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Populations of African black beetle, Heteronychus arator (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in a Mediterranean climate region of Australia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

J.N. Matthiessen  and
T.J. Ridsdill-Smith
J.N. Matthiessen*
Affiliation:
CSIRO Division of Entomology, Perth, Australia
T.J. Ridsdill-Smith
Affiliation:
CSIRO Division of Entomology, Perth, Australia
*
Mr J. N. Matthiessen, CSIRO Division of Entomology, Private Bag, P.O., Wembley, W.A. 6014, Australia.
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Abstract

Populations of African black beetle, Heteronychus arator (Fabricius), a subterranean pasture-dwelling pest of potatoes, were examined in pastures in geographically separated potato-growing areas covering 3½° of latitude in southwestern Australia. Abundance of all life stages was estimated by taking soil cores and the reproductive state of females was assessed from the stage of their ovarian development. H. arator adults emerged in late summer-early autumn (January–March), ovaries matured slowly during winter and oviposition occurred in spring (September–November). The interval between equivalent population events was about six weeks from the northernmost to the southernmost regions. Fecundity was estimated to be around 12 eggs/female and greatest natural mortality occurred late in the pre-adult development phase.

Type
Research Paper
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 81 , Issue 1 , March 1991 , pp. 85 - 91
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

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