Agriculture

Asparagus Beetles

  • Asparagus beetle: Crioceris asparagi
  • Spotted asparagus beetle: Crioceris duodecimpunctata
Updated: 06/2009

Tools

PestManage: a decision support tool to view and compare pest management options

Description of the Pest

Asparagus beetle larvae are dark, green-gray grubs about 1/3 inch (9 mm) long when fully grown. Adults are blue-black beetles with a red prothorax. Their elytra (wing covers) have yellow spots and red borders.

Spotted asparagus beetle larvae are orange and adults are reddish orange with six prominent black spots on each wing cover.

Damage

Asparagus beetles injure the plant by feeding on the tips of tender young shoots. After leaves come out, asparagus beetles and their larvae gnaw on the surface of the stems and devour the leaves. If injury to the fern is severe, the crown is weakened, particularly if the asparagus stand is young.

Management

Although they are found wherever asparagus is grown, asparagus beetles are not normally serious pests in California. Some local infestations do occur, however, and control measures may be necessary to prevent serious injury to the asparagus stand, particularly when the stands are young. If beetles are feeding on spears early in the season, let some plants near the edge of the field produce fern growth to attract the beetles away from the spears. If necessary, treat these areas.

Pesticides and Natural Enemy Releases

Not all registered pesticides are listed. The following are ranked by their IPM value, with the most effective and least harmful to natural enemies, honey bees, and the environment listed at the top of the table. When choosing a pesticide, consider information related to water and air quality, resistance management, and the pesticide's properties and application timing. Use PestManage to compare summarized management options for different pests in the same crop. Always carefully read the label of the product being used and take all necessary precautions when handling pesticides.

Rank Active ingredient Example trade name Group Group Order MoA 1 Amount per acre REI (hours) ‡ PHI (days) ‡ Comments Selectivity 2 Bees 3 Predatory mites 4 Predators 5 Parasitoids 5 Residue duration 6 Leaching(fish) 7 Adsorbed runoff(fish) 8 Solution runoff(fish) 9 Leaching(human) 10 Solution runoff(human) 11 Last updated 12
C
*
Sevin XLR Plus Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) 8

1A

1 qt 12 1 Apply to ferns or brush growth. Repeat a... broad I low high high long low low intermediate low low 08/2019
B
*
Lannate LV Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) 8

1A

1.5–3 pt 48 1 Apply at 5–7 day intervals as needed. Do... broad I high high high moderate — — — — — 08/2019
B
*
Lannate SP Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) 8

1A

0.5–1 lb 48 1 Apply at 5–7 day intervals as needed. Do... broad I high high high moderate — — — — — 08/2019
D
Pounce 25 WP Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) 8

3A

3.2–6.4 oz 12 1 Apply by ground equipment only. Do not a... broad I low high high long intermediate low extra high very low intermediate 08/2019
A
Radiant SC Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) 8

5

4–8 fl oz 4 See comments Apply only postharvest to ferns; do not... narrow II low/high moderate 13 low/moderate moderate 14 low low low very low low 08/2019
—
No information.
I
Do not apply or allow to drift to plants that are flowering including weeds. Do not allow pesticide to contaminate water accessible to bees including puddles.
II
Do not apply or allow to drift to plants that are flowering including weeds, except when the application is made between sunset and midnight if allowed by the pesticide label and regulations. Do not allow pesticide to contaminate water accessible to bees including puddles.
III
No bee precaution, except when required by the pesticide label or regulations.
  • ‡ a b Restricted entry interval (REI) is the number of hours (unless otherwise noted) from treatment until the treated area can be safely entered without personal protective equipment. Preharvest interval (PHI) is the number of days from treatment to harvest. In some cases, the REI exceeds the PHI. The longer of the two intervals is the minimum time that must elapse before harvest.
  • * a b c  Permit required from county agricultural commissioner for purchase or use.
  • 1 ↩ Group numbers for insecticides and miticides are assigned by the Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC). Insecticides with unknown modes of action are assigned mode-of-action group numbers (MoAs) that begin with UN. Rotate pesticides with a different mode-of-action group number, and do not use products with the same mode-of-action group number more than twice per season to help prevent the development of resistance. For example, the organophosphates have a group number of 1B; insecticides with a 1B group number should be alternated with insecticides that have a group number other than 1B.
  • 2 ↩ Range of insect and mite groups affected by a pesticide. Broad means the pesticide affects most groups of insects and mites; narrow means the pesticide affects only a few specific groups.
  • 3 ↩ Risk of harm to honey bees. For more information, see Bee Precaution Pesticide Ratings.
  • 4 ↩ Risk of harm to predatory mites. Toxicities are generally to western predatory mite, Galendromus occidentalis. Where differences have been measured in toxicity of the pesticide-resistant strain versus the native strain, these are listed as pesticide-resistant strain or native strain.
  • 5 a b Risk of harm to parasitoids and general predators. Toxicities are averages of reported effects and should be used only as a general guide. Actual toxicity of a specific insecticide depends on factors including the application rate, environmental conditions, and the life stage and species of a parasitoid or predator.
  • 6 ↩ Length of time residue affects natural enemies. Short means hours to days; moderate means days to 2 weeks; and long means many weeks or months.
  • 7 ↩ Risk of harm to fish from leaching, based on USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Windows Pesticide Screening Tool (WIN-PST).
  • 8 ↩ Risk of harm to fish from adsorbed runoff, based on USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Windows Pesticide Screening Tool (WIN-PST).
  • 9 ↩ Risk of harm to fish from solution runoff, based on USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Windows Pesticide Screening Tool (WIN-PST).
  • 10 ↩ Risk of harm to humans from leaching, based on USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Windows Pesticide Screening Tool (WIN-PST).
  • 11 ↩ Risk of harm to humans from solution runoff, based on USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Windows Pesticide Screening Tool (WIN-PST).
  • 12 ↩ Date information was last updated in the UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines.
  • 13 ↩ Toxic to some natural enemies (lacewing and syrphid fly larvae, predatory beetles, and thrips) when sprayed and up to 5 to 7 days after.
  • 14 ↩ Residual is moderate if solution is between a pH of 7 and 8.
UC Peer Reviewed Logo

UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines: Asparagus
UC ANR Publication 3435

E.T. Natwick (emeritus), UC Cooperative Extension Imperial County

B.J. Aegerter, UC Cooperative Extension San Joaquin County (European Asparagus Aphid)

Acknowledgement for Contributions to Invertebrates

R.J. Mullen, UC Cooperative Extension San Joaquin County

W.E. Chaney (emeritus), UC Cooperative Extension Monterey County

C.F. Fouche, UC Cooperative Extension San Joaquin County

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