The typical asparagus beetle grownup is a sparkly, elongated blue-black beetle with a reddish-brown thorax and 4 cream-colored spots surrounded by way of a purple border at the wing covers. The grownup asparagus beetle is ¼-inch lengthy.
The larva is a greenish-gray, wrinkled, humpbacked grub with a dismal head about ⅓-inch lengthy.
Commonplace asparagus beetle adults and larvae strip the needle-like leaves off asparagus plant fronds inhibiting the plant’s skill to photosynthesize and retailer power for the manufacturing of spears. The beetles and larvae additionally chunk asparagus spears.
There’s a 2d species of asparagus beetle—the noticed asparagus beetle—which has 12 black spots at the wing covers. Grownup noticed asparagus beetles additionally feed on leaves and spears, however the larvae don’t. This species is much less harmful than the average asparagus beetle as a result of simplest the adults feed on asparagus vegetation.
Grownup asparagus beetles hibernate within the soil and lawn muddle close to vegetation right through the iciness then emerge concerning the time asparagus spears are about 6-inches tall—about harvest time. The adults feed then lay eggs at the spears.
There are normally two or 3 generations of asparagus beetles each and every yr.
The typical asparagus beetle is located during North The usa. The noticed asparagus beetle is usually discovered east of the Mississippi River.
Goal Vegetation: Asparagus
Feeding Conduct and Harm: Adults and larvae chunk on inexperienced asparagus shoots leaving them blemished with black stains and misshapen. Beetles additionally assault older stems and leaves. They may be able to defoliate vegetation.
Natural Controls: Wash eggs, larvae and beetles off vegetation with a powerful circulation of water. Handpick beetles and overwhelm them. As a final lodge spray beetles with pyrethrin.
Natural Regulate Calendar: Here’s what you’ll be able to do seasonally to keep an eye on asparagus beetles:
- When spears emerge in spring: Spray new spears with seaweed extract which turns out to repel asparagus beetles. Duvet new spears with poly row covers to exclude beetles. Plant an intercrop of calendulas, nasturtiums, or tomatoes which additionally appear to repel beetles.
- Whilst spears are growing and after harvest as ferns develop on: Knock beetles, larvae, and eggs from spear and vegetation with a powerful circulation of water. Handpicking can set again the inhabitants considerably. For severe infestations, observe pyrethrum; spray all the plant; use two software 3 to 4 days aside. Then again, mud vegetation with 5 p.c rotenone, repeating each and every 3 to five days as much as 24 hours earlier than harvest.
- After harvest: Within the fall, bring to a halt the drying fronds an inch above the soil and take away any overgrown weeds. Blank up lawn particles. Domesticate the soil 2 inches deep across the vegetation. After every week or two, lay a 4- to 6-inch layer of straw across the vegetation. In early spring, about two weeks earlier than spears are anticipated, take away the mulch and domesticate the primary one to 2 inches of soil once more. Go away the soil naked right through harvest after which mulch for summer season.
Herbal Predators: Asparagus beetles are attacked by way of woman insects and parasitic and predatory flies. Animal predators come with chickens and geese which will also be let free to feed within the asparagus patch earlier than spears emerge. Songbirds that feed on asparagus beetles come with Baltimore orioles, bluebirds, cardinals, and chickadees.
Clinical Title: Criceris asparagi (commonplace asparagus beetle); Crioceris duodecimpunctata (noticed asparagus beetle).
