Lilioceris faldermanni (Guérin-Méneville, 1844)

Yoffe, Atai, Friedman, Ariel-Leib-Leonid & L., Abstract, 2020, Notes on the lily leaf beetles Lilioceris Reitter in Israel (Chrysomelidae: Criocerinae), Israel Journal of Entomology (Isr. J. Entomol.) 50 (2), pp. 39-45 : 40-43

Lilioceris faldermanni (Guérin-Méneville, 1844)

( Figs 1–7)

Material examined: Israel: ‘Israel’ (1 old specimen, with no additional details); Hermon : Hermon Nature Reserve, Sheluhat Duvdevan, Plot E6, 33.314°N 35.791°E, 2076 m, 29.v.2019, L. Friedman, on Acer monspessulanum microphillum (1 ex.); Har Hermon [Mt Hermon ], 2000 m, 5.v.1977, A. Freidberg (1 ex.); Har Hermon , 2.vi.1993, V. Chikatunov (1 ex.); Har Hermon , 1600 m, 21.v.2002, A. Freidberg (1 ex.). Golan Heights : 10 km S Quneitra, 6.v.1977, A. Freidberg (1 ex.); Hammat Gader [El Hamma], 18.ii.1980, A. Rubin (1 ex.). Hula Valley: Dan, Bet Ussishkin, 33°14'N 35°39'E,

11.v.2015, M. Shemesh (1 ex.). Upper Galilee : Har Meron [Mt Meron], 1000 m, 32°59.7'N 35°24.7'E ,

14.iv.2011, L. Friedman (2 eXX.); Har Meron [Jermak] (1 eX.), [Germak] , 29.v.1957, J. Kugler (1 eX.); Nahal ' Ammud , 17.x.1972, D. Furth (1 ex.) ; Gadot, 15.v.1973, J. Halperin , on Lilium candidum , died 14.x.1973 (1 ex.). Jordan Valley: Kinneret , 22.iii.1973, J. Halperin, on Lilium candidum (1 ex.),

19.iv.1973, J. Halperin, on Lilium candidum (1 ex.), 15.v.1973, J. Halperin, on Lilium candidum , lab rearing (1 ex.), 20.v.1973, J. Halperin, on Lilium candidum , lab rearing, died 20.ix.1973 (1 ex.),

16.vi.1973, J. Halperin, on Lilium candidum , lab rearing, died 5.ix.1973 (1 ex.). Carmel Ridge : Haifa ,

22.x.1972, A. Freidberg (1 ex.); Nahal Kelah, river bed, 17.viii.2010, L. Friedman, on Laurus nobilis (1 eX.); Nahal Oren , 5.iii.1996, V. Chikatunov & T. PavlÍČek (1 eX.); Binyamina [Benjaminah Dist.] , vii.1926, O. Theodor (1 ex.), [Benjamina], 12.iv.1947, H. Bytinski-Salz (1 ex.); HaZorea, 15.v.1973, J. Halperin , on Lilium candidum , died 10.ix.1973 (1 ex.); 14.vii.1950, J. Halperin, on leaves of Quercus boissieri (1 ex.). Samaria : Gilboa , 5.ii.1963, Zehavi (2 exx.); Rosh ha'Ayin, forest , 17.ii.2020, L. Friedman, on Fritillaria persica (4 exx.), 3.iii.2020, K. Roguz, on Fritillaria persica (2 exx.). Southern Coastal Plain : Tel Aviv [Abu Kabir] , 25.ii.1956, L. Fishelsohn (1 ex.). Judean Hills: ' En Hemed [ Aqua Bella ] , 10.v.1950, J. Wahrman (1 ex.); Netiv haLamed He, Atai’s Garden , 8.ii.2017, A. Yoffe (5 exx.); Yerushalayim [Jerusalem] , 1.ii.1955 (1 ex.), 3.ii.1955, R. Lederer (1 ex.) ; Har ' Amassa , 17.iii.2020, Ya'akov Salaviz, on Fritillaria persica (1 ex.).

Observation records: Israel: Golan Heights : Ramat haGolan, 4.ii.2019, Nir Finkelstein, on Fritillaria persica , feeding. Upper Galilee: HaTanur Waterfall, 9.ii.2018, Yuval Evron; Nahal Keziv, 30.v.2018, Nogen Tzabari, on Smilax aspera L.; Har Hillel, 7.iv.2017, Nurit Sheizaf, on Fritillaria persica , mating; Zefat [Tsfat], Wadi Hamra, iv.2009, Refael Malka, on Fritillaria persica . Lower Galilee: Mehlaf Golani, 3.ii.2018, Itai Nahshon, on Fritillaria persica , 8.ii.2019, Roee Peretz, on Fritillaria persica ; Derekh Nof, Bet Qeshet Forest, 2.iii.2020, Yael Orgad, on Fritillaria persica ; Nazerat-'Illit, 19.ii.2018, Rotem Goffer, on Lilium candidum , feeding, each day several specimens. Samaria : Rosh ha'Ayin Forest, 15.ii.2020, Tovi Levin, on Fritillaria persica , feeding and mating. Samarian Desert: Nahal Milha/ Malha? ('Ein el-Hila?), near Maskiyyot, 18.ii.2020, Shahar Shiloach, on Fritillaria persica . Judean Hills: Har 'Amassa, 17.iii.2020, Ya'akov Salaviz, on Fritillaria persica .

Distribution: Europe: Romania, Greece, Turkey, Russia (the Caucasus), Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia; Asia: Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Israel, Jordan, Iran, Iraq ( Berti & Rapilly 1976; BeZdĚk & Schmitt 2017). In Israel, the species is widespread throughout the Mediterranean part ( Fig. 8) but rarely observed and collected probably due to its activity mainly in the winter rainy season.

Host plants: Fritillaria persica L. ( Fig. 6) and Lilium candidum L. ( Fig. 7) ( Liliaceae ), a single record from Smilax aspera L. ( Liliales : Smilacaceae ) is probably occasional. There are several specimens collected and reared by the late Joseph Halperin, but it is unclear whether he collected larvae or adults in the abovementioned localities in nature, or studied them as pests in floriculture. Most of the recent observations in nature were made on F. persica , widely distributed throughout Israel, in the Mediterranean woodlands and shrublands, in subalpine zone and in the desert, although everywhere very local and rare (Shmida 2020; Danin & Fragman-Sapir 2020). Lilium candidum occurs in Israel naturally only in a few locations in the northern part of the Upper Galilee and on the Carmel Ridge (Shmida 2020; Danin & Fragman-Sapir 2020); however, it appears in the floriculture and most of the observations were made on the cultivated plants.

The first author (AY) observed the entire life cycle of L. faldermanni in his own small botanical garden in the kibbutz Netiv haLamed He, in the Ela Valley, on the Western slopes of the Judean Hills, referred to as Attai’s Garden or The Land of Israel Garden. The first observations were made circa 2010, on L. candidum only, and later also on F. persica . The beetles are active between January and April (winter–spring season). The eggs are laid on lower part of leaves, sometimes on stems. The eggs are orange-yellow in the beginning ( Fig. 3), turning brown before hatching ( Fig. 4). The larvae hatch three weeks after the oviposition. Larvae cover themselves with their feces ( Fig. 5). The larvae and adults are feeding on the foliar parenchyma, causing translucent fenestration of leaves ( Fig. 5). Pupae have not been found. According to Mojib Hagh Ghadam et al. (2013), pupation occurs in the soil beneath the host plant, in a silken cocoon incorporating soil particles.

During the summer (May–October), when the host plants dry out, the adult beetles can be found on trees with thick stiff foliage ( Acer , Quercus , Laurus etc.) in the Mediterranean woodlands and scrubs in the mountainous areas ( Hermon, Meron, Carmel ) of Israel. There is no clear evidence if beetles from other regions migrate to these areas or each population aestivates in the original locality, northern populations on trees and others probably in soil.