DEVELOPMENT OF THE STRAWBERRY BUD WEEVIL (COLEOPTERA, CURCULIONIDAE) IN STRAWBERRY FIELDS

The seasonal phenology and development of field populations of the str awberry bud weevil, Anthonomus signatus Say, were monitored in strawbe rry fields from 1983 to 1987 in southern Quebec. The results indicated a consistent 1:1 (male/female) sex ratio in spring and summer. The pe ak period of each life stage could be predicted by accumulated degree- days, base 0-degrees-C. The developmental period from egg to adult was almost-equal-to 63 d. Measurements are given for each stage. A. signa tus is a univoltine species, and the summer adults enter a reproductiv e diapause at the beginning of August. Spring adult emergence is not g radual but is sudden with tremendous increases within a very short per iod of time. Therefore, because most adults hibernate inside the straw berry field, control measures should evaluate the possibility of contr olling summer populations of the weevil at its maximum summer abundanc e.