Schizonycha ruficollis explained

Schizonycha ruficollis, is a species of dung beetle found in India and Sri Lanka.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Description

It is a shiny beetle with rufocastaneous color has an elongated body with average length of 12 to 13 mm. Clypeus emarginated and the upper head surface is roughly rugose. Third antennal segment beaded whereas in male, it is clubbed and long. Elytral punctuations are closer and irregular. Forelegs long where the tarsus are very longer than tibia.^[4]

Biology

Adult beetles often seen from the nursery beds of teak just after the first monsoon showers in the month of June.^{[5] [6]} Then the lifespan continued for about 10 to 18 days. Then beetles started to defoliate trees in the surroundings. Majority of beetles feed on leaves of rose plants extensively, but some also attack flowers. Grubs are generally feeding on root systems of teak seedlings. The attack can be seen with the wilting and dieback in forest nursery beds. Apart from teak, adults used many host plants such as Rosa, Morus,^[7] Tamarindus indica, Azadirachta indica, Saccharum officinarum,^[8] Ziziphus xylopyrus, Acacia catechu, Acacia leucophloea, Arachis hypogaea,^[9] Ziziphus jujuba and Ziziphus mauritiana.^{[10] [11] [12]}

The grubs can be eradicate from the cultivations by using several chemical and biological treatments. Many researches show that phorate 10% granular at the rate of 20 g/m2 and chlorpyrifos 20% emulsifiable concentrate are effective.

Notes and References

1. Web site: On a collection of Scarabaeid beetles (Coleoptera) from Pachmarhi biosphere reserve, Madhya Pradesh . 2021-07-15 . Rec. zool. Surv. India: 102 (Part 3-4) : 43-46, 2004 .
2. Web site: Scarabaeid beetles of Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh . 2021-07-15 . Zoos' print journal, 2005.
3. An updated checklist of scarabaeoid beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) of Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, India . 2021-07-15 . Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies . 2 . 5 . 225–240.
4. Web site: Population dynamics of white grubs (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in the rose environment of Northern Bangalore, India . 2021-07-15 . Indian Journal of Science and Technology: Vol.2 No 1 (Jan. 2009).
5. Insect faunal diversity collected through light trap at Akola vicinity of Maharashtra with reference to Scarabaeidae of Coleoptera . 2021-07-15 . Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies . 2014 . 2 . 3 . 44–48.
6. Web site: 2010 . R. Prajapat . S. Meena . A short-term surveillance of coleopteran fauna in an agro-ecosystem near Bikaner (Western Rajasthan), India . 10.1.1.672.3422 . 86162357 .
7. Web site: Insect pests of mulberry plants (Morus sp.) in Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir state . 2021-07-15 . Indian Journal of Sericulture 1985 Vol.24 No.1 pp.7-11 ref.18.
8. Web site: On the occurrence of white grub Schizonycha ruficollis F. (Melolonthinae scarabacidae Coleoptera) as a pest of sugarcane in Kerala [India]. [1981] ]. 2021-07-15 . Agricultural Research Journal of Kerala.
9. 2006-08-01 . Distribution and abundance of white grubs (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) on groundnut in southern India . 2021-07-15 . Crop Protection . 732–740 . en . 10.1016/j.cropro.2005.10.001. Anitha . V. . Rogers . D.J. . Wightman . J. . Ward . A. . 25 . 8 .
10. Kulkarni . Nitin . Chandra . Kailash . Wagh . Prafulla Narahar . Joshi . Kailash Chandra . Singh . Ram Bhajan . 2007 . Incidence and management of white grub, Schizonycha ruficollis on seedlings of teak (Tectona grandis Linn. f.) . 2021-07-15 . Insect Science . 14 . 5 . 411–418 . en . 10.1111/j.1744-7917.2007.00168.x. 83885296 .
11. Web site: White grub species attacking groundnut in the Saurashtra Region in Gujarat, India . 2021-07-15 . International Arachis Newsletter 2006 No.26 pp.28-29 ref.2.
12. Sreedevi . Kolla . Tyagi . Sakshi . Ramamurthy . V. V. . 2015 . Egg Morphology of Twelve Species of Melolonthinae and Rutelinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) . 2021-07-15 . The Coleopterists Bulletin . 69 . 3 . 426–434. 10.1649/0010-065X-69.3.426 . 24773628 . 86612594 .