Use of ornamental lilac and honeysuckle phenophases as indicators of rangeland grasshopper development.

Abstract

Comparisons were made between phenological phase dates of 2 common ornamental shrubs, purple common lilac (Syringa vulgaris L.) and Zabeli honeysuckle (Lonicera krolkowii Stapf, var. Zabelii (Rehd. Rehder)), and rangeland grasshopper (composite of 6 common species) development for 3 years at 9 sites throughout Montana. Results indicated that spring hatch (75% instar 1) occurred about 10 days after the begin bloom phase of purple common lilac. Peak occurrence of grasshoppers for instar 2 coincided, on average, with the end bloom phase of Zabeli honeysuckle, whereas peak instar 3 occurred about 10 days later. On average, peak instar 4 preceded the first red berry phase of Zabeli honeysuckle by about 8 days, and 75% adult stage occurred about 14 days after red berries first appeared. Our results provide rangeland managers and ranchers with a simple method for the improved timing of assessment and control of rangeland grasshoppers.