Insects Feeding
on this Plant:
____________
Helenium autumnale (Sneezeweed) [Asteraceae]
(Observations are from Hottes & Frison, Felt, Blackman & Eastop, Pepper, Lisberg & Young, Natural History Museum, Panzer et al., Wilhelm & Rericha)
Coleoptera (Beetles)
Anthribidae: Trigonorhinus limbatus [larvae bore into flowering receptacle & stem] WR2017; Chrysomelidae: Calligrapha bidenticola WR2017; Curculionidae: Smicronyx discoideus (Sneezeweed Weevil) Pnz2006 WR2017; Mordellidae: Mordellina pustulata [larvae bore through stems] LY2003, Mordellistena convicta [larvae bore through stems] LY2003
Diptera (Flies)
Cecidomyiidae: Asphondylia autumnalis [larvae form apical rosette galls] Flt1917
Homoptera (Sucking Insects)
Acanaloniidae: Acanalonia bivittata (Two-striped Planthopper) [feeds on upper stems] WR2017; Aphididae: Aphis gossypii (Cotton Aphid) [polyphagous] HF1931, Aphis vernoniae [found on tips of stems & leaf undersides, Ironweed is the preferred host] HF1931 Pp1965, Uroleucon rurale Pp1965, Uroleucon tardae [found on flowering stalks underneath flowerheads, distributed in NE USA] HF1931 BE2013 Pp1965; Membracidae: Entylia carinata [feeds on winged stems & leaves] WR2017
Hymenoptera
Formicidae: Dolichoderus mariae [attends to the treehopper, Entylia carinata, and feeds on its nectar droplets] WR2017
Lepidoptera (Butterflies, Skippers, & Moths)
Geometeridae: Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria (Blackberry Looper Moth) [larvae feed on flowers] NHM2010; Noctuidae: Papaipema impecuniosa (Aster Borer Moth) NHM2010, Papaipema rigida (Rigid Sunflower Borer Moth) NHM2010; Sesiidae: Carmenta ithacae (Sneezeweed Clearwing Moth) [larvae bore into stems, crowns, & roots] NHM2010