Aspectos bioecológicos do coró-das-hortaliças Aegopsis bolboceridus (Thomson) (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae) no cerrado do Brasil Central.

ABSTRACT: Insects commonly well-known as white grubs are the larval phase of beetles that belong to the Melolonthidae (Coleoptera). This family contains an expressive number of insect species that have different bioecological functions in the agroecosystems in the adult and immature phases. In four of five trophic levels, they are primary and secondary consumers, secondary producers and decomposers. In Brazil there are registred about 1008 species of Melolonthidae whose larvae live in the soil. Some of them are considered important pests; normally the larval phase feed the crop roots causing damages. The symptoms occur in patches with smaller plants, yellow leaves, and drastic reduction in the plant population. The occurence of those insects in the Brazilian Cerrado has been reason of farmers concern because they are causing high damages in several crops and they are expanding in large areas and until now there are no control methods. Nowadays, severe damages caused by white grubs in vegetables and sweet corn were found in Distrito Federal in the State of Goiás. The insect was identified as Aegopsis bolboceridus (Thomson) (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae). This specie was decribed with insects collected in Brazil, and until now was considered a rare specie and there are no knowledge about adult and immature phases habits. The aim of this publication is to generate information about the bioecology of the vegetable white grub, A. bolboceridus, to provide information for basic studies of control methods of this new pest