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Colaspis spp. - Colaspis brunnea and Colaspis louisianae
There are two species of COLASPIS that can be found in Louisiana rice: Colaspis brunnae and Colaspis louisianae.
This pest can be found damaging fields of dry-seeded rice in a soybean-rice rotation. Colaspis will complete a single generation in soybeans and lespedeza.
The larvae of Colaspis will overwinter in the soil. When rice, or another crop, is planted into a field that is infested with Colaspis larvae, the larvae will begin to feed on the roots of the plant. Feeding on fine root hair may result in plant death. The larvae will then pupate and emerge as adults.
Adults are oval in shape and about 1/4 inch in length. They are a light golden color with white/gold stripes down their back and long antennae. Adults will not lay eggs on rice, but will most likely travel to a near soybean field. It is common to find a clumped distribution of larvae in the soil and patches of stand loss.
The LSU AgCenter and the LSU College of Agriculture
