. Cooperative economic insect report. Insect pests Control United States Periodicals. - 43 - INSECTS NOT KNOWN TO OCCUR IN THE UNITED STATES A BEET CURCULIONID (Lixus junci Boheman) Economic Importance: Lixus junci is a curculionid pest of major importance on sugar beets in the Meidterranean Basin. Several other species of Lixus have been recorded as pests of beets, but L. junci appears to be the most important. Damage is caused by both adults and larvae. The adults feed on the leaves and stems, sometimes destroying young plantings, and the larvae make galleries in the roots which cause diminu
. Cooperative economic insect report. Insect pests Control United States Periodicals. - 43 - INSECTS NOT KNOWN TO OCCUR IN THE UNITED STATES A BEET CURCULIONID (Lixus junci Boheman) Economic Importance: Lixus junci is a curculionid pest of major importance on sugar beets in the Meidterranean Basin. Several other species of Lixus have been recorded as pests of beets, but L. junci appears to be the most important. Damage is caused by both adults and larvae. The adults feed on the leaves and stems, sometimes destroying young plantings, and the larvae make galleries in the roots which cause diminution and decay. Losses to the sugar beet crop have been estimated as high as 40 percent in Morocco and 50 percent in Israel. Unless control measures are applied in Israel, growers in that country can expect a 50-60 percent loss of the crop annually. Severe injury was caused to beets grown for seed in northwestern France in 1946, lambsquarters being the source of infestation. Distribution: Generally distributed in the Mediterranean region, being recorded in France, Spain, Italy, Israel, USSR (Kiev), Egypt, Libya, Morocco and the Islands of Sicily, Malta, Sardinia and Corsica. Hosts: Attacks many plants; beets are the most important cultivated host. Life History and Habits: Overwintering adults appear in early spring in Italy and feed on garden plants before migrating to roots of beets where they continue to feed before egg laying begins. The female makes a hole in the neck of the plant with her snout, inserts the egg and covers the hole with feeding debris. Very small plants are sometimes nearly cutoff, causing death of the plant. Frequently, however, eggs are laid in the petioles and midribs. Larvae hatch in 4-5 days, begin feeding on the petioles or the leaves and then penetrate the root, making long vertical galleries. Infestations are more severe in hot weather when the leaves remain small and most of the development of the insect takes place in the root. Two or three larvae
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