Phenology of Emerald Ash Borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) and Its Introduced Larval Parasitoids in the Northeastern United States

2019 ◽  
Vol 113 (2) ◽  
pp. 622-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael I Jones ◽  
Juli R Gould ◽  
Hope J Mahon ◽  
Melissa K Fierke

Abstract Biological control offers a long-term and sustainable option for controlling the destructive forest pest emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, in North America. Three larval parasitoids, Spathius agrili Yang (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Tetrastichus planipennisi Yang (Eulophidae), and Spathius galinae Belokobylskij & Strazanac, have been introduced to North America from the native range of EAB (northeastern Asia). While T. planipennisi appears to be persisting where it has been introduced in northern United States, S. agrili failed to establish in northeastern states. The more recently identified parasitoid S. galinae was recovered from the Russian Far East and climate matching suggests it should be suited for release in colder climates. We collected data on the phenology of EAB and its introduced larval parasitoids from colonies established in an insectary, growth chambers, and field-caged trees in Syracuse, New York to determine whether asynchrony between parasitoids and EAB or climate could impact establishment and persistence. Phenological data indicated EAB has one and 2-yr life cycles in New York, with parasitoid-susceptible EAB larvae available spring to fall for parasitism. Insectary and growth chamber studies indicated S. galinae and T. planipennisi were synchronous with EAB phenology, and field studies suggested both species could overwinter in northeastern climates. Spathius agrili was asynchronous with EAB phenology and climate, emerging when fewer parasitoid-susceptible EAB larvae were available and temperatures were not optimal for survival. Our results suggest S. galinae and T. planipennisi are suited for biological control of EAB at the northern limits of its range in North America.

2015 ◽  
Vol 147 (3) ◽  
pp. 300-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leah S. Bauer ◽  
Jian J. Duan ◽  
Juli R. Gould ◽  
Roy Van Driesche

AbstractFirst detected in North America in 2002, the emerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire; Coleoptera: Buprestidae), an invasive phloem-feeding beetle from Asia, has killed tens of millions of ash (Fraxinus Linnaeus; Oleaceae) trees. Although few parasitoids attack EAB in North America, three parasitoid species were found attacking EAB in China: the egg parasitoid Oobius agrili Zhang and Huang (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and two larval parasitoids Tetrastichus planipennisi Yang (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) and Spathius agrili Yang (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). In 2007, classical biological control of EAB began in the United States of America after release of these three species was approved. In 2013, release of the larval parasitoids was approved in Canada. Research continues at study sites in Michigan, United States of America where the establishment, prevalence, and spread of O. agrili and T. planipennisi have been monitored since 2008. However, establishment of S. agrili remains unconfirmed in northern areas, and its release is now restricted to regions below the 40th parallel. In 2015, approval for release of Spathius galinae Belokobylskij (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), an EAB larval parasitoid from the Russian Far East, may be granted in the United States of America. Researchers are guardedly optimistic that a complex of introduced and native natural enemies will regulate EAB densities below a tolerance threshold for survival of ash species or genotypes in forested ecosystems.


Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark G. Volkovitsh ◽  
Alexey V. Kovalev ◽  
Marina J. Orlova-Bienkowskaja

Our goal is to analyze the known geographical ranges and diagnostic features of two potentially invasive Asian buprestid species: the quarantine apple tree pest, Agrilus mali Matsumura, and the poplar pest A. fleischeri Obenberger. Based on the examination of museum collections and literature sources, we compiled comprehensive databases of records of the exact collecting sites for both species and generated detailed maps of their ranges. There are 51 documented localities for A. mali in the Russian Far East and East Siberia, Mongolia, China, and the Korean peninsula, and there are 53 documented localities for A. fleischeri in the Far East and Siberia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, and Japan. No evidence of the presence of A. mali in Japan was found. Outbreak sites of A. mali in Xinjiang in the 2000s most likely represent the newly forming invasion areas; their proximity to the wild apple stands in the Kazakh part of the Tien Shan is a direct threat to Kazakhstan and adjacent countries. Sites damaged by A. fleischeri in Liaoning are situated within its native range; the outbreaks were likely triggered by the switch from indigenous to introduced poplars. This situation is similar to the early stages of emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) invasion.


Author(s):  

Abstract A new distribution map is provided for Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire. Coleoptera: Buprestidae. Main hosts: Fraxinus spp. Information is given on the geographical distribution in Europe (Russia, Central Russia, Russian Far East and Southern Russia), Asia (China, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Shandong, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Japan, Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku, Korea Democratic People's Republic, Korea Republic, Mongolia and Taiwan) and North America (Canada, Ontario, Quebec, USA, Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin).


2017 ◽  
Vol 149 (4) ◽  
pp. 482-486 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael I. Jones ◽  
Juli R. Gould ◽  
Melissa K. Fierke

AbstractSevere mortality (93%) of overwintering larvae of emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), was recorded in March 2016 from green ash, Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall (Oleaceae), in Syracuse, New York, United States of America. In contrast, larvae collected from the same area in January exhibited <1% mortality. A strong cold front moved across New York from 13 to 15 February 2016 with temperatures plunging to nearly −40 °C in some areas. In many regions of New York where A. planipennis is established, temperatures dropped well below the reported supercooling point of overwintering larvae. To evaluate whether the extreme cold was linked to extensive mortality of larvae, trees were sampled from four areas that experienced a gradient of minimum temperatures on 14 February 2016. Overwintering mortality varied from ⩽5% to 93% among regions, with lowest survival in the coldest regions. When excised from their galleries, dead larvae were discoloured with brown spots or had black necrotic tissue in the spiracles or foregut. This is the first report of extensive cold-related mortality for this species in North America and highlights the stochastic nature of climatic extremes on invasive species populations.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip B. Taylor ◽  
Jian J. Duan ◽  
Roger W. Fuester ◽  
Mark Hoddle ◽  
Roy Van Driesche

Literature studies in North America (US and Canada), Europe, and Asia (particularly Russia, China, Japan, and the Korean peninsula) were reviewed to identify parasitoid guilds associated withAgriluswoodborers. There are at least 12 species of hymenopteran parasitoids attacking eggs ofAgrilusbeetles and 56 species (36 genera), attackingAgriluslarvae infesting various host plants in North America, Asia, and Europe. While most of the egg parasitoids (9 species) belong to the family Encyrtidae, a majority of the larval parasitoids are members of five families: Braconidae (24 species/11 genera), Eulophidae (8 species/4 genera), Ichneumonidae (10 species/9 genera), and Eupelmidae (6 species/5 genera). The highest rate ofAgrilusegg parasitism (>50%) was exerted by encyrtid wasps (4 species) in North America, Asia, and Europe. In contrast, the highest rate ofAgriluslarval parasitism (>50%) was caused by species in two genera of braconids:Atanycolus(North America) andSpathius(Asia), and one eulophid genus,Tetrastichus(Asia and Europe). Reported rate ofAgriluslarval parasitism ichneumonids was frequent in North America, but generally low (<1%). Potential for success in biological control of emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennisFairmaire) in the USA with North American native parasitoids and old-association Asian parasitoids is discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 113 (6) ◽  
pp. 2641-2649
Author(s):  
Juli R Gould ◽  
Melissa L Warden ◽  
Benjamin H Slager ◽  
Theresa C Murphy

Abstract Emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is one of the most serious forest pests in the United States. Ongoing research indicates that establishment of larval parasitoids depends upon the season-long availability of host stages susceptible to parasitism. We monitored emerald ash borer overwintering stages at 90 sites across 22 states to: 1) produce a model of the percentage of emerald ash borer overwintering as non-J larvae; 2) link that model to establishment of Tetrastichus planipennisi; and 3) explore changes to our model under climate change scenarios. Accumulated growing degree days (GDD) is an important predictor of the proportion of emerald ash borer overwintering as non-J larvae (1–4 instar larvae under the bark; available to parasitoids emerging in spring) versus J-larvae (fourth-instar larvae in pupal chambers in the outer wood; unavailable to parasitoids). From north to south, the availability of non-J emerald ash borer larvae in the spring decreases as accumulated GDD increases. In areas where the model predicted &gt;46–75%, &gt;30–46%, &gt;13–30%, or ≤13% of emerald ash borer overwintering as non-J larvae, the probability of establishment of T. planipennisi was 92%, 67%, 57%, and 21%, respectively. We determined that 13% of emerald ash borer overwintering as non-J larvae was the lowest threshold for expected T. planipennisi establishment. Additional modeling predicts that under climate change, establishment of T. planipennisi will be most affected in the Central United States, with areas that are currently suitable becoming unsuitable. Our results provide a useful tool for the emerald ash borer biological control program on how to economically and successfully deploy emerald ash borer biological control agents.


2019 ◽  
Vol 112 (5) ◽  
pp. 2121-2130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian J Duan ◽  
Roy G Van Driesche ◽  
Ryan S Crandall ◽  
Jonathan M Schmude ◽  
Claire E Rutledge ◽  
...  

Abstract The emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, a buprestid beetle native to Asia, has become a serious pest of ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) in North America since the early 2000s. Due to the impracticality of applying insecticides in natural forests, biocontrol is the most viable method to manage EAB in natural ecosystems. Here, we report the first evidence for the establishment and impact of Spathius galinae Belokobylskij & Strazenac, a larval parasitoid first released in North America in 2016 and 2017 at six mixed-hardwood forest sites, in Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts. We also report current levels of abundance and parasitism of another introduced larval EAB parasitoid, Tetrastichus planipennisi Yang (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), released in 2015 and 2016 in these same sites. Spathius galinae was recovered at all release sites in 2018, and its density in sampled trees had increased 1.5- to 20-fold (relative to the first postrelease sample year), reaching a final density of 2.3–14.3 broods/m2 of phloem area and causing 13.1–49.2% marginal rate of parasitism at four of the six sites. In contrast, T. planipennisi was only recovered in 2018 at four of the six release sites, and both its density (0.1–2.3 broods/m2 of phloem area) and parasitism (0.1–5.6%) were lower than that of S. galinae throughout the study at the four sites where recoveries were made. Our data fill a critical gap in the development of a biocontrol-based EAB management plan to protect surviving ash trees capable of reaching maturity and producing replacement trees.


Author(s):  

Abstract A new distribution map is provided for Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire. Coleoptera: Buprestidae. Hosts: Chinese cork bark elm (Ulmus parvifolia var. corticara), Fraxinus spp., Japanese wingnut (Pterocarya rhoifolia) and Manchurian walnut (Juglans mandshurica). Information is given on the geographical distribution in Europe (Russia, Russian Far East), Asia (China, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Menggu [Nei Mongol], Shandong, Xinjiang, Japan, Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku, Korea Democratic People's Republic, Korea Republic, Mongolia, Taiwan), and North America (Canada, Ontario, USA, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Virginia).


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Narin Srei ◽  
Robert Lavallée ◽  
Claude Guertin

AbstractEmerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, is an invasive and destructive beetle that causes extensive damages to ash trees in North America. The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana is considered as an effective biological control agent for EAB adult populations. Using an assisted autodissemination with the fungal isolate INRS-242 of B. bassiana, our research aims to investigate the possibility of horizontal transmission of the fungal disease from infected to uninfected EAB adults during mating. Results show that the efficiency of fungal transmission is significantly related to the sex of EAB carrying the pathogen. EAB males are the promising vector to transmit INRS-242 isolate of B. bassiana to their partners during mating. Results strengthen the potential of the fungal autodissemination device as a powerful biological strategy to control EAB populations.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document