Hosts of Plum Curculio,Conotrachelus nenuphar(Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in Central Georgia

Abstract

Potential host plants for the larvae of plum curculio, Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in central Georgia's peach producing region were surveyed. This fruit-attacking curculionid is reported to have a broad host range, including many plants in the Rosaceae and other families. However, our collections indicated that in this region plum curculio largely is limited to peach (Prunus persica) and plum (P. angustifolia and P. umbellata). Abandoned peach orchards and wild plum thickets are important hosts for the spring generation of plum curculio and are sources of subsequent infestations of managed peach orchards. However, only abandoned peach orchards were available to the summer generation of plum curculio. May haw, Crataegus aestivalis, was also a host, but other species of Crataegus were not used. Although the plum curculio was reported to be a significant pest of blueberries (Vaccinium spp.) in North Carolina, New Jersey, and Delaware, they were only rarely used as a host in central Georgia. Apple (Malus domestica) and Asian pear (Pyrus pyrifolia), when available, were ovipositional hosts of plum curculio in central Georgia; however, no larvae emerged from these hosts. We report the first records of plum curculio developing in Vaccinium stamineum and Vitis rotundifolia. Our results are compared with a previous survey conducted in the northeastern United States, as well as to data reported in the literature.