A Seasonal Survey of Click Beetles in a Potato Production Area Near Palmer, Alaska

Abstract

The seasonal activity of adult elaterids (Coleoptera: Elateridae) associated with potato production was studied in Palmer, Alaska (N61.60°, W149.13°) from May 13, 2004 to October 17, 2006. Additionally, the University of Alaska Museum (UAM) Insect Collection was inspected for the presence of adult elaterids collected in Alaska. Eight species from seven genera were collected from the field study: Ampedus nigrinus (Herbst), Corymbitodes lobatus (Eschscholtz), Hypnoidus abbreviatus (Say), Hypnoidus bicolor (Eschscholtz), Neohydonus spp., Pseudanostrius propolus (LeConte), Selatosomus morulus (LeConte), and Sericus incongruus (LeConte). The UAM collection contained 157 specimens representing 10 genera with 18 species. During our study, six of the 18 species present in the UAM were collected in the field, while two of the species collected during our field study, H. abbreviatus and Pseudanostrius propulus (LeConte) were not present at the UAM collection. Species collected during our study and present at the UAM include three of the six most economically important genera (Limonius, Ctenicera, and Hypnoidus) in terms of potato production in North America. Nearly all (97%) of the specimens collected from the field study were either H. abbreviatus (38%) or H. bicolor (59%). The relative counts of H. bicolor and H. abbreviatus varied by years; during 2004, H. abbreviatus was the dominant species (71%), but H. bicolor outnumbered (95%) H. abbreviatus during 2006. During 2004 and 2006, adult activity for both species started to build up during mid June, but was delayed until mid July during 2005. Both species showed adult activity until mid September. No adult activity was detected for any species during October of any of the years studied.