The Biological Control of Gonipterus scutellatus Gyll. (Col. Curculionidae) in Mauritius

1951 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Williams ◽  
L. A. Moutia ◽  
P. R. Hermelin

A brief historical account is given of the spread of the Eucalyptus Snout Beetle, Gonipterus scutellatus Gyll., fron Australia, its country of origin, and of the utilisation of its natural parasite Anaphoidea nitens Gir. for its control on the African mainland.The discovery of G. scutellatus in Mauritius is described. Its entry was effected between 1935–40, and by 1944 it was threatening Eucalyptus plantations over the whole island.A. nitens was introduced in 1946 from East Africa. Establishment was extremely rapid and two years later G. scutellatus was effectively controlled.Notes are given on the bionomics of both host and parasite under Mauritian conditions.Ecological data are briefly discussed.

Insects ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Birhanu Sisay ◽  
Josephine Simiyu ◽  
Esayas Mendesil ◽  
Paddy Likhayo ◽  
Gashawbeza Ayalew ◽  
...  

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, threatens maize production in Africa. A survey was conducted to determine the distribution of FAW and its natural enemies and damage severity in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania in 2017 and 2018. A total of 287 smallholder maize farms (holding smaller than 2 hectares of land) were randomly selected and surveyed. FAW is widely distributed in the three countries and the percent of infested maize fields ranged from 33% to 100% in Ethiopia, 93% to 100% in Tanzania and 100% in Kenya in 2017, whereas they ranged from 80% to 100% and 82.2% to 100% in Ethiopia and Kenya, respectively, in 2018. The percent of FAW infestation of plants in the surveyed fields ranged from 5% to 100%. In 2017, the leaf damage score of the average of the fields ranged from 1.8 to 7 (9 = highest level of damage), while 2018, it ranged from 1.9 to 6.8. In 2017, five different species of parasitoids were recovered from FAW eggs and larvae. Cotesia icipe (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was the main parasitoid recorded in Ethiopia, with a percent parasitism rate of 37.6%. Chelonus curvimaculatus Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was the only egg-larval parasitoid recorded in Kenya and had a 4.8% parasitism rate. In 2018, six species of egg and larval parasitoids were recovered with C. icipe being the dominant larval parasitoid, with percentage parasitism ranging from 16% to 42% in the three surveyed countries. In Kenya, Telenomus remus (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) was the dominant egg parasitoid, causing up to 69.3% egg parasitism as compared to only 4% by C. curvimaculatus. Although FAW has rapidly spread throughout these three countries, we were encouraged to see a reasonable level of biological control in place. Augmentative biological control can be implemented to suppress FAW in East Africa.


1937 ◽  
Vol 15d (2) ◽  
pp. 29-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wm. L. Putman

This paper presents further biological and ecological data on the Chrysopidae gathered during a study of the predators of the oriental fruit moth. The species concerned are Chrysopa rufilabris Burm.; C. plorabunda Fitch; C. downesi R. C. Smith; C. oculata Say; C. nigricornis Burm.; Meleoma signoretti Fitch and M. emuncta Fitch. Data on life history include relation of development to temperature, number of generations, method of overwintering, and oviposition. The early stages of C. downesi, M. signoretti and M. emuncta are described. Seasonal prevalence and fluctuations in abundance from year to year are discussed and notes are given on natural control agencies. The value of chrysopids in the biological control of the fruit moth is summarized, with the conclusion that only in exceptional seasons are they of appreciable importance.


1953 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 669-691 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Way

In the coastal region of British East Africa three ant species, Anoplolepis custodiens, A. longipes and Pheidole punctulata may destroy the ant Oecophylla longinoda which is a valuable predator on the coconut pest Theraptus sp. (Coreidae). The three first-named species do not prey on Theraptus, which may severely damage palms occupied by them.Nesting habits of the three ant species and their behaviour towards O. longinoda and certain other insects are described.O. longinoda has been exterminated in the limited areas occupied by the two Anoplolepis species. P. punctulata is widespread and is usually common in areas occupied by O. longinoda and is also present, though relatively less common, in A. longipes areas.The distribution of the Anoplolepis species, particularly A. custodiens, is correlated with sandy soils bearing a sparse ground vegetation. Where there are heavy soils or a thick ground vegetation of grasses and creepers the Anoplolepis species are absent and O. longinoda is usually present. It is suggested that the Anoplolepis species are limited by the relatively low temperature of soils shaded from sunlight by thick vegetation.


1985 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
GH Baker

The millipede Ommatoiulus moreletii (Lucas) is an introduced nuisance pest in Australia. A survey of the parasites of O. moreletii in its country of origin, Portugal, is reported, and the potential of two, a nematomorphan worm Gordius sp. (Nematomorpha:Gordiodae) and a muscoid fly Eginia sp. (Diptera:Eginiidae), as biological control agents for use in Australia are discussed. Gordius sp. parasitized a maximum of 28.7% of O. moreletii of stadium 9 and older in a Ulex densus-Quercus coccifera shrubland. Gordius sp. castrated its male hosts and inhibited the development of mature eggs in females. Eginia sp. parasitized a maximum of 32.3% of 0. moreletii of stadium 8 and older in a Pinus spp. woodland. The incidence of parasitism by Eginia sp. increased with the stadia1 age of O. moreletii. Ectoparasitic mites (Acari) and oxyurid nematodes (Nematoda) were common on and in O. moreletii but are unlikely to be useful as biological control agents.


2000 ◽  
pp. 291-292
Author(s):  
M. Griesbach ◽  
R.-P. Schuster ◽  
R.A. Sikora ◽  
C.S. Gold ◽  
P.R. Speijer

1997 ◽  
Vol 17 (01) ◽  
pp. 79-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. A. Overholt ◽  
A. J. Ngi-Song ◽  
C. O. Omwega ◽  
S. W. Kimani-Njogu ◽  
J. Mbapila ◽  
...  

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