Re: leaf beetles on aroids

---

Hiyer, Peter!

 

I would very much like to see you pictures. You called them leaf beetles. Do you mean that you think they are chrysomelids?

 

Happy days,

Christopher

 

 

D. Christopher Rogers

Senior Invertebrate Ecologist/ Taxonomist

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-----Original Message-----
From: aroid-l-bounces@gizmoworks.com [mailto:aroid-l-bounces@gizmoworks.com] On Behalf Of Peter Matthews
Sent: Monday, May 19, 2008 6:13 PM
To: Discussion of aroids
Subject: [Aroid-l] leaf beetles on aroids

 

Dear Aroiders,

 

I am currently in the Philippines (Luzon) looking around for wild taros.

 

Something I have noticed here is the presence of a large beetle

(irridescent green back, bright orange head) frequently feeding on the

leaves of Colocasia esculenta and very rarely on the naturalised

populations of Xanthosoma sagittifolium, and not at all on the native

Homolomena philippinensis. Nor on bananas or other obvious garden plants.

 

The beetle is large, about 1.5 - 2 cm long, and cuts a circular line on

the leaf of taro before eating out the central portion, leaving an often

near-perfect circular hole in the leaf. The damage itself is quite

beautiful.

 

Has anyone else seen such beetles on aroids, in the wild or in

cultivation, in the Philippines or in other countries?

 

I have sme nice photos, but cannot post them until I get back to Japan.

 

Peter Matthews (Manila, in transit)

 

 

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