Explanation of Names
Neochetina bruchi Hustache 1926
Size
♂ 3.5-4.5 mm, ♀ 4.1-5.0 mm
(1)Range
introduced into the se US (e.TX-FL-SC) & CA -
Map (2)Life Cycle
Eggs hatch in 7-17 days, depending on temperature. Three instars, larval stages take from 36 to 90 days; reports vary. Larvae feed and develop in the petioles. Fully grown larvae move to the water, build a cocoon and pupate near roots, from which they probably take oxygen. Adults are nocturnal. Females lay about 200 eggs.
Remarks
Introduced intentionally into FL in 1974 to combat
Eichhornia crassipes; native to Argentina and bordering countries