Insect Highlights

Insect Highlights for the Week of June 18, 2001

Photo of Green Weevils
GREEN WEEVILS
In many spots in Northern and central Wisconsin people are finding large numbers of a bright green weevil It has no official common name but is an imported species Polydrusus impressifrons. It feeds on willow birch, poplar, plum, and apple. It will eat small half-moon spots into the edges of leaves. It has also been found on strawberry leaves. Adults can be crawling on many plants but control is only suggested if damage is severe, which is not likely.

Photo of Green Looper Caterpillar

Photo 2 of Green Looper Caterpillar

Photo of Adult Looper

GREEN LOOPER CATERPILLARS
I have been getting calls of green caterpillars defoliated Delphinium, Geranium, Salvia, verbena, and other perennials in flower beds and at garden centers. It is a type of looper moth, Autographa biloba. The caterpillars move like an inchworm but can get up to 1 1/2 inch long. They have black legs and a dark band on the head. We normally do not see problems with this insect but it seems to be very wide spread this year. Can be controlled with sprays containing Sevin, permethrin, orthene or if larvae are under one inch with B.T. sprays such as Dipel or Thuricide. They can be hand picked if not too extensive, Damage is easy to see, but the caterpillars are well camouflaged.

Damage by Green Looper Caterpillar Photo of damage by Green Looper Caterpillar

Photo of adult Painted Lady Butterfly

Photo of Painted Lady larvae

PAINTED LADY BUTTERFLY
The spinney black caterpillars on Stinging nettle are painted lady caterpillars they also feed on thistle and perennials such as pearly everlasting. You always find groups feeding and they will web leaves together. The adults are fast flying butterflies that migrate up from the Desert southwest. This is the highest population we have seen in the last 10 years of this insect. Because they ear weeds and turn into butterflies, most people do not want to control the caterpillars.

Photo of Tree Hopper
LITTLE BLACK BUGS ON HOUSE
A number of calls of wedge shaped little black insect covering the sides of houses turn out to be a species of treehopper (Membracidae). This species is often found on oak trees but is strongly at to lights at night. This draws them to the home. They are harmless and do not harm the tree or the house. I would expect them to be active for the nest 2-3 weeks.

Return to Entomology Home Page.
URL is http://www.entomologyl.wisc.edu/diaglab/hilt618.html. Updated 06/18/01

237 Russell Labs
1630 Linden Drive
Madison, WI 53706
608/262-3227

For more information contact:
Phil Pellitteri, 608/262-6510
or e-mail pellitte@entomology.wisc.edu.

	GREEN WEEVILS In many spots in Northern and central Wisconsin people are finding large numbers of a bright green weevil It has no official common name but is an imported species Polydrusus impressifrons. It feeds on willow birch, poplar, plum, and apple. It will eat small half-moon spots into the edges of leaves. It has also been found on strawberry leaves. Adults can be crawling on many plants but control is only suggested if damage is severe, which is not likely.
	GREEN LOOPER CATERPILLARS I have been getting calls of green caterpillars defoliated Delphinium, Geranium, Salvia, verbena, and other perennials in flower beds and at garden centers. It is a type of looper moth, Autographa biloba. The caterpillars move like an inchworm but can get up to 1 1/2 inch long. They have black legs and a dark band on the head. We normally do not see problems with this insect but it seems to be very wide spread this year. Can be controlled with sprays containing Sevin, permethrin, orthene or if larvae are under one inch with B.T. sprays such as Dipel or Thuricide. They can be hand picked if not too extensive, Damage is easy to see, but the caterpillars are well camouflaged. Damage by Green Looper Caterpillar
	PAINTED LADY BUTTERFLY The spinney black caterpillars on Stinging nettle are painted lady caterpillars they also feed on thistle and perennials such as pearly everlasting. You always find groups feeding and they will web leaves together. The adults are fast flying butterflies that migrate up from the Desert southwest. This is the highest population we have seen in the last 10 years of this insect. Because they ear weeds and turn into butterflies, most people do not want to control the caterpillars.
	LITTLE BLACK BUGS ON HOUSE A number of calls of wedge shaped little black insect covering the sides of houses turn out to be a species of treehopper (Membracidae). This species is often found on oak trees but is strongly at to lights at night. This draws them to the home. They are harmless and do not harm the tree or the house. I would expect them to be active for the nest 2-3 weeks.