Preliminary Study of Some Insects Associated with Rangeland Shrubs with Emphasis on Kochia prostrata

Abstract

The introduced and potentially useful range shrub Kochia prostrata (prostrate kochia) and its naturalized herbaceous congener K. scoparia (annual kochia) both appear to be excellent hosts for the lygus bug (Lygus desertinus). However, lygus bugs were abundant only on concentrated Kochia stands and not on K. prostrata growing intermixed with other plant species. Therefore, it is recommended that prostrate kochia be planted in mixtures with other plant species in range rehabilitation projects so that high insect populations are not encouraged. Lygus bugs spend much of the summer on both Kochia species but move to associated plants when the associates flower. Although lygus bugs were found in abundance on prostrate kochia, no major damage to the plant was evident. Prostrate kochia apparently is not the overwintering egg host-plant for lygus bugs. On prostrate kochia, seven other identified insect species (six families) as well as several unidentified taxa were also collected. These additional species were mostly short-time residents in low numbers. Flea beetles (Psylloides punctulata) were occasionally abundant.