Investigation of the morphology, biology and infestation of Mecorhis ungarica (Herbst, 1783) (Coleoptera: Rhynchitidae) associated with rosehip plants (Rosa spp.)

Rosehip is an important socio-economic plant in Turkey. This study was carried out with the aim to determine morphology, biology and infestation of Mecorhis ungarica (Herbst, 1783) (Coleoptera: Rhynchitidae), which damaged rosehip fruits in Erzincan province in 2007-2008. The study was conducted in three steps, field surveys and biological and morphological studies. According to results of study, females laid eggs in flower buds or fruits, eggs hatched in 812 (10.1) days, oviposition lasted 40-45 (40) days in the nature, and daily fecundity was 1.2-1.6 (1.4) eggs. Larvae developed inside fruit, started maturing the second week of August, exiting from fruit, burrowing into the soil to build chamber for hibernation. They passed to the pupal stage at the end of third week of April in early spring, pupal development time was 8-12 (9.9) days and new generation adults emerged from soil at the last week of April. Consequently, M. ungarica completed one generation in a year. According to the results of a survey in Erzincan province in 2007, infestation rates were 18% on flower buds and 31.7% on fruit of rosehip by eggs, larvae or adult damages of M. ungarica and average infestation rate was 24.85%.