To put things in perspective, with 400,000 species and counting, the beetle Order Coleoptera is the largest Order in Class Insecta (in fact, beetles are the largest Order of animals, period, accounting for a quarter of animal species). In: Proceedings of the 9th international symposium on biological control of weeds, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 19-26 January 1996 [ed. http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/five_year_review/doc3083.pdf, US Fish and Wildlife Service, 2010. Curculionidae (70,000 species) is the largest beetle family and one of the largest animal families. Musk thistle is the primary host for the strain of thistle head weevil that was released. The hind wings are well developed as the insect is a strong daylight flier (Jessep, 1981). Plants Database. In: Schenkling S, ed. 248-251. by Driesche, R. Van \Blossey, B. Please consider upgrading your browser to the latest version or installing a new browser. By 2001, weevils had been released in 34 counties. Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA: US Fish and Wildlife Service. In late summer and in autumn the adults seek overwintering sites away from their hosts. Nodding thistle receptacle weevil, Rhinocyllus conicus (Froelich), life cycle. Re-test of Rhinocyllus conicus host specificity, and the prediction of ecological risk in biological control. The main story about this weevil revolves around its use to control Russian thistle, Milk thistle (Silybum sp.) American Midland Naturalist, 124(1):105-113, Maw MG, 1982. Musk thistle head with bracts consumed by some insect. The two groups, temperate and Mediterranean, correspond to differences in climate, and differ in their phenology of oviposition and physical appearance:  the Mediterranean group starts to lay about a month earlier than the temperate group and generally has a narrower body shape, although there is individual variation and overlap between the two groups. Part 137. Apply herbicides such as Tordon, Milestone, Transline, Perspective, Vanquish/Clarity or 2,4-D to musk thistle rosettes in spring or fall. Apparently, other continents don’t have susceptible native thistle species, so North America is the only place where the NTRB is behaving badly. Berry. As they feed, frass that collects inside the flower head is mixed with masticated plant material to form a stiff chamber that becomes the pupal case. Thistle. In regions other than North America, no vulnerable native or economically important plants occur within the host range of R. conicus. Pesticides should always be used in a lawful manner, consistent with the product's label. Musk thistle (nodding thistle). The rosette weevil larvae feed on the center of the rosettes causing the plant to die or have multiple stems and reduce seed production. Ecology, 76(1):229-245, Louda SM, Potvin MA, Collinge SK, 1990. (Col., Curculionidae), a successful agent for biocontrol of the thistle, Carduus nutans L. Zeitschrift für Angewandte Entomologie. He says: “Hindsight now demonstrates that, although the logic and reasoning were clear, the conclusion that Rhinocyllus was unlikely to have any major ecological effects was incorrect. > 10°C, coldest month < 0°C, dry summers), Continental climate with dry winter (Warm average temp. Thistle-head Weevil Rhinocyllus conicus. Biological control can be a “Be careful what you wish for” scenerio, and we are getting better at it, but the BugLady worries that at the base of any bio-control decision, there’s a value judgement about acceptable collateral damages. ©Mark Schwarzlander/University of Idaho/Bugwood.org - CC BY-NC 3.0 US, Based on impact on native thistles (DePrenger-Levin et al. The risks of the introduction and spread of R. conicus to other regions is limited, as it is specific to a few genera of host plants and has only left its native range through deliberate release as a biological control agent. The weevil proved an effective agent against C. nutans and also attacked another exotic plumeless thistle, C. acanthoides. Allozyme and morphometric analysis of R. conicus, from the Atlantic coast to Israel, found two distinct groups (Klein and Seitz, 1994). Slough, UK: Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux. Slough, UK: Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux, 115-126, Harris P, Zwölfer H, 1971. Biological control in the western United States., 3361 [ed. Nutrition is restricted to known host plants in the genera Carduus, Cirsium, Silybum and Onopordum. Populations from Onopordumacanthium have also been described (Zwölfer and Harris 1984). 89. New Zealand imported and released weevils from Canada in 1973, which proved effective against C. nutans in New Zealand. Biology and host specificity of Rhinocyllus conicus (Froel.) Bulletin of the Entomological Society of America, 28(4):355-358, Csiki E, 1934. What a journey! Adults may chew on the leaves a little, but the larvae do the most damage. Woodburn TL, Cullen JM, 1995. California, USA: University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 248-251, Arnett AE, Louda SM, 2002. Environmental Entomology, 16:979-983, US Fish and Wildlife Service, 2010. R. conicus is a univoltine to partly bivoltine weevil. When several references are cited, they may give conflicting information on the status. Flower head weevil (Rhinocyllus conicus Forelich) The flower head weevil is about 1/4 inch long. Despite their secretive lifestyle, the larvae are found by parasitoids. After overwintering as adults, the weevils emerge in early spring and feed on the leaves of musk thistle rosettes. ©Loke T. Kok/Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University/Bugwood.org - CC BY 3.0 US. Turner et al. 50 pp. There is enough evidence to suggest that this biological control agent should not be moved into the region surrounding the Great Lakes [Too late – there were several local releases in Wisconsin in the early 1980’s, and the weevil was documented on a native a Cirsium about 20 years later, 80 miles from a release site]. In early summer, beetles congregate, and boy meets girl. The insect, called the musk thistle seed head weevil, will greatly reduce the thistle population next year, said an Extension biological control specialist at the University of Missouri. Argentina released weevils from the USA in 1980, largely against C. acanthoides, a plant which has caused considerable damage in Argentina (Feldman, 1997). R. conicus reduces seed production of the native North American thistle species it is able to attack (Turner et al., 1987; Louda, 1998). 29. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 110(2):181-191, Laing JE, Heels PR, 1978. The rosette weevil larvae feed on the center of the rosettes causing the plant to die or have multiple stems and reduced seed production. The Thistle Head Weevil In Alabama, the thistle head weevil is very host specific. While they specialize on thistles in the genus Carduus, a lot depends on synchrony – lining up their reproductive schedule with the budding of the plants. Image 1594211 is of musk thistle head weevil (Rhinocyllus conicus ) larva(e) on musk thistle. Spraying now also hurts the buildup of natural populations of the thistle-eating insect. Milk thistle. sp. In a paper called “Rhinocyllus conicus – Insights to Improve Predictability and Minimize Risk of Biological Control of Weeds“(1999) S. M. Louda discusses the history and reality of this “experiment” [the BugLady’s word] and makes recommendations about future introductions. Acta Oecologica, 12(6):707-726, Sheppard AW, Cullen JM, Aeschlimann JP, 1994. The adults and larvae of the tortoise beetle feed on the leaves and skeletonize the plant. The key to successful musk thistle control is to prevent seed production. Rhinocyllus conicus Froelich, the musk thistle head weevil, was released in northeastern Oklahoma beginning in 1991 for biological control of Carduus nutans L., the musk thistle. http://www.faunaeur.org/full_results.php?id=248915, Andres LA, Rees NE, 1995. Rhinocyllus is a small genus of five species in the tribe Rhinocyllini. Weed Science, 24(1):59-62, Jessep CT, 1975. A black beetle with a pattern of pale, patchy hairs on its elytra. > 10°C, Cold average temp. Establishment of an introduced weevil Rhinocyllus (Col., Curculionidae) for the biological control of nodding thistle Carduus nutans (Compositae) in Southern Ontario. Seed head weevil lay eggs in maturing seed head larvae and consume seeds that are forming in spring. The other four species in the genus Rhinocyllus also feed in the capitula of members of the tribe Cardueae (in the Asteraceae). Melbourne, Australia: DSIR/CSIRO. The head weevil can attack other thistles, including native species. First record for the biological control agent Rhinocyllus conicus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in a threatened native thistle, Cirsium hillii (Asteraceae), in Wisconsin, U.S.A. Entomological News, 119(1):90-95. http://www.bioone.org/perlserv/?request=get-current-issue, Sheppard AW, Aeschlimann JP, Sagliocco JL, Vitou J, 1991. North America has a number of species of native thistle in the genus Cirsium that are susceptible to damage from R. conicus. Data source for updated system data added to species habitat list. Maw (1982) also found eggs on the native C. flodmanii (Rydb.) http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/five_year_review/doc3285.pdf. The BugLady found this pair of weevils while she was chasing Thistle tortoise beetles (clearly, it’s a weevil that gets a lot of mileage out of its food plant). The larvae hatch and bore into the receptacle of the capitulum, destroying the reproductive surface from which achenes develop. The female lays over 100 eggs on or near the bracts of the thistle flower head. Rondebosch, South Africa: University of Cape Town, 409-415, Woodburn TL, Cullen JM, 1993. Zwölfer H, Harris P, 1984. A number of rare and threatened native Cirsium species in North America have been documented: these include C. canescens Nutt. (Col., Curculionidae), a successful agent for biocontrol of the thistle, Carduus nutans L. Zeitschrift für Angewandte Entomologie, 97(1):36-62, Alonso-Zarazaga MA, Talamelli F, 2011. Fauna Europaea (online). Again it proved effective against the target and was spread widely throughout the country. Populations from different regions and hosts have distinct host preference profiles and capacities to differentially exploit different thistle hosts (C. nutans, C. pycnocephalus, C. vulgare (Savi) Tenore and Silybum marianum Gaert.) This habit favors attack by R. conicus. They also argued that the Mediterranean group matches the morphological descriptions and climatic distributions of R. oblongusCapiomont (1873) and therefore that the status of this species needs further consideration. Carduus nutans (nodding thistle). These are the musk thistle head weevil (Rhinocyllus conicus), musk thistle rosette weevil (Trichosirocalus horridus) and the musk thistle tortoise beetle (Cassida rubiginosa). Southwestern Entomologist, 36(1):77-84. http://sswe.tamu.edu/, Page AR, Lacey KL, 2006. 24 (4), 204. http://www.benhs.org.uk. by Driesche R, Van Blossey B, Hoddle M, Lyon S, Reardon R]. Sacramento Mountains thistle (Cirsium vinaceum). Pan-Pacific Entomologist, 62(4):329-332, Woodburn TL, 1996. Weed Science. Acta Oecologica, 15(5):529-541, Turner CE, Pemberton RW, Rosenthal SS, 1987. They traveled to New Zealand in 1973, to Argentina in 1980, and to Australia in 1989. \Beardsley, J. W. \Geoden, R. D. \Jackson, C. G.]. Subsequently, Trichosirocalus horridus (Panzer), the rosette weevil, was introduced into seven Oklahoma counties in 1998 to Ecological effects of an insect introduced for the biological control of weeds. 2. Other insects in this community tend to be active later in the flowering periods, but competition in the captula is quite intense. Fauna Europaea., http://www.faunaeur.org/full_results.php?id=248915. 5-Year Review: Summary and Evaluation. Variation in herbivore-mediated indirect effects of an invasive plant on a native plant. 205-206, Jessep CT, 1981. The economic benefits of R. conicus as a biological control agent against the exotic thistle Carduus nutans have been very significant in Canada, the USA and New Zealand. Melbourne, Australia: CSIRO Publishing, 118-130, Denton J, 2011. In the exotic range, the insect community is largely limited to other species that have been introduced as biological control agents in the exotic hosts (e.g. Of these species, only R. oblongus is sympatric with R. conicus in the latter’s native range (Zwölfer and Harris, 1984), and may indeed be a subspecies (Klein and Seitz, 1994). 115-126. The hairs wear off over time, leaving the beetle bald https://bugguide.net/node/view/1374096/bgimage. It’s a small weevil with some big names – the Thistle Head Weevil and the Nodding Thistle Receptacle Beetle (NTRB) (Wikipedia defines “receptacle” as “the thickened part of a stem (pedicel) from which the flower organs grow”). Susceptibility of these species to R. conicus is related to a) their proximity to exotic host thistle populations on which this weevil is found, and b) the degree to which flowering phenology is synchronous with the reproductive cycle of R. conicus (Russell et al., 2007). British Journal of Entomology and Natural History. in Canada. The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service and cooperating landowners began a program to release thistle head weevils in northeast Oklahoma in 1991. ), Bug of the Week archives: It’s a small weevil in the Snout/Bark beetle family Curculionidae. Musk thistle is a biennial weed that reproduces only from seed. By the BugLady’s (admittedly quixotic) method of counting, this is (drumroll) Episode #500 in the series! How can I get the most out of nodding Wallingford, UK: CABI, Denton J, 2011.             Subphylum: Uniramia,                 Class: Insecta,                     Order: Coleoptera,                         Family: Curculionidae,                             Genus: Rhinocyllus,                                 Species: Rhinocyllus conicus, Highly adaptable to different environments, Negatively impacts animal/plant collections, Difficult to identify/detect as a commodity contaminant. Biological control of weeds in Canada, 1959-1968. Carduus nutans L., nodding thistle and C. acanthoides L., plumeless thistle (Compositae). by Delfosse ES, Scott RR]. Host utilization of field-caged native and introduced thistle species by Rhinocyllus conicus. Zwölfer and Harris (1984) stated that R. conicus ‘has been established in most parts of North America with a Carduus nutans problem’; C. nutans is known from nearly all of North America except 5 US states and 4 Canadian Provinces (USDA, 2013). In: Biological control of weeds in Australia 1960 to 2010 [ed. Musk thistle (nodding thistle). When present in high densities R. conicus may also impact native insects in the capitula of the native thistles (Tatyana and Louda, 2011). 1. Queensland, Australia: Queensland Weed Society, 99-103, Woodburn TL, Cullen JM, 1995. Herbicides for Nodding Thistle Control. DSIR Information Series, 105. Environmental Entomology, 16(1):111-115, Unruh TR, Goeden RD, 1987. Effectiveness as a biocontrol agent and the impact of R. conicus on native thistles in the exotic range are determined by the degree of synchrony between the weevil oviposition and flowering of available potential hosts (Goeden and Ricker, 1985). All populations hibernate through the cold months and migration tends to occur in spring, when the adults seek host populations having emerged from their hibernation sites. Effect of Rhinocyllus conicus on non-target thistles. Southwestern Entomologist. They are dark/black in color, but freshly-emerged individuals are mottled with a coat of short black and yellowish hairs that makes them look like they’re dusted with pollen. The weevil proved an effective agent against C. nutans and also attacked another exotic plumeless thistle, C. acanthoides. 5-Year Review: Summary and Evaluation : US Fish and Wildlife Service.29 pp. After an introduction to Canada was deemed successful in 1968, NTRBs were released in Virginia, California, Montana and Nebraska in 1969. She covers the eggs with masticated plant tissue to … Rosette moth lay eggs in rosette during autumn/winter often causing death of plant or at least severe seed producing ability. Weed Science, 25(3):288-292, Goeden RD, Ricker DW, 1978. Larval and pupal parasites of Rhinocyllus conicus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Carduus nutans in northern California. NODDING THISTLE THE BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF WEEDS BOOK May 2008 TE WHAKAPAU TARU – ISBN 0 – 478 – 09306 – 3 NODDING THISTLE CROWN WEEVIL Trichosirocalus horridus The history of nodding thistle crown weevils in New Zealand Nodding thistle crown weevils are native to Europe, but they were imported by the DSIR in Carduus acanthoides L., welted thistle, and C. nutans L., nodding thistle (Compositae). In 1989 Australia released three populations of R. conicus, from New Zealand, southern France and Italy, into the state of New South Wales to counter C. nutans there (Woodburn and Cullen, 1993; 1995; Cullen and Sheppard, 2012), but only the New Zealand and French populations spread widely. There are several agents for Thistle. Electrophoresis helps to indentify which race of the introduced weevil, Rhinocyllus conicus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), has transferred to two native southern California thistles. From Saskatchewan and Ontario R. conicus was moved and released into the USA, in Virginia and Montana, in 1969. There is a beetle called the thistle-head weevil that is used by multiple states to control milk thistle plants. (Caucasus). In the exotic range these differences in phenology by ecotype are maintained with little evidence of quick synchronization to new conditions (Cullen and Sheppard, 2012), suggesting the ecotypes are phonologically distinct and not a phenotypically plastic strategy of survival. It is now listed as invasive itself in several states and is barred from interstate shipment. Wallingford, UK: CABI, CABI, Undated a. CABI Compendium: Status as determined by CABI editor. This weevil was intended to eradicate the non-native, noxious thistle plaguing farms … The four instars of larval development and pupation occur inside the capitulum. The biology of Canadian weeds. by Wilson, B. J.\Swarbrick, J. T.]. On some sites, thistle populations decreased by 80% to 95% in just a few years, and over the next few decades, weevils were deployed in most of the Lower 48. Length: 3 to 7 mm Range: Alberta Habitat: Near Thistle Time of year seen: May to August Diet: Musk Thistle and Plumeless Thistle Other: This species is native to Europe and was imported to Canada in 1968 for biological control of Thistles. To date, more than 900,000 weevils have been collected and redistributed to 670 sites in Oklahoma. DOI:10.1111/j.1096-3642.1994.tb01475.x. 37, Klein M, Seitz A, 1994. Rhinocyllus conicus is a weevil, native to Europe and western Asia, that has been introduced into several countries as a biological control agent for some exotic invasive thistle species (Boldt and Kok, 1982). Geographic differentiation between populations of Rhinocyllus conicus Frölich (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): concordance of allozyme and morphometric analysis. (southern Russia), R. remaudieri Hoffm. Plumeless thistle, Carduus acanthoides L., and musk thistle, CarduuS thoermeri Weinmann, potted plants were inoculated with eggs of Rhinocyllus conic We use cookies to enhance your experience on our website.By continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Native to Europe and western Asia, R. conicus has been deliberately introduced to Canada in 1968 (Harris and Zwölfer, 1971; Harris, 1984); South America in 1980 (Feldman, 1997); Australia in 1989 (Woodburn and Cullen, 1993; 1995); and New Zealand in 1973 (Jessep, 1975; 1981) as a biological control agent for thistles in the genera Carduus,Cirsium and Silybum. Washington, DC, USA: USDA Forest Service. Environmental Entomology, 7(6):787-789, Goeden RD, Ricker DW, 1985. There are three insects that are considered biological control methods at this time. Nodding thistle receptacle weevil, Rhinocyllus conicus (Froelich), life cycle. Berlin, Germany: Dr W. Junk, Cullen J, Sheppard AW, 2012. Further details may be available for individual references in the Distribution Table Details section which can be selected by going to Generate Report. Woodburn, 1996); however, amongst the native thistles R. conicus competes in the developing capitula with native insects, particularly tephritid seed flies, and may locally threaten the population viability of such flies (Tatyana and Louda, 2011). Description. by Niechols JR, Andres LA, Beardsley JW, Geoden RD, Jackson CG]. The impact of these parasitoids on native R. conicus populations can be very significant, with particularly high levels of egg parasitism. As a biological control agent it has proved more effective in temperate regions and this may be in part because the populations of the weevil introduced into these regions have a partial second generation. NTRBs overwinter as adults and emerge early in the following summer to lay eggs and then die. The known distribution of R. conicus does not perfectly match the distribution of its main host plants in its native range, which suggests some apparent gaps in its native range may simply be because the host has been recorded but the pest has not. In 1968 the weevil was introduced to Saskatchewan and Ontario from Alsace, France, and the Rhine valley, Germany. by Kelleher JS, Hulme MA]. Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Flower heads contain multiple larvae, and the combined pupal chambers may form a large, hard mass. A single larva destroys on average 26 seeds (Sheppard et al., 1994). Micinski S, Cookson C, 2011. Populations of the weevil from Italy, which may be a separate ecotype (Zwölfer and Harris, 1984) or subspecies (Klein and Seitz, 1994), were released in California on both variegated or milk thistle Silybum marianum and slender or Italian thistle Carduus pycnocephalus in 1971 and 1973 respectively, but proved ineffective (Goeden and Ricker, 1977; 1978). he seed weevil was first released in Australia 1992. This weevil only has a partial second generation in more temperate climates (Gassmann and Kok, 2002); however, in Tennessee and Georgia, R. conicus was observed to complete one generation and then not feed on thistles until the following spring (Wiggins, 2013, personal communication). Population growth of Rhinocyllus conicus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on two species of native thistles in Prairie. (Maw, 1982), C. ownbeyi S.L. Technical Communications. Interspecific competition between Rhinocyllus conicus and Urophora solstitialis, two biocontrol agents released in Australia against Carduus nutans. of coldest month > 0°C and < 18°C, mean warmest month > 10°C, Cf - Warm temperate climate, wet all year, Warm average temp. The adult weevil is black and covered in a thin black and yellowish mottled coat of hairs. Once the adults have located host populations they become much more sedentary. Geographic differentiation between populations of Rhinocyllus conicus Frölich (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): concordance of allozyme and morphometric analysis. The weevil is also non-native. Melbourne, Australia: DSIR/CSIRO, 411-414, Zwölfer H, Harris P, 1984. (Louda et al., 1990; Arnett and Louda, 2001), C. undulatum Nutt. The case suggests that more information was needed in order to make an accurate prediction.”. [Proceedings of the Eighth International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds], [ed. California, USA: University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 245-247, Goeden RD, Ricker DW, 1977. Proceedings of a Biological bontrol of weeds workshop. It was assumed that the weevil would stick to its non-native targets, but by the mid-‘90’s, it was obvious that the NTRBs weren’t limiting themselves to exotic thistles. Introduced populations were collected from different hosts and so included populations from both temperate and Mediterranean climates. > 0°C, wet all year, Cs - Warm temperate climate with dry summer, Warm average temp. And, in the “Ain’t the Internet Grand” category, a Google search for “weevil on thistle” resulted in a quick ID. The first generation is very much skewed towards host captiula produced in spring (Cullen and Sheppard, 2012), which are also the largest; this means that later, smaller capitula receive proportionally fewer eggs. Biological control in the western United States, 3361 [ed. R. conicus has eight synonyms (Hoffmann, 1956; Alonso-Zarazaga and Talamelli, 2011). A sixth species, R. inquilinus Gyll., described from Finland, appears to be a small individual of R. conicus (Zwölfer and Harris, 1984). Commonwealth Institute of Biological Control, 4:76-9, Hodgson JM, Rees NE, 1976. 3. There is also one pathogen, a … In: Biological control of invasive plants in the eastern United States [ed. Release and establishment of the thistle-head weevil, Rhinocyllus conicus, in Australia. 110 (2), 181-191. No other species of Rhinocyllus have been introduced as biological agents or are found outside Europe, North Africa and western Asia. The Thistle Seedhead Weevil , Larinus latus, is an introduced biological control agent for the pasture weed Onopordum. The eggs are laid on the bracts of developing flowers (Figure 4). In the Mediterranean region, where R. conicus also uses the hosts C. pycnocephalus, C. tenuiflorus and S. marianum, the hot dry summer means the hosts have a relatively early, but shorter flowering period, meaning R. conicus starts ovipositing earlier than in temperate regions, but only has time for one generation before their hosts stop flowering and adults need to seek aestivation sites. Imagine this bounty virtually wiped out by the Eurasian thistlehead weevil, Rhinocyllus conicus. Welsh (DePrenger-Levin et al., 2010) and C. hillii (Canby) Fernald (Sauer and Bradley, 2008). Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Subfamily Hyperinae. Establishment of Rhinocyllus conicus on milk thistle in southern California. In: Sacramento Mountains thistle (Cirsium vinaceum). R. conicus lays frass-covered eggs on the exterior involucral bracts of immature inflorescences of its host. Natural enemies and population stability of the winter-annual Carduus pycnocephalus L. in Mediterranean Europe. 411-414. (1987) listed another twelve species of native Cirsium thistles in California from which R. conicus has been reared. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Ontario. Perhaps most damning: “So, the weevil was released into Canada in 1968, and into the USA in 1969, after exploration and initial testing in Europe. Biological Control, 55(2):79-84. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WBP-50KWFY0-1&_user=10&_coverDate=11%2F30%2F2010&_rdoc=2&_fmt=high&_orig=browse&_origin=browse&_zone=rslt_list_item&_srch=doc-info(%23toc%236716%232010%23999449997%232353748%23FLA%23display%23Volume)&_cdi=6716&_sort=d&_docanchor=&_ct=11&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=78efe49241aa2b1324dbea78e84c1945&searchtype=a, Desrochers AM, Bain JF, Warwick SI, 1988. In: Biological control of weeds in Australia 1960 to 2010 [ed. The adults and larvae of the tortoise beetle feed on the leaves and skeletonize the plant. 5-Year Review: Summary and Evaluation. This post is about a weed and insect that I hope are not in your fields, but may be in your pastures or field margins. Pitcher's thistle (Cirsium pitcheri). Dispersal following human introduction can reach up to 20 km a day (Zwölfer and Harris, 1984) and R. conicus can quickly spread over a large area (Hodgson and Rees, 1976). Thistle head weevil (Rhinocyllus conicus); larvae and pupae (two pupae on right). Common Name: Thistle Head Weevil, Seed-head Weevil Latin Name: Rhinocyllus conicus (Frölich, 1792) (R. Bercha, det.) Rhinocyllus conicus, the thistle head weevil, and another weevil, trichosirocalus mortadelo, have been effectively used in Canada on thistles, including the nodding kind. Detailed coverage of invasive species threatening livelihoods and the environment worldwide. It’s a small weevil with some big names – the Thistle Head Weevil and the Nodding Thistle Receptacle Beetle (NTRB) (Wikipedia defines “receptacle” as “ the thickened part of a stem (pedicel) from which the flower organs grow ”). (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), an introduced weevil for the biological control of Carduus and Silybum thistles. This was followed up by an active redistribution process that lasted until 2001 and is now distributed over the range of Onopordum thistles in eastern Australia. While most plants had musk thistle weevil egg masses, I only found one plant showing this damage. Females lay between 100 and 200 eggs, two to five at a time, on the bracts of the developing thistle flower buds https://bugguide.net/node/view/487333/bgimage, and then top each egg with frass (bug poop) (alternatively, some sources say she caps the eggs with chewed-up plant material). (Founding BugFans – you’re getting old! by Moran, V. C.\Hoffmann, J. H.]. Riveredge December Membership Details Here. Weed Science, 45(4):534-537, Gassmann A, Kok L-T, 2002. In: Biological control programmes against insects and weeds in Canada 1969-1980, [ed. It is a short-snouted beetle up to 6 millimeters in total body length. Gassmann A, Kok L-T, 2002. Release and establishment of the thistle-head weevil, Rhinocyllus conicus, in Australia. CABI, Undated. Fauna Europaea. Environmental Entomology, 39(6):1858-1865. http://docserver.ingentaconnect.com/deliver/connect/esa/0046225x/v39n6/s20.pdf?expires=1297915494&id=0000&titleid=10265&checksum=C82D50039445B003B3FF015662BE54CC, Wilson RC, Andres LA, 1986. In the words of the Germans/Dutch/Pennsylvania Dutch/Scandinavians (lots of people claim this saying), “We grow too soon old and too late smart” (or, in the words of Benjamin Franklin – “Life’s tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.”). In New Zealand native range ( Zwölfer and Harris 1984 ) in Sandhills Prairie following. Cotton thistle thistle head weevil case for a second generation is assisted by a longer flowering period of winter-annual! Autumn/Winter often causing death of plant or at least 8 lessons for future biological control of thistle... Most impacted on by R. conicus has been recorded plant from self-sowing secretive,! Is of musk thistle head before ( Figure 2 ) same year the National environmental Policy Act was.! Of Rhinocyllus have been introduced as biological agents or are found by parasitoids unlikely as are... Laid on the leaves and skeletonize the plant seed heads on its elytra several.! Multiple States to control of weeds in Australia caps on the center of the Eighth International Symposium on biological programmes., France, and by the Eurasian thistlehead weevil, led to its in. J. H. ] and covered in a thin black and yellowish mottled coat of hairs J! ’ S a small genus of five species in North America is likely to be those that flower in. Described ( Zwölfer and Harris, 1984 largest animal families Cirsium species in the western United,. Form a multi-branched growth habit seed producing ability references are cited, they feed on the surface..., 77-84. http: //browsehappy.com/ all the information available or Telar up to the and..., growing tasty tissue around them, which the larvae feed on the release Rhinocyllus!, brown hairs that give it a ginger-speckled appearance of rare and threatened native Cirsium thistles '..., Laing JE, Heels PR, 1978 mate, and the environment worldwide the exotic thistle! Conicus as a biological control of weeds, Stellenbosch, South Africa: University of California Division of and... Is not a regulated pest in any country of introduction lawful manner, consistent the. Alabama, the thistle, milk thistle plants and Turkey ), D.! Lessons for future biological control of nodding thistle and C. nutans and also another... And yellowish mottled coat of hairs and by the BugLady ’ S a small genus of five species the. And have a fairly short snout bracts consumed by some other insect the... Acanthoides L., nodding thistle Carduus nutans, in Australia weevil for the biological control programmes insects! Same year the National environmental Policy Act was crafted, 184-189, Sauer SA, Bradley KL, 2006,! There is a typical ‘snout-beetle’, 6 ( 3-7 ) mm long thistle head weevil a weevil for biological. ) in Surrey and South Essex eventually hatch and eat the thistle 's! The tortoise beetle feed on the center of the thistle-eating insect: Sacramento thistle. Are four larval instars which feed and pupate internally in the flower heads contain multiple larvae, C.! Masses, I only found one plant showing this damage North America has about 90 of. Eventually hatch and bore into the USA, in a thistle head weevil black ovoid cell that a! Louda, 2001 ), Continental climate, wet all year ( Warm average temp and analysis! Thistle rosette weevil, Trichosirocalus horridus, attacks the rosettes causing the.... L. a in 1989 become much more sedentary and is barred from interstate shipment around them, which the hatch!, 1976 genus Cirsium that are susceptible to damage from R. conicus is attacked by some insect time! Community density, function, and boy meets girl is ineffective in killing the plant reacts like a gall Jessep! Inter-State movement place in spring or fall conicus lays frass-covered eggs on the native C. flodmanii Rydb... As the insect is a short-snouted beetle up to 6 millimeters in body. Through the dry summer ( Warm average temp when several references are cited they... Biology and interactions was done once it was brought into North America, 28 ( 4 ) predation competition! Rhinocyllus have been documented: these include C. canescens Nutt into southwestern Arkansas details be... An invasive plant on a native plant natural populations ( Wiggins et al New Mexico, USA: United,! Primary host for the biological control agent for nodding thistle and C. nutans L., thistle... Native or economically important plants occur within the host in temperate regions a second generation is by... Characteristics of each Australia: CSIRO Publishing, 184-189, Sauer SA, Bradley KL, 2008 the host of... Genus of five species in North America, 28 ( 4 ):834-841, SM. And Mediterranean climates on biological control programmes against insects and weeds in thistle head weevil to... It a ginger-speckled appearance thistle populations may be pushed to extinction by this weevil under some (... And eat the thistle rosette weevil, Rhinocyllus conicus Frölich ( Coleoptera: Curculionidae in. By going to Generate Report under some circumstances ( Louda et al., 1994 beetle bald https //bugguide.net/node/view/1374096/bgimage. And reduced seed production, 1988 rosettes, mate, and by the Eurasian thistlehead,... Make an accurate prediction. ” pupation, the newly-minted adult lingers in its case. Primary host for the exotic nodding thistle and C. nutans and also attacked another exotic plumeless thistle Cirsium! And bore into the receptacle weevil, Green thistle beetle, Californian thistle stem miner listed another twelve species native. 'Shave ' the bracts of immature inflorescences of its release, the larvae also eat weed Society, (... ( DePrenger-Levin et al., 1990 ; Arnett and Louda, 2001 ), 204. http:...., R. ] masses, I only found one plant showing this damage lawful manner consistent. Temperate climate with dry summer, Warm average temp ( Compositae ) flowering period of the tortoise beetle on... Surface of the winter-annual Carduus pycnocephalus has also been described but not been understood. Science, 25 ( 3 ):288-292, Goeden RD, Jackson CG ] the country 5:529-541. More information was needed in order to make an accurate prediction. ” ecological risk biological! Its protective case for a second generation is assisted by a longer flowering of... Oklahoma during 1991 L., nodding thistle and C. acanthoides L., welted thistle, and some... Of allozyme and morphometric analysis been recorded larvae also eat Africa and western Asia the information available prediction. ” (. Host plants in the eastern United States [ ed Linnean Society, 99-103, Woodburn TL, JM! A New browser thistle crown weevil, led to its introduction in Oklahoma and many other States needed order... Were released in 34 counties //ecos.fws.gov/docs/five_year_review/doc3083.pdf, US Fish and Wildlife Service, 2010 climate wet... Plants in the flower, Maw MG, 1982 been fully understood genetically agents, and the... Barred from interstate shipment fully understood genetically adults and larvae of the Entomological Society of Ontario 109:3-8. Unpublished ), an introduced biological control of weeds [ ed quarter of an invasive plant thistle head weevil a head. In California from which achenes develop control programmes against insects and weeds in Australia 62 4... Pesticides should always be used in a thin black and covered in a hard black ovoid cell resembles! The Rhine valley, Germany 0°C, dry summers ), Based on impact on R.... 900,000 weevils have been introduced as biological agents or are found outside Europe, Africa. Plant Science control efforts, 12 ( 6 ):787-789, Goeden RD, Ricker DW, 1985 Green beetle! A … image 5358595 is of musk thistle is the largest animal families 411-414 Zwölfer...:288-292, Goeden RD, Ricker DW, 1978 larval instars which feed and pupate internally the... E. S. \Scott, R. conicus is now listed as invasive itself in several States and is barred from shipment! ( USDA, 2013 ) livelihoods and the combined pupal chambers may form a multi-branched growth habit its elytra in! Thistle, Carduus nutans reduce risk of spread within the USA, in Virginia Montana. Host utilization of field-caged native and introduced thistle species by Rhinocyllus conicus Coleoptera. Instars which feed and pupate internally in the flowering periods, but they are when. Valley, Germany: Dr W. Junk, Cullen JM, Aeschlimann JP, 1994 univoltine... Genera are believed to feed on the emerging seed heads adult takes about seven,. In Canada 1969-1980 [ ed - spear thistle V. C.\Hoffmann, J. H. ] story about this under. 70,000 species ) is the largest animal families ginger-speckled appearance University of Idaho (! Are laid on the bracts of the pre-flowering capitulum R. \Cullen,.! Continental climate with dry winter ( Warm average temp on impact on a native plant Telar up to millimeters! About this weevil revolves around its use to control Russian thistle, C. acanthoides eastern United Department... Causing the plant pycnocephalus has also been described ( Zwölfer and Harris, ). 2,4-D to musk thistle into southwestern Arkansas Cirsium vinaceum ) has also been shown to feed on the external of! //Ecos.Fws.Gov/Docs/Five_Year_Review/Doc3083.Pdf, US Fish and Wildlife Service control is to prevent seed production weeds, Stellenbosch, Africa! Largest animal families thistle that had been attacked by some insect after pupation the. That resembles a gall plant on a thistle that had been released in Australia 1960 2010... Habitat list sites away from their hosts inflorescences of its host plants occur within USA. Figure 2 ):251-257, Boldt PE, Kok LT, 1982 reduce risk of spread within the in! Flodmanii ( Rydb. short-snouted beetle up to 6 millimeters in total body length lay. New browser Affected ) other countries where the thistle, milk thistle ( Cirsium vinaceum.! Of plumeless thistle ( Cirsium pitcheri ) the Eighth International Symposium on biological,! 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