Greetings Diamondjack,
I base my answer on the number of instances I found an insect name
mentioned along with sweet chestnut on the Internet. It appears that
the most common insect to use the sweet chestnut is the silkmoth, and
various species of silkmoth and other moths are mentioned. It is hard
to tell what exactly what subspecies of the silkmoth is more common
only on the sweet chestnut. The Chestnut weevil is mentioned below,
but I think it attacks another kind of chestnut, the American
Chestnut, rather than the Sweet Chestnut. I also do not think it is
latitude dependent.
The raising of Dictyoploca simla [SIMLA SILKMOTH] by Neil West.
http://www.pwbelg.clara.net/articles/page2.html
- "The larvae will take Hawthorn [Crataegus], Oak [Qercus] and Sweet
Chestnut [Castanea], but best of all is Walnut [Juglens]."
Foliar Chemistry and Gypsy Moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), Herbivory
on Pure American Chestnut, Castanea dentata (Fam: Fagaceae),
and a Disease-Resistant Hybrid (Adobe PDF Document)
http://esa.edoc.com/environ/v32n2/v32n2p359.pdf
- This is an instance of another moth whose larvae feed on chestnuts,
though not necessarily the sweet chestnut.
List of all agents - At a German Botany site
http://www.stadtbaum.at/cpag/all_engl.htm
- Mentions gypsy moth as a parasite of Sweet chestnut. (clicking on
the name will lead to a German profile of it)
Antheraea Polyphemus: Larval Food Plants
http://www3.islandtelecom.com/~oehlkew/xpollarv.htm
- Polyphemus moth
ANTHERAEA PERNYI (Guérin-Méneville, 1855) -- Chinese Oak Silkmoth
http://tpittaway.tripod.com/silk/a_per.htm
- Oaks (Quercus spp.) are preferred; however, it can also be found on
beech (Fagus sylvatica), sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa), birches
(Betula), hawthorns (Crataegus), hornbeams (Carpinus), Prunus and
several other trees and shrubs.
Cydia splendana
http://cgi.ukmoths.force9.co.uk/show.php?bf=1260
Weevil:
http://www.bugwood.org/pestcontrol/insects.html
- Weevil is stated to be a pest that attacks chestnuts.
American Chestnut Foundation - The Chestnut Weevil
http://www.acf.org/wildlife_8.htm
Deathwatch beetle:
English class essay about the Deathwatch Beetle
http://bwxixi.myetang.com/ielts/read/ielts_read_zyz_2.html
Others:
Commentaries on plant pathology - Chestnut blight
http://www.ontarioprofessionals.com/phyto.htm
- Describes another threat to sweet chestnuts, may be a helpful
reference.
Google Search terms used:
insect chestnut larva substrate
insect chestnut larvae substrate
sweet chestnut larvae
I hope this has been a most helpful answer. If you need anything else,
or have a problem with the answer, do please post a Request for
Clarification and I shall respond as soon as I can. Thank you. |
