Native and Exotic Rosaceous Hosts of Apple, Plum, and Quince Curculio Larvae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in the Northeastern United States

Abstract

Native and exotic rosaceous fruits were sampled to determine hosts of apple curculio, Anthonomus quadrigibbus Say, plum curculio, Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst), and quince curculio, C. crataegi Walsh, larvae. One or more species of these univoltine weevils infested 22 of 24 (91.7%) rosaceous species, including 13 native ones. Weevil infestations tended to be greater in exotic fruits than native fruits. The plum curculio had the broadest host range (19 species), followed by the apple curculio (9 species), and the quince curculio (6 species). Principal apple curculio hosts were native Amelanchier spp., Crataegus spp., and Prunus serotina Ehrhart. The apple curculio did not attack apple, Malus domestica Borkhausen, or most other exotic fruits in areas sampled. Ten native fruits, mainly Amelanchier spp. and Prunus spp., and nine exotic orchard fruits were infested by the plum curculio. The quince curculio developed in fruits of two native Crataegus spp. and four exotic orchard species. Selective removal of wild rosaceous reservoirs of these curculios may reduce fruit damage in commercial orchards.