Host selection of Dolichogenidea tasmanica: implications for conservation biological control of light brown apple moth

A number of observations were made on parasites of certain Pentatomoids (sunn pest) attacking wheat in Middle East countries, during the course of other work on these pests. The principal host species studied were Eurygaster integriceps Put., E. maura (L.) and Aelia rostrata Boh. The data concern both Dipterous (Tachinid) endoparasites of the adult bugs, and also Hymenopterous (Scelionid) egg-parasites; the observations were made principally in central Turkey, and in the Varamine district of Iran. A few observations on predators were made also.The data concerning Tachinids consist of host records for six species of parasites. In no case observed by the author did these parasites appear to be of great importance in reducing the numbers of sunn pest; the same is true of the few instances of predators recorded.Observations were made on six species of Scelionid egg-parasites (five species of Asolcus and one of Hadronotus), five of which were bred from eggs of four species of Pentatomoid hosts collected in the field. The species concerning which the most comprehensive data were obtained were Asolcus rufiventris (Mayr), A. semistriatus (Nees) and A. vassilievi (Mayr). Egg-parasites are well known to be more efficacious in reducing sunn-pest populations, and A. semistriatus has been extensively used in Iran as a biological control agent. The data obtained enabled some ideas which are of importance for the use of egg-parasites in biological control to be formed and discussed. These concern principally (a) the susceptibilities of different hosts to parasitisation; (b) host selection by parasites; (c) the selection of a species of parasite most suitable for biological control in a particular area.

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Conservation biological control of arthropod pests under a changing climate

10.1603/ice.2016.93435 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Klaus Birkhofer

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Conservation Biological Control ◽

Changing Climate ◽

Arthropod Pests

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Ecology of the entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae in temperate agroecosystems: Potential for conservation biological control

Biological Control ◽

10.1016/j.biocontrol.2007.07.007 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 43 (2) ◽

pp. 145-155 ◽

Cited By ~ 267

Author(s):

Nicolai V. Meyling ◽

Jørgen Eilenberg

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Beauveria Bassiana ◽

Entomopathogenic Fungi ◽

Metarhizium Anisopliae ◽

Conservation Biological Control

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Carabidae (Coleoptera) in Nova Scotia, Canada wild blueberry fields: prospects for biological control

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/tce.2012.76 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 144 (6) ◽

pp. 779-791 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

G.C. Cutler ◽

J.M. Renkema ◽

C.G. Majka ◽

J.M. Sproule

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Nova Scotia ◽

Species Diversity ◽

Insect Pests ◽

Abundant Species ◽

Conservation Biological Control ◽

Carabid Beetles ◽

Eastern Canada ◽

Wild Blueberries ◽

Wild Blueberry

AbstractThe Carabidae (Coleoptera) are a diverse family of beetles with almost 300 species identified in Nova Scotia, Canada. Carabid beetle communities have been studied in several agricultural systems, but not wild blueberries, an important crop in eastern Canada. In the interest of potentially developing conservation biological control programs in wild blueberry, we collected Carabidae in crop (fruit-bearing) and sprout (vegetative) blueberry fields in Nova Scotia in order to assess species diversity and abundance over space and time. Over 3200 specimens were collected, representing 51 species. A large portion of collected specimens (39%) were nonnative, and the most abundant species were generally predacious and synanthropic. Species diversity tended to be higher near forest edges than further into fields, but not for all abundant species. Several of the most prominent predators showed significant differences in preference of crop versus sprout fields, distribution throughout fields, and seasonable abundance. These findings have implications for conservation biological control efforts with carabid beetles against several insect pests in wild blueberry.

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