Do Floral Resources Benefit the Herbivorous Sawfly, Cephus cinctus (Hymenoptera: Cephidae), a Major Pest of Wheat in North America?

The tomato/potato psyllid (TPP), Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera, Triozidae), is an adventive psyllid in New Zealand that is a major pest of solanaceous crops and a serious threat to growers in the glasshouse industry. Worldwide, evaluation of potential biological control (BC) agents is normally conducted using single species and this is the case with some potential BC agents for TPP. However, the idea that multiple species can act synergistically remains largely untested so that is the aim of the current work, which is funded by Tomatoes New Zealand. The introduced parasitoid Tamarixia triozae is a BC agent of TPP that attacks mainly late instars. It lives for just 1 day when provided with water but can live up to 11 days (and consume more pests) when nectar in the flowers of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) is provided. In addition, another potential BC agent, the mirid bug Engytatus nicotianae, prefers young nymphal instars, while the ladybird Cleobora mellyi is voracious and consumes all instars. We are testing combinations of these species to understand the potential for synergies between and within trophic levels for better biological control.

Download Full-text

OCCURRENCE OF CHROMATOMYIA FUSCULA (ZETT.) (DIPTERA: AGROMYZIDAE) IN CEREALS AND GRASSES IN QUEBEC

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/ent127979-6 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 127 (6) ◽

pp. 979-980 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

A. Andersen ◽

J.N. McNeil

Keyword(s):

North America ◽

Grass Species ◽

Quebec City ◽

Major Pest

Larvae of the leafminer Chromatomyia fuscula attack many wild and cultivated grass species, including cereals, in Europe (Spencer 1969, 1991; Griffiths 1980) and are considered a major pest in parts of Fennoscandia (Spencer 1973; Andersen 1989a). However, in North America this species has been reported only on non-cereal grasses (Spencer 1969, 1991; Griffiths 1980). Therefore in 1994 a survey was undertaken in the region around Quebec City to determine if C. fuscula was truly restricted to non-cereal grasses or if, as in Europe, it also attacked cereals.

Download Full-text

Parasites of the Frit-fly, Oscinella frit (L.), in eastern North America

Bulletin of Entomological Research ◽

10.1017/s0007485300029497 ◽

1952 ◽

Vol 43 (3) ◽

pp. 503-542 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

F. J. Simmonds

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

North America ◽

Life Histories ◽

Eastern North America ◽

History Of ◽

Major Pest

An account is given of an investigation made of the life-histories of Oscinella frit and its parasites in Ontario, Canada, with a view to the possible introduction of suitable parasites into England. The various Chloropid species associated with O. frit in North America are discussed.The life-history of the frit-fly in Ontario is similar to that in England except wheat, not oats, is attacked, and that there appears to be no regular grain-infesting generation, but the insect is never a major pest in Canada.The life-histories of the following six species of parasites are described : Hexacola sp. n., Polyscelis sp. n., Loxotropa sp., Cyrtogaster sp., Callitula bicolor and Spalangia drosophilae. Other hosts from which these parasites have been reared include Chloropids associated with O. frit in wheat, namely O. carbonaria, O. soror, O. minor and Meromyza americana.A brief account is given of the control exerted by these parasites on the population of frit-fly in Ontario and a comparison is made between the Canadian and English parasite complexes. From this it is concluded that S. drosophilae might exert some control of frit-fly if introduced into England.

Download Full-text

SSR marker diversity of soybean aphid resistance sources in North America

Genome ◽

10.1139/g07-090 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 50 (12) ◽

pp. 1104-1111 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Charles Y. Chen ◽

Cuihua Gu ◽

Clarice Mensah ◽

Randall L. Nelson ◽

Dechun Wang

Keyword(s):

North America ◽

Genetic Relationships ◽

Soybean Aphid ◽

Aphid Resistance ◽

Pedigree Information ◽

Clustering Methods ◽

Resistance Sources ◽

Ssr Loci ◽

Major Pest ◽

Aphis Glycines Matsumura

The soybean aphid ( Aphis glycines Matsumura) has become a major pest of soybean in North America since 2000. Seven aphid resistance sources, PI 71506, Dowling, Jackson, PI 567541B, PI 567598B, PI 567543C, and PI 567597C, have been identified. Knowledge of genetic relationships among these sources and their ancestral parents will help breeders develop new cultivars with different resistance genes. The objective of this research was to examine the genetic relationships among these resistance sources. Sixty-one lines were tested with 86 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers from 20 linkage groups. Non-hierarchical (VARCLUS) and hierarchical (Ward’s) clustering and multidimensional scaling (MDS) were used to determine relationships among the 61 lines. Two hundred and sixty-two alleles of the 86 SSR loci were detected with a mean polymorphism information content of 0.36. The 61 lines were grouped into 4 clusters by both clustering methods and the MDS results consistently corresponded to the assigned clusters. The 7 resistance sources were clustered into 3 different groups corresponding to their geographical origins and known pedigree information, indicating genetic differences among these sources. The largest variation was found among individuals within different clusters by analysis of molecular variance.

Download Full-text

Greenbug, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) (Insecta: Heteroptera: Aphididae)

EDIS ◽

10.32473/edis-in634-2005 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2005 (11) ◽

Author(s):

Gregg S. Nuessly ◽

Russell T. Nagata

Keyword(s):

North America ◽

Schizaphis Graminum ◽

Major Pest ◽

Small Grains

The greenbug, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani), has been recognized as a major pest of small grains for over 150 years. Described by Rondani, it was first placed in the genus Aphis (Rondani 1852) and later moved to the genus Toxoptera. There are about 40 recognized Schizaphis species worldwide with seven known from North America (Blackman and Eastop 2000). This document is EENY-353, one of a series of the Entomology and Nematology Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Published: July 2005. EENY-353/IN634: Greenbug, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) (Insecta: Hemiptera: Aphididae) (ufl.edu)

Download Full-text

The Biology and Control of the Pea Moth, Laspeyresia nigricana, Steph.

Bulletin of Entomological Research ◽

10.1017/s0007485300024299 ◽

1948 ◽

Vol 39 (1) ◽

pp. 57-84 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

D. W. Wright ◽

Q. A. Geering

Keyword(s):

Great Britain ◽

North America ◽

Southern Europe ◽

Developing Seeds ◽

Far North ◽

Pea Moth ◽

Field Peas ◽

Major Pest ◽

And Control ◽

Considerable Damage

The Pea Moth, Laspeyresia nigricana, Steph., is one of the principal pests of garden and field peas in Great Britain. Its larvae feed within the pods causing considerable damage to the developing seeds and giving to their contents a veryunsightly appearance. The insect is widely distributed in England and, according to Meyrick (1927), occurs in Scotland as far north as the Clyde. It is most prevalent, however, in the southern part of England, where in the pea growing counties of Lincoln, Essex and Kent it frequently causes severe losses. It is widely distributed in central and southern Europe while in North America it has spread, since its introduction, to all the main pea producing areas and has become a major pest.

Download Full-text

North American Prairie Is a Source of Pollen for Managed Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Journal of Insect Science ◽

10.1093/jisesa/ieab001 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ge Zhang ◽

Ashley L St. Clair ◽

Adam G Dolezal ◽

Amy L Toth ◽

Matthew E O’Neal

Keyword(s):

North America ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Crop Production ◽

Floral Resources ◽

European Settlement ◽

Bee Health ◽

Honey Bee Health ◽

Bee Colonies ◽

Prairie Plants

Abstract Prairie was a dominant habitat within large portions of North America before European settlement. Conversion of prairies to farmland resulted in the loss of a large proportion of native floral resources, contributing to the decline of native pollinator populations. Efforts to reconstruct prairie could provide honey bees (Apis mellifera) a source of much-needed forage, especially in regions dominated by crop production. To what extent honey bees, which were introduced to North America by European settlers, use plants native to prairies is unclear. We placed colonies with pollen traps within reconstructed prairies in central Iowa to determine which and how much pollen is collected from prairie plants. Honey bee colonies collected more pollen from nonnative than native plants during June and July. During August and September, honey bee colonies collected more pollen from plants native to prairies. Our results suggest that honey bees’ use of native prairie plants may depend upon the seasonality of both native and nonnative plants present in the landscape. This finding may be useful for addressing the nutritional health of honey bees, as colonies in this region frequently suffer from a dearth of forage contributing to colony declines during August and September when crops and weedy plants cease blooming. These results suggest that prairie can be a significant source of forage for honey bees in the later part of the growing season in the Midwestern United States; we discuss this insight in the context of honey bee health and biodiversity conservation.

Download Full-text

Seasonal occurrence and spatial distribution of resinosis, a symptom of Sirex noctilio (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) injury, on boles of Pinus sylvestris (Pinaceae)

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/tce.2012.96 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 145 (1) ◽

pp. 117-122 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Kathleen Ryan ◽

Peter de Groot ◽

Sandy M. Smith ◽

Jean J. Turgeon

Keyword(s):

Spatial Distribution ◽

North America ◽

Pinus Sylvestris ◽

Southern Hemisphere ◽

Tree Mortality ◽

Forest Stands ◽

Sirex Noctilio ◽

Northeastern North America ◽

Major Pest ◽

Established Population

AbstractAn established population of the exotic woodwasp Sirex noctilio Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) was first detected in North America in 2004. In order to develop survey guidelines for the detection of this major pest of Pinus Linnaeus species in the Southern Hemisphere, we examined 231 Pinus sylvestris biweekly to establish the timing and spatial distribution of resinosis symptoms of attack, and the timing of subsequent tree mortality. Fresh resin appeared between mid-July and late August, and on 70% of infested trees was observed on the mid bole. The occurrence of tree death varied between sites, from 2 weeks after the first detection of resinosis in one site to several months in seven other sites. Findings from our study provide key information to improve detection of S. noctilio and predict its impact on forest stands in its new range in northeastern North America.

Download Full-text