Vine cutter
| Vine cutter | ||||||||||||
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Vine cutter, female |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Byctiscus betulae | ||||||||||||
| ( Linnaeus , 1758) |
| Comparison of the two Byctiscus species | |
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| Image 1: Forehead B. betulae | Photo 2: Forehead B. populi |
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Image 3: Upper side is the same color as the lower side ( B. betulae ) |
Image 4: Underside always blue-black ( B. populi ) |
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Figure 5: B. betulae : male with pronotum spines |
Image 6: Hair on the end of the wing cover |
The vine weevil or Rebstecher locally also Rebstichler or Zigarrenwickler , ( Byctiscus betulae , incorrectly also Bytiscus betulae ) is a beetles from the family of the leafroller (subfamily Rhynchitinae or drive Stecher) connected to the weevils are closely related. The genus Byctiscus is represented in Europe with only two species , the vine cutter and the similar poplar leaf roller . The lively blue-gold or green-gold shiny animal occurs on various deciduous trees and can occur as a sensitive pest on vines. The curling of the leaves weakens the vines, so that the grapes wither.
Comments on names and systematics
The species was first described by Linnaeus in 1758 as the 32nd species of the genus Curculio under the name Curculio betulae . Linnè adds to the description: Habitat in Betula, Alno ( lat. Lives on birch, alder). This explains the species name betulae (Latin for birch). The German names reflect that the beetle can also be found on the grapevine. Occasionally, however, the name "birch leaf roller" is also found.
Also Fabricius led the way first as Curculio betulae , later as Attelabus betuleti . The species name betulae was changed to betuleti , because the name Attelabus betulae was already given by Linnaeus for another species. When Attelabus split up further , the species was assigned to Rhynchites because of its longer trunk , the species was called Rhynchites betuleti . The name Rhynchites betulae , which was also used at times, refers to the species named by Linnaeus Attelabus betulae , which is now called Deporaus betulae . The genus Byctiscus was finally separated from Rhynchites and the species received the older name betulae again . The genus name Byctiscus is from Altgr. βύκτην býkten, densely packed, and the ending ίσκος ískos formed. He alludes to the fact that the elytra are dotted with tightly tangled dots .
In Europe the genus Byctiscus is represented with only two species, worldwide with eight species.
Characteristics of the beetle
The body, which is almost five to seven millimeters long, is stocky and bald, it is only microscopically finely haired on the fall of the wing covers, in contrast to the poplar leaf roller (Fig. 6). It shines gold-green, purple or metallic blue, with the top showing the same color as the bottom (Fig. 3).
The head is drawn forward into a trunk of medium thickness, which is curved downwards. The mouthparts sit on the thickened tip of this trunk. The palpitations are rigid, the upper lip is missing. The eleven-link antennae are pivoted in front of the middle of the trunk. The sensor pit is short and open at the top. The antennae are not kneeled and end in a loose tripartite club. The eyes are slightly arched. The temples do not narrow backwards. The forehead between the eyes is only slightly deepened and without a groove. The puncture of the head has melted into longitudinal wrinkles between the eyes (Fig. 1).
The pronotum is about as wide as the head in front. It widens backwards and reaches the greatest width just before the constricted base. The males have a pointed, forward-pointing thorn on either side (Fig. 5). The female lacks this thorn (taxo picture).
The elytra are wider than the pronotum and have pronounced shoulders. Their sides are largely parallel. They drop off steeply to the sides and back. They have dense, clear and only partially confused rows of dots.
All legs end in four-limbed tarsi. The claws are serrated on the inside and not grown together.
biology
The species occurs in very different habitats. They can be found on bushes and numerous types of deciduous trees, mainly poplar species in forests, on the edges of forests, in floodplains, moors, but also heather areas.
The beetles appear in mid-April and can be found until September. They scrape small holes in the leaves of the host plant. Host plants are various hardwoods, including grapevines and pear trees .
As a form of brood care, the females roll up one or more leaves to form a wrap that serves as food for the larvae. The beetle first partially gnaws the petiole near the base. This will cause the leaves to wilt, making them easier to roll. Then the sheet is twisted into a cigar-shaped roll. During this activity, an egg is wrapped in the roll several times. On average, four to six eggs are laid per wrap, the largest number observed being 15 eggs. With a brown, quick-drying secretion from the anal gland, the end of the wrap is glued to the winding below. The female needs two to five hours to produce a coil. Each female makes several wraps. For grapevines and other large leaves, one leaf is enough for a wrap. With smaller or harder leaves, such as pears, a wrap consists of several leaves.
The leaf wraps later fall off and the larvae pupate in the ground. The newly hatched adults appear in the same autumn or in the following spring.
distribution
The distribution area extends over the whole of Europe and to the east over Siberia to China . The species is not rare in Central Europe.
literature
- Heinz joy , Karl Wilhelm Harde , Gustav Adolf Lohse (ed.): The beetles of Central Europe . tape 10 : Bruchidae – Curculionidae 1 . Goecke & Evers , Krefeld 1981, ISBN 3-87263-029-6 .
- Adolf Horion : Beetle science for nature lovers . Vittorio Klostermann, Frankfurt am Main 1949
- Klaus Koch : The Beetles of Central Europe . Ed .: Heinz Freude . tape 3 : ecology . Goecke & Evers, Krefeld 1992, ISBN 3-87263-042-3 . P. 174
Individual evidence
- ^ Byctiscus betulae in Fauna Europaea. Retrieved August 10, 2012
- ↑ a b Byctiscus at Fauna Europaea. Retrieved March 9, 2013
- ^ A b Adolf Horion : Beetle science for nature lovers . Vittorio Klostermann, Frankfurt am Main 1949
- ↑ C.Linnaeus: Systema Naturae per Regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata Stockholm 1758 first description page 385: 381
- ↑ Sigmund Schenkling: Explanation of the scientific beetle names (species)
- ↑ GA Olivier: Entomologie, ou histoire naturelle des insectes, avec leurs caractères génériques et specifiques, leur description, leur synonymie et leur figure enluminée Coléoptères. Tome second Paris 1790 p. 21 No. 29 Synonyms for Bytiscus betulae until 1795
- ↑ Sigmund Schenkling: Explanation of the scientific beetle names (genus)
- ↑ Species of the genus Byctiscus at BioLib
