[Sust-mar] Request for introduced-beetle reports from NS

[Flora Cordis Johnson]

Christopher Majka of the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural
History asked me to forward the following to Sust-Mar.
This bright red beetle should be easy to spot.

From: Christopher Majka <c.majka at ns.sympatico.ca>
Date: April 25, 2006 12:41:42 PM ADT
To: naturens at chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: [NatureNS] Asian (or Scarlet) Lily Beetle
Reply-To: naturens at chebucto.ns.ca


Hi folks,


One of the species of introduced beetles that we are
currently very
interested in is the Asian (or Scarlet) Lily Beetle
(Lilioceris lilii
(Scopoli)). This is an Asian leaf beetle
(Chrysomelidae) which was
accidentally introduced to North America in Montreal
in 1943. For many years
it was restricted to Montreal Island but in 1978 it
began to spread and it
has now been found as far west as Manitoba, in several
areas of the Maritime
Provinces, and south to Massachusetts and Maine in the
USA.


The brilliant red beetles feed on both tiger lilies
(Lilium) and Fritillaria
(but not on day lilies, Hemerocallis) and can be a
significant pest in
gardens where the adults and larvae can very severely
defoliate both plants.
I noticed the first specimens of this season in my
garden over the past
weekend (April 22 and 23), the earliest we have yet
seen them in the spring.


We are very interested in receiving reports and
specimens of this species to
document its spread in Nova Scotia. If you have found
this leaf beetle in
your vicinity I would very much appreciate hearing
(via private email)
information on where, when, how many, and what plant
you found the beetle
on. If you are outside the metro Halifax-Dartmouth
area, we would also
appreciate receiving a specimen of the beetle if
possible. Put one in a
plastic bag in the freezer and when convenient mail or
bring the specimen to
the Nova Scotia Museum to my attention.


A good photographs of the Scarlet Lily Beetle is
located at:


http://climate.uvic.ca/climate-lab/front_page_pics/lillybug.html


Their shape, colouration, and their habits (on Lilium
and Fritillaria) make
them unmistakable.


Many thanks!


Christopher Majka

_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.
Christopher Majka - Nova Scotia Museum of Natural
History
1747 Summer Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H
3A6
(902) 424-6435 Email <c.majka at ns.sympatico.ca>
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"In wildness is the preservation of the world." (Henry David Thoreau)

So ... be wild!

Wild Flora
Birch Hill, Nova Scotia

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