Summary of Chrysochus auratus, dogbane beetle, populations from 1976-2022 at a Barnes Prairie Remnant located in southeastern Wisconsin

All dogbane beetles in this survey were found on dogbane, Apocynum androsaemifolium. Surveys were made in late June through August of each year, at the same group of dogbane plants. This area has been fairly stable, plant-wise, through the years, although in the 1990's, it was becoming weedy. In the years following 1990, common buckthorn moved into parts of this prairie. This shrub, and non-native honeysuckle, have been periodically cut down.

Year, No. of beetles seen, Notes

1976, 4

1977, 7

1984, 9, area of plants, possibly clones, five by fifteen feet, two areas.

1990, 6, weeds moving into area, dogbane plants still present

2000, 2, pesticide smell in air, early August

2004, 1, A number of insects on dogbane, including one dogbane beetle (on leaf) and
on flowers, one halictid bee and many flies.
2008, 0

2012, 0, smell of pesticides in air

2014, 0,

2015, 0,

2016, 0, about 5 x 15 foot area, consisting of a number of plants in
area. No beetles seen in late July and early August.

2017, 0, five by eight foot area of plants, also some scattered
dogbane in two separate locations near here.

2019, 0

2020, 1, One beetle seen, on dogbane, Apocynum androsaemifolium, early afternoon,

August 30, 2020. Surveys for these beetles were made several times a week
from mid July until the end of August.

2021, 0, No dogbane beetles, area surveyed 2x a week July through end of august

2022, 0

Posted on February 7, 2023 08:20 PM by bkis