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color=3D"#000000" Jim, Paul: Jim, no conflict. I'm no beetle expert (no doubt we'll hear from Chris Majka, who is), but 'weevil' is the common name for a usually smallish type of beetle with a longish, thin 'snout' for boring into plant structures (you knew that). Flea beetles are a sub-type of weevil that can jump, as the name suggests. I eventually ended up in a Kansas State Univ web site that showed an example that looked like the one we have, though presumably a different species. They have characteristically over-developed femurs (femora) on the hind (metathoracic) legs, that power the jump. Apparently all flea beetles/weevils belong to the tribe Alticini of the leaf beetles, Chrysomelidae. This invader species is Orchestes fagi, according to a June 2012 notice www.halifax.ca/environment/documents/WeevilInfoBulletin.pdf The drawing of a specimen there has the bandy-leg-looking femora partly hidden by the body, so the legs don't look particularly impressive. The bulletin also calls them '"flea" weevils'. Paul -- our site is fairly isolated (no nearby beeches) but the C-H article says they will also attack other trees like fruit trees, though the bulletin does not mention this. The Kansas State site says some can fly quite well, so they certainly can get around. Steve ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Quoting "James W. Wolford" <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>: > The new beetle on beech that Steve referred to is probably the beech > leaf mining weevil, not a flea beetle -- but maybe Steve also has a > flea beetle on his garden beech? -- anyway, see the following > article from a recent Herald issue: > > Chronicle Herald, Tues., June 12, 2012, front page: > > http://thechronicleherald.ca/metro/106292-what-a-beech-evil-weevil- > lands-in-halifax > > What a beech: Evil weevil lands in Halifax > June 12, 2012 - 4:13am BY FRANCES WILLICK STAFF REPORTER > > Cheers from Jim in Wolfville. > > Begin forwarded message: > >> From: Paul MacDonald <paulrita2001@yahoo.com> >> Date: June 23, 2012 7:44:40 PM ADT >> To: "naturens@chebucto.ns.ca" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca> >> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Beech Drops -> beech flea beetles >> Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca >> >> Different problem Steve. >> Beech trees seem to get hit from all sides. >> The beech tree I refered to had clear bark all the way up so was either >> resistant to Beech Bark Disease or is sufficiently isolated not to get it. >> Where I said single stake I should have said single stock. >> Doesn't sound like a good bug in the trees in Halifax. >> Hopefully beech trees are far enough apart it wouldn't spread. >> Have a nice summer >> Paul >> >> >> From: Steve Shaw <srshaw@dal.ca> >> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca >> Sent: Saturday, June 23, 2012 6:55:10 PM >> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Beech Drops -> beech flea beetles >> >> Hi Paul, >> On 23-Jun-12, at 5:27 PM, Paul MacDonald wrote: >>> Hi All >>> Yesterday we were walking a trail along the river and we came upon >>> a Beech Drop plant. Epifagus virginiana. It was only a single stake yet >>> bu had a lot of buds on it that might develop into branches. >>> It was quite a brillant purple. >>> Because of the disease of beech trees the beech drops are probably >>> quite rare now. >> Does this beech disease you mention above relate to the recent >> article in the Chronicle Herald about a new infestation of beech >> trees (in particular) by a newly invading European flea beetle, or >> is there something else? We have a beech in the garden in Halifax >> and it is heavily affected this year for the first time. You can >> find the little black beetles about 2 mm long with chunky back legs >> (femora) under some of the damaged leaves, and they are aptly >> named -- they do like to jump. >> Steve, Halifax >> >> >>> This was in an area where there was a healthy stand of beech. >>> One tree was perhaps 40 cms in diameter and was straight up to 6 - 7 m >>> until the first branch. Quite an impressive tree. There was some >>> smaller trees >>> in the area also. >>> Not far away was the first flower for this year of Calopogon, >>> one of Nova Scotias prettiest flowers.Celebrating the start of summer. >>> Enjoy the season >>> Paul
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