is just one of three larval stages of the tamarisk leaf-eating beetle (Diorhabda elongata) intentionally introduced for the biocontrol of the invasive phreatophyte, which is also known as salt cedar (click to enlarge.) I photographed this one munching away on my property (about 1 cm long), and they will eventually denude the entire plant. Several years of continued stress from exposure to the beetle ultimately kills the salt cedar, and it's working very nicely in the Moab area.
This is really cool! I always thought they were much smaller, but now I'll know what they look like (at least, this larval stage).
ReplyDeleteKeep on chompin'!
If I were to guess, this is the third larval stage prior to the emergence of the beetle. There were numerous other larvae on the tamarisk, and considerably smaller.
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