THE POPLAR-AND-WILLOW BORER, STERNOCHETUS (= CRYPTORHYNCHUS) LAPATHI (COLEOPTERA: CURCULIONIDAE), IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

Abstract

AbstractA study was made of the poplar-and-willow borer, Sternochetus (= Cryptorhynchus) lapathi (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in British Columbia between 1959 and 1964. The borer occurred principally south of 52 degrees north latitude. Willows were the preferred hosts. Ornamentals, hybrids in commercial plantings, and natural growing trees were attacked. The life cycle of the insect on southern Vancouver Island lasted up to 3 years; overwintering took place in early instar and adult stages. Eggs were laid in the bark; larvae mined first in the bark and then in the wood, where pupation took place. Few parasites and predators were found. DDT, dieldrin, and BHC killed adults; lindane (0.5% water emulsion), applied in the spring, caused larval mortality up to 96%.