Thanks for the clarification Pete : )
So back to my question--of the native insects that feed upon
*Helianthus *(sunflowers),
what proportion exhibit enough resistance to pesticides that they can still
be found in wildlands near commercial sunflowers?  This may give us an idea
of the proportion of insect species highly-susceptible to pesticides.

Are there any native insect folk reading this?  If so, could you please
tell us how many of the insects listed below can still be found in the
Midwest?

From
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/helianthus
"In the United States, there is a wide variety of sunflower-specific,
native insects that preferentially feed on stems, leaves, roots, or seeds.
Stem-feeding insects on sunflower include at least three different cutworms
(Euxoa species and Feltia jaculifera), the sunflower stem weevil
(Cylindrocopturus adspersus), the black sunflower stem weevil (Apion
occidentale), the sunflower maggot (Strauzia longipennis), and the
long-horned sunflower stem girdler (Dectes texanus). Root-feeding insects
include the carrot beetle (Ligyrus gibbosus), the sunflower root weevil
(Baris strenua), and occasionally wireworms. Leaf-feeding insects include
grasshoppers (four Melanoplus species and Camnula pellucida), aphids
(primarily Aphis helianthi and Masonaphis masoni), the painted lady
caterpillar (Vanessa cardui), the sunflower beetle (Zygogramma
exclamationis), and the palestriped flea beetle (Systena blanda). Seed- and
head-feeding insects include the sunflower moth (Homoeosoma electellum),
the sunflower midge (Contarinia schulzi), the red sunflower seed weevil
(Smicronyx fulvus), the gray seed weevil (Smicronyx sordidus), the banded
sunflower moth (Cochylis hospes), the sunflower head moth (Gymnocarena
diffusa), the sunflower seed maggot (Neotephritis finalis), the sunflower
headclipping weevil (Haplorhynchites aeneus), and the tarnished plant bug
(Lygus lineolaris)."

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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