|
Oklahoma State
University | |
|
Oklahoma Alfalfa |
|
|
|
|
Oklahoma State
University | |
|
Oklahoma Alfalfa |
|
|
|
DAMAGE BY ADULT ALFALFA WEEVIL |
|
| At the completion of larval development, weevils crawl or drop from plants to the soil surface and spin loosely woven, silken cocoons for pupation. The cocoons are found primarily in leaf litter at the soil surface, although some larvae spin cocoons attached to the alfalfa foliage. Pupation typically begins in early April and continues until all larvae have completed development in May. If weevil larvae are not controlled effectively, large numbers of adults will emerge and feed in the first crop of alfalfa near the time of first harvest. New growth for the second crop may also be damaged, particularly when large numbers of larvae are present at first harvest, and it is not possible to get hay dried and baled rapidly. After feeding and completing their development, these larvae often spin cocoons under the windrows, and after emerging, adults may continue to cause feeding damage to new growth. |
|
| Richard Berberet,
Alfalfa Entomologist Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology Oklahoma State University |
 |
