ARS | Publication request: BIOLOGY AND PEST MANAGEMENT OF THE SUNFLOWER BEETLE IN NORTH DAKOTA

Submitted to: North Dakota State University Cooperative Extension Bulletin
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: April 17, 2000
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: The sunflower beetle is one of the major economic insect pests of sunflower in the northern plains. It is native to North America, and has moved from feeding on wild sunflowers to become the major defoliating pest of cultivated sunflower. Both the adult and larval stages consume leaf tissue, which can result in yield reduction of sunflower seed. Although the sunflower beetle is present each year, the severity of infestation varies. During years with heavy infestations, the sunflower beetle was ranked as the worst insect pest problem by most of the North Dakota sunflower producers with approximately 60% of the sunflower acreage being treated to manage either the adult or larval stage. The bulletin describes the identification, life cycle, damage, monitoring, and the cultural, biological, and chemical control of the sunflower beetle.