the plants (the location of choice) lasts long then they are always visible. It has been tested by teammates for its viability on a kaffir lime plant. How to?
Teammates choose an adult beetle by attaching a thread to a certain body part, with the intention of making it easier to mark it when it is active in a plant, while the thread from the previous fruit is tied to a branch, this is influenced because their journey is only based on only one plant, the second day it was still visible and still healthy, then the next day it still looked like before, the teams came to them only to unhook the thread which made them uncomfortable in moving. This was done for 2 weeks but the beetle was still in its original state and was even carrying out a marriage ritual.
Seeing his condition, which in one month still lasted, the attached rope was removed again, so that he was free to carry out his daily activities. If it is calculated that it can survive on plants for a period of one month (based on test results), it means that it can survive for one month on plants, as long as the leaves are still visible in a plant. When the leaves of the plant have run out, it will look for another plant as a new nest.
3. How to deal with population in a plant
I personally often see farmers limiting their presence in a plant, by giving poison (in the form of flea liquid), the results look satisfactory, but the impact of their lives will be lost, namely death because of the poison that overwhelms them. However, it has an impact on the fruit that grows because it contains a small amount of toxins, and if consumed by humans, the fruit will have an impact on health even though it is small. However, over time it will also become a source of deadly disease because the poison is accidentally swallowed, eventually the body's defenses can be broken by the plant toxins contained in the fruit or leaves.
So do not be surprised if humans in this century, it is easy to have the impact of various diseases, this is based on food sources, while the food consumed has poison even though it is very little but ends as described above.
I personally have tested it, in repelling it on plants, by spraying it with dry plants mixed with mosquito repellent liquid, meaning that dry wood branches are sprinkled with insect repellent or mosquito liquid, so the smoke can make the body fall under the plant, or on the ground. When the body falls (fainted/drunk), throw its small body in a wild plant that is not utilized, both leaves, fruit, and other plant body parts.
However, this method is not favored by fruit growers, for the following reasons:
- Spending a lot of money, but this beetle is still alive
- Waste of energy, because it takes a little longer
Adding work, for throwing the beetle's body (which fainted or drunk) to another area - and, some other labor that takes a lot of time.
However, my team and I will still make observations in anticipating them in a plant, according to our intentions (in protecting a habitat) and the intention of fruit farmers in expelling them.
Thank you for reading this article, I hope it will be useful, especially for farmers and other colleagues.
Photo and Text Captions | ✎ & 📸 |
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