Evaluation of Host Range and Larval Feeding Impact of Chrysolina aurichalcea asclepiadis (Villa): Considerations for Biological Control of Vincetoxicum in North America

Abstract

A biological control program has been initiated against European swallow-worts Vincetoxicum nigrum (L.) Moench. and V. rossicum (Kleopow) Barbar., which are invasive in North America. A population of the leaf beetle Chrysolina aurichalcea asclepiadis (Villa) originating from the western Alps has been under evaluation as a part of this program. The preliminary host range of C. a. asclepiadis was determined among 37 potential host plants. In addition, a prerelease impact study was conducted to determine the effect of larval feeding on the performance of V. nigrum. Under no-choice conditions beetle larvae completed development on nine plant species within the genera Artemisia and Tanacetum (Asteraceae) and Asclepias and Vincetoxicum (Apocynaceae). The host range of adults is broader than larvae (13 plant species within five genera received sustained feeding). Three of the six nontarget species supporting larval development are native to North America, however in separate oviposition tests, female beetles failed to produce eggs when confined to these hosts. In multiple-choice tests, neither larvae nor adults preferred Vincetoxicum spp. to nontarget species. Larval damage by C. a. asclepiadis at densities at and above five larvae per plant substantially reduced growth, biomass, and delayed reproduction of V. nigrum. However, this population of C. a. asclepiadis is polyphagous and unsuitable for biological control of Vincetoxicum because of potential risk of attack to Asclepias tuberosa L. and native North American Asteraceae, particularly Artemisia.

Biology of Invasive Plants 3.Vincetoxicum nigrum(L.) Moench andVincetoxicum rossicum(Kleopow) Barbarich

“…Other insects from Europe and Asia that have been rejected as biological control agents due to a lack of host specificity or likely ineffectiveness include the leaf-feeding beetle Chrysolina aurichalcea asclepiadis (Villa) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae); the root-feeding beetles Chrysochus chinensis Baly, Chrysochus goniostoma Weise, and Chrysochus globicollis Lefèvre (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae); and the gall-forming midges Contarinia asclepiadis (Giraud) and Contarinia vincetoxici Kieffer (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) (Dolgovskaya et al 2016; Weed and Casagrande 2011; Widenfalk et al 2002; Widenfalk and Solbreck 2005). Recent studies with native North American Chrysochus species have not shown significant utilization of V. rossicum (deJonge et al 2017, 2019).…”

Identifying critical life stage transitions for biological control of long‐lived perennial Vincetoxicum species

“…A classical weed biological control programme has been in development for several years, including demographic studies to ultimately inform the selection of efficacious agents (Averill et al., ; Milbrath, Davis, & Biazzo, ). Some candidate agents have been rejected (Dolgovskaya, Volkovitsh, Reznik, Moseyko, & Milbrath, ; Weed & Casagrande, ) or may be rejected pending additional research on host specificity. Thus, their demographic influence on the plants has not been thoroughly investigated (see Maguire, Sforza, & Smith, ; Weed, Gassmann & Casagrande, ).…”