Friday, June 26, 2015

Alfalfa Attacked by Whitefringed Beetles!

An alfalfa field with some yellowing plants in the center
Alfalfa infested with whitefringed beetle
(Photo: NMSU-PDC)
Featured Diagnosis: Whitefringed Beetle (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Naupactus sp.)

New Mexico alfalfa growers may wonder why some of their recently planted or replanted alfalfa fields have patchy, sparse stands and poor yields despite their best corrective efforts. The answer may be infestation by whitefringed beetle. A relative of alfalfa weevil and clover root curculio, whitefringed beetle is a native of South America. First detected in the southeastern U.S. in the mid 1930's, the pest has been associated with over 385 host plant species, including alfalfa, peanuts, cotton, okra, cowpeas, beans, numerous weed species, plus woody plants such as willow, peach, pecan and even pine. Infestations in New Mexico and elsewhere are probably more widespread than presently recognized because the insect is difficult to detect.

Read on for more information

A composite of two photos of a hand holding the stem of an alfalfa plant infested with a beetle larva
Whitefringed beetle larvae in alfalfa roots
(Photo: NMSU-PDC)
An alfalfa field with a large yellow section in the center
Alfalfa infested with whitefringed beetle
(Photo: NMSU-PDC)






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