Date of Award
12-1981
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Biological Sciences
First Advisor
Dr. Joseph G. Engemann
Second Advisor
Dr. Richard Brewer
Third Advisor
Dr. David Cowan
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
Habitat prefernce for the aestivation of Hyper postica was researched by the sampling of field borders. Sampling methods by the sampling of field borders. Sampling methods included soil and vegetative litter collection, sweeping of borders with an insect net and emergence trapping of wooded and grass habitat. Fields were swept once a week to determine if H. postica returned to the field before the winter season. The methods resulted in the following findings: Weevils do not aestivate litter. Data from sweeping indicated that weevils prefer areas that include alfalfa and grasses. Results of observations implied that there is a direct relationship between population density of weevils and density of vegetation if the vegetation includes alfalfa and grasses. Emergence traps support the data that shows weevils select sites that include alfalfa and grasses. Field sweepings indicated that weevils began to return to the field in late August.
Recommended Citation
Myers, Donald D., "A Study of Habitat Preference for the Aestivation of the Alfalfa Weevil Hyper Postica (Curculionidae: Coleoftera)" (1981). Masters Theses. 1824.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/1824