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Title: A seasonal survey of click beetles in two potato production areas of Interior Alaska

Author
item Pantoja, Alberto
item Hagerty, Aaron
item Emmert, Susan

Submitted to: American Journal of Potato Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/30/2010
Publication Date: 12/20/2010
Citation: Pantoja, A., Hagerty, A.M., Emmert, S.Y. 2010. A seasonal survey of click beetles in two potato production areas of Interior Alaska. American Journal of Potato Research. 87(6):531-536.

Interpretive Summary: In Alaska, wireworm damage to potato was noted as early as 1949. In spite of the reported economic importance of the group in the state, published information on the elaterid fauna associated with agriculture in Alaska is quite limited. Pantoja et al. (2009) reviewed the publications related to adult elaterids in Alaska farming systems and published the first long term report on elaterids from potatoes in Alaska, but the report was limited to the Palmer area in the Matanuska Valley. Three of the six most economically important genera (Limonius, Ctenicera, and Hypnoidus) in terms of potato production in North America are present in Alaska. Four of the eighteen species of elaterids, H. bicolor, L. pectoralis, Corymbitodes lobatus, and S. morulus, reported in agricultural fields in Alaska have been previously associated with vegetables in Fairbanks and potatoes in the Palmer area, but no published reference can be found on elaterids from agricultural systems in the Delta Junction area. Furthermore no long term research reports are available on elaterids for interior Alaska. The objective of this research was to study the species composition and seasonal biology of adult elaterids associated with potato production at two localities in interior Alaska: Fairbanks and Delta Junction. Ninety-three percent of the total number of specimens belongs to two species, Hypnoidus bicolor (Eschscholtz) and Limonius pectoralis (LeConte). However, adult insect counts reversed between localities. Eighty four percent of the specimens from Delta Junction belong to a single species H. bicolor. On the other hand, the predominant species in Fairbanks was L. pectoralis representing ninety-one percent of the total number of insects collected from that locality. Five species from five genera were collected from the Delta Junction area, while nine species representing nine genera were collected from the Fairbanks area. The highest insect count observed was 62 adult L. pectoralis per 14-day sampling period on May 30 in the Fairbanks area. In spite of the highest insect density observed in Fairbanks area, insect counts in Fairbanks remained below 0.2 insects per trap per 14-day sampling period during most of the season. In the Delta Junction area, L. pectoralis was collected from late May til mid August with a population peak of 12 insects per trap per 14-day sampling period. Adult elaterid counts start to build up and end activities earlier in Fairbanks as compared to Delta Junction.

Technical Abstract: Wireworms are becoming more of a problem in potato [Solanum tuberosum (L.)] producing areas, especially where potatoes are seasonally rotated with grasses, like in interior Alaska. The objective of this research was to study the species composition and seasonal biology of adult elaterids (Coleoptera: Elateridae) associated with potato production at two localities in interior Alaska: Fairbanks (N64.85°, W147.85°) and Delta Junction (N64.04°, W145.73°). A total of 1329 elaterids were collected during the years 2006 and 2008. Ninety-three percent of the total number of specimens belongs to two species, Hypnoidus bicolor (Eschscholtz) (29%) and Limonius pectoralis (LeConte) (64%). However, adult insect counts reversed between localities. Eighty four percent of the specimens from Delta Junction belong to a single species H. bicolor. On the other hand, the predominant species in Fairbanks was L. pectoralis representing ninety-one percent of the total number of insects collected from that locality. The species composition was also different between localities. Five species from five genera were collected from the Delta Junction area, while nine species representing nine genera were collected from the Fairbanks area. The highest insect count observed was 62 adult L. pectoralis per 14-day sampling period on May 30 in the Fairbanks area. In spite of the highest insect density recorded, insect counts in Fairbanks remained below 0.2 insects per trap per 14-day sampling period during most of the season. In the Delta Junction area, L. pectoralis was collected from late May until mid August with a population peak of 12 insects per trap per 14-day sampling period. Adult elaterid counts start to build up and end activities earlier in Fairbanks as compared to Delta Junction. This represents the first long term report on population dynamics of elaterids in potatoes from interior Alaska. In addition, this is the first time elaterids have been shown associated with potatoes in Delta Junction, Alaska.