scholarly journals Range-Expansion in Processionary Moths and Biological Control

Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jetske de Boer ◽  
Jeffrey Harvey

Global climate change is resulting in a wide range of biotic responses, including changes in diel activity and seasonal phenology patterns, range shifts polewards in each hemisphere and/or to higher elevations, and altered intensity and frequency of interactions between species in ecosystems. Oak (Thaumetopoea processionea) and pine (T. pityocampa) processionary moths (hereafter OPM and PPM, respectively) are thermophilic species that are native to central and southern Europe. The larvae of both species are gregarious and produce large silken ‘nests’ that they use to congregate when not feeding. During outbreaks, processionary caterpillars are capable of stripping foliage from their food plants (oak and pine trees), generating considerable economic damage. Moreover, the third to last instar caterpillars of both species produce copious hairs as a means of defence against natural enemies, including both vertebrate and invertebrate predators, and parasitoids. These hairs contain the toxin thaumetopoein that causes strong allergic reactions when it comes into contact with human skin or other membranes. In response to a warming climate, PPM is expanding its range northwards, while OPM outbreaks are increasing in frequency and intensity, particularly in northern Germany, the Netherlands, and southern U.K., where it was either absent or rare previously. Here, we discuss how warming and escape from co-evolved natural enemies has benefitted both species, and suggest possible strategies for biological control.

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
V. O. Martynov

Crop pests are the cause of economic damage in many developing countries, including Ukraine, where annual loss of crop harvest on average equals 6 million tons, valued at 840 million dollars. Pests consume grain, causing its pollution and creating favorable conditions for development of mold, which significantly decreases the food and seeding properties of grain and products of its processing. This article presents basic data on biological control and its advantages, demonstrates the variety of natural enemies of the pest beetles, which are used in biological control, analyses studies of the biological control of main crop pests and products of its processing belonging to the families Curculionidae and Tenebrionidae, and also the role of competition in  biological control. The analysis of studies on the effectiveness of different natural enemies of the main crop pest-beetles shows that the most studied parasites are Sitophilus granarius, S. zeamais, Tribolium confusum, T. castaneum, Oryzaephilus surinamensis, Rhyzopertha dominica, Acanthoscelides obtectus and Callosobruchus maculatus. Natural enemies of the rest of the species are poorly studied, and there is no data on Caulophilus latinasus, Tenebroides mauritanicus, Dermestes lardarius, Ptinus fur and Bruchidius incarnatus. The most commonly used natural enemies are Xylocoris flavipes, Anisopteromalus calandrae, the entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana, and also nematodes of the Steinernema and Heterorhabditis genera. Despite the broad spectrum of natural enemies of the main pests of the grain supply, it is necessary to further study the parasites of every species of beetle which causes economic damage. Using biological control is the most promising method against pests of crops and products of its processing, which meets the current requirements to the sanitary-ecological condition of agricultural production.


2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 894-902 ◽  
Author(s):  
A E Iskra ◽  
J L Woods ◽  
D H Gent

Abstract The twospotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch) is a common pest in agricultural and ornamental crops. This pest can be controlled by resident predatory arthropods in certain situations. This research quantified the stability and resiliency of established conservation biological control of the twospotted spider mite in hop over a 5-yr period associated with nitrogen fertilization rate and use of a broad-spectrum insecticide. Biological control generally was stable and resilient over a sixfold range of nitrogen fertilization rates, and in only 1 of 5 yr did elevated nitrogen rates significantly affect populations of spider mites. In contrast, one application of the insecticide bifenthrin was associated with disruption of biological control and a severe outbreak of spider mites. The complex of natural enemies suppressed the outbreak during the same year in which bifenthrin was applied, but only after populations of spider mites exceeded levels associated with economic damage. However, in the following year the system returned to an equilibrium state where spider mites were suppressed below economically damaging levels. Therefore, conservation biological control in hop appears stable and robust to factors such as nitrogen fertilization that increase reproductive rates of spider mites but may be sensitive to factors such as nonselective insecticides that are lethal to natural enemies. Conservation biological control can be considered resilient to a single use of a nonselective insecticide in the year following the application, but not within the year of application.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 164-167
Author(s):  
C. Kathirvelu

Arthropod natural enemies are often vital biological control agents of various insect pests of rice ecosystem which include a wide range of predators and parasitoids. Determining the natural enemies and biodiversity of rice fields is the first step to success in biological control and IIPM (Integrated production and pest management) programmes. In the present study, there were four methods of collection viz. sweep net, Malaise trap, UV light trap and yellow pan trap were used to gather parasitoids from ADT-36 rice variety during Kuruvai season (June - September) in 2012. The rice variety was cultivated following the conventional practices like application of inorganic manures, pesticides, micronutrients etc., The results of the diversity of parasitic fauna of conventional rice ecosystem revealed that a total of 889 parasitoids were collected through net sweep, 631 in Malaise trap, 534 in yellow pan trap and 308 in UV light trap during Kuruvai, 2012. Thirteen different agriculturally important parasitic families were collected and identified. Among the families collected, Ichneumonidae, Braconidae, Scelionidae and Chalcididae were found predominant.  Dryniidae was recorded only in yellow pan trap. Among the collection methods employed, Net sweep was found to be the best in collection of parasitoids than other methods in conventional rice ecosystems.


HortScience ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 1118B-1118
Author(s):  
Brent Rowell ◽  
Nittayaporn Bunsong ◽  
Kosin Satthaporn ◽  
Sompian Phithamma ◽  
Charnnarong Doungsa-ard

Larvae of the diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Ypeunomutidae) and other crucifer pests cause severe economic damage to cabbage, Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata (Brassicaceae) and related vegetables in Thailand and elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Overuse of pesticides is a serious problem in most vegetable growing areas of the country. Six species of parasitoids were reared from DBM larvae and pupae collected in northern Thailand in 1989–90 and 2003–04. The larval parasitoid Cotesiaplutellae Kurdjumov (Braconidae) appears to be the most important parasitoid of DBM in Thailand; other native or naturalized parasitoids may play supplementary roles. These natural enemies can and should be conserved in well thought out, participatory IPM programs. Field experiments comparing local farmer practice (weekly sprays of synthetic pyrethroid insecticides) to a simple IPM protocol using Bt and neem demonstrated superior control and higher yields of undamaged cabbage from the IPM treatment. This information on DBM parasitoids and other natural enemies of crucifer pests has been developed into a poster and other extension materials currently used in national “training of trainer” (for vegetable IPM) programs throughout Thailand. Farmer-centered IPM programs focused on conservation of local DBM parasitoids and on greater implementation of biological control will help alleviate growing public concerns regarding the effects of pesticides on vegetable growers and consumers.


Author(s):  
Patricia J. Vittum

This chapter assesses biological control strategies that can reduce turfgrass insect pest populations. Biological control refers to the suppression of pest populations through the activity of living organisms or their by-products. Although a majority of this book is devoted to understanding turfgrass pests, most organisms associated with turfgrass are not pests but instead may be considered beneficial because they reduce thatch, help recycle soil nutrients, or are natural enemies of pest species. Pest outbreaks can sometimes be traced to the absence of natural control agents in the turf environment. Vertebrate and invertebrate predators, insect parasitoids, and microbial pathogens may act as natural enemies of turfgrass pests. Although the effect of one species of natural enemy may be minor, the combined effects of predators, parasitoids, and pathogens can cause considerable reductions in pest populations. Additional agents can be considered as biological controls. These include fungal endophytes (which confer host-plant resistance to some insects), botanicals (botanically derived insecticides), and synthetic compounds that mimic the activity of insect-produced compounds, such as growth hormones and pheromones.


2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (No. 1) ◽  
pp. 47-58
Author(s):  
Karmen Stopar ◽  
Stanislav Trdan ◽  
Tomaž Bartol

Thrips can cause considerable economic damage. In order to reduce the use of agrochemicals research has also focused on different natural enemies. We used bibliometric mapping and visualization to understand the structure of this field. Articles from Web of Science as well as software Vosviewer were used. Analysis of co-occurrence of terms shows the principal research areas: transmission of viruses, chemical or biological control and new species. A third of articles refer to biological control. Visualizations reveal three major groups of beneficials: entomopathogens, parasitoids, and predators. Recently, attention has shifted mainly to predatory mites as biocontrol agents. Our analysis aims to make such information visually more explanatory with better overview of research directions.


EDIS ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
James P. Cuda ◽  
Patricia Prade ◽  
Carey R. Minteer-Killian

In the late 1970s, Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi (Sapindales: Anacardiaceae), was targeted for classical biological control in Florida because its invasive properties (see Host Plants) are consistent with escape from natural enemies (Williams 1954), and there are no native Schinus spp. in North America. The lack of native close relatives should minimize the risk of damage to non-target plants from introduced biological control agents (Pemberton 2000). [...]


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