Agrilus limpiae
Knull, 1941
Agrilus limpiae is a of metallic wood-boring in the . It was described by Knull in 1941 and is to North America. The species is a on soapberry (Sapindus drummondii), with collected from foliage of this . It is one of many Agrilus species that exhibit host-specific relationships with particular tree or shrub species.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Agrilus limpiae: /ˈæɡrɪləs ˈlɪmpiˌaɪ/
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Habitat
Associated with soapberry (Sapindus drummondii) stands. have been collected from foliage of this in areas where soapberry grows, including along roadsides and in sandy or dune environments where this plant occurs.
Distribution
North America. Documented from the southwestern United States, including New Mexico and south-central Kansas. The appears to have a distribution centered in the Great Plains and southwestern regions where its soapberry occurs.
Seasonality
have been collected in late spring to early summer. Field records indicate activity in late May, with a notable collection event in late May 2022 at Gloss Mountain State Park, Oklahoma. Historical records from 1986 document adults in south-central Kansas during this same general period.
Host Associations
- Sapindus drummondii - collected from foliage; soapberry . Multiple adults have been observed on trees with more developed foliage within stands.
Behavior
are active on foliage and can be collected by beating branches. They have been observed flying to and landing on soapberry plants, including low non-flowering individuals. Adults may be more abundant on trees with greater foliage development within a stand.
Similar Taxa
- Agrilus sapindiAlso associated with soapberry (Sapindus drummondii), but appears to be more abundant and widespread on this . A. limpiae has been collected in the same stands but in smaller numbers, suggesting it may be less common or more patchily distributed.
- Agrilus ornatulusCollected from the same soapberry stands as A. limpiae, but distinguished by different relationships and presumably morphological features.
More Details
Collection history
The was notably collected in numbers at Gloss Mountain State Park, Oklahoma in late May 2022, representing the first time the had seen the species in significant numbers since 1986 in south-central Kansas. This suggests the species may be locally abundant but sporadically encountered, or that its activity is tied to specific phenological conditions of its .
Host plant phenology
At Gloss Mountain State Park, A. limpiae was collected from soapberry trees that had noticeably more foliage development compared to others in the same stand, suggesting may prefer or be more detectable on plants with more advanced leaf-out.