The tamarisk leaf beetle (Diorhabda carinulata) is evolving, making it better able to control saltcedar, also known as Tamarisk (Tamarix spp.). The beetle delays entry into hibernation to adapt to the shorter days of the southern region of the United States. This adaptation allows the beetle to survive until spring and prolongs the time it has to reproduce. A nice benefit for humans is that the tamarisk leaf beetle can more effectively control tamarisk, an exotic, invasive shrub that absorbs large amounts of water, deposits salt in the soil, and provides subpar wildlife habitat.
Find out more about this study at Phys.org; the open access full article is printed in Evolutionary Applications.
