Virus Diseases of Sawflies

1955 ◽  
Vol 87 (3) ◽  
pp. 124-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. T. Bird

Although a virus disease of the larch sawfly, Pristiphora erichsonii (Htg.), has not been discovered, polyhedrosis viruses of several other Tenthredinids are known. They have been used to control infestations of two introduced species: the European spruce sawfly, Diprion hercyniae (Htg.), (Bird, 1954) and the European pine sawfly, Neodiprion sertifer (Geoffr.), (Bird, 1950, 1952, 1953; Dowden, 1953). Unfortunately, the viruses of these, as well as the viruses of several other species tested, are not pathogenic to the larch sawfly. Some viruses, however, appear to he pathogenic to more than one species. J. M. Burk of this laboratory found, for example, that a polyhedrosis virus affecting the native jackpine sawfly, Neudiprion americanus banksianae Roh., is pathogenic to N. sertifer, N. nanulus Schedl, and D. hercyniae.

1953 ◽  
Vol 85 (12) ◽  
pp. 433-437 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. T. Bird ◽  
M. M. Whalen

Escherich (7) was the first to report a polyhedral virus disease affecting the European pine sawfly, Neodiprion sertifer (Geoffr.). Later Forsslund (8) observed that populations of this insect in Sweden were controlled by a virus disease. In 1948, H. S. Hanson. Entomologist of the Forestry Commission, England, observed mortality among N. sertifer in England which was due to a polyhedral virus disease (10). In 1949 virus-killed larvae collected in Sweden by Forsslund, were sent to the Laboratory of Insect Pathology, Sault Ste. Marie by G. R. Wyatt of this laboratory and the virus from these insects was propagated and used in the biological control of N. sertifer in southern Ontario (3, 5). This paper describes some aspects of the laboratory studies of the disease, namely: the infection process in cells susceptible to the virus, incubation period of the disease, and the isolation and electron microscope study of the causal agent.


1977 ◽  
Vol 109 (4) ◽  
pp. 555-564 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. A. Lyons

AbstractFour species of Exenterus were reared from the European pine sawfly, Neodiprion sertifer (Geoff.), in Ontario. An introduced species, E. abruptorius (Thunb.), last reported in Ontario in 1948, was recovered in very small numbers at one location. The native E. affinis Roh. (= E. walleyi Cush.) parasitized a small proportion of N. sertifer but was the main species attacking feeding larvae. The native E. nigrifrons (formerly called E. canadensis Prov.) and the introduced E. amictorius (Panz.) occurred at all sampled locations. Both species were more numerous in high than in low density populations of N. sertifer, but E. nigrifrons was more destructive, and E. amictorius less destructive, at high than at low density.About 60% of adults of E. amictorius and 6% of those of E. nigrifrons eclosed in the same summer that attack occurred. Most were unlikely to have reproduced, owing to the scarcity of hosts. In both species females were more frequent in female than in male hosts.Samples of N. sertifer cocoons in July were superior to larval samples in June and cocoon samples in August and the following May for measuring the rate of parasitism and the relative abundance of Exenterus spp. However, because of mortality of Exenterus before and after sampling, data based on the rearing of cocoons seriously underestimated the impact of the parasites.


1953 ◽  
Vol 85 (12) ◽  
pp. 437-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. T. Bird

The European pine sawfly, Neodiprion sertifer (Geoffr.), is a serious defoliator of pine in many parts of Europe and Asia. Infestations of this insect have been controlled by weather, and frequently high percentages are destroyed by parasitic and predacinus insects, by small mammals, and by birds. Infectious diseases are most frequently reported as having controlled outbreaks, namely: virus disease (4, 5), bacterial disease (12). fungus disease (8), bacterial and fungus diseases (7, 11), a disease not diagnosed (9).


1967 ◽  
Vol 99 (6) ◽  
pp. 670-672 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald W. Kobylnyk

Laser treatment of larval and pupal stages within cocoons of Neodiprion sertifer (Geoff.) requires an accurate assessment of viability and the antero-posterior alignment of the cocoon content. The use of the candling technique to assess qualitative features of avian eggs depends on the translucency of the egg shell and the differences in light transmission by other elements within it (Romanoff and Romanoff 1949). Transmitted-light methods have been employed for insects within cocoons by Cushman (1913) and Hanna (1935). A type of candling technique different from previous methods and which was developed in the Zoology Department, University of Guelph, enables N. sertifer cocoon content to be ascertained and is herein described.


1961 ◽  
Vol 93 (9) ◽  
pp. 799-801 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thelma Finlayson

Aptesis basizona (Grav.), a parasite of pine sawflies in Europe, was propagated at Belleville, Ont. (Green, 1938) for release against the European spruce sawfly, Diprion hercyniae (Htg.), the European pine sawfly, Neodiprion sertifer (Geoff.) and other Diprionidae. Development of the insects in the laboratory was allowed to continue until feeding was completed and cocoons were spun, and was then retarded by placing the insects in cold storage pending shipment to release areas. Frequently stock for propagation was incubated after a period of cold storage, and occasionally the schedule was interrupted by decreases in the reproductive capacity of the adults. It seemed that there was some relationship between the fertility of the adults and the temperatures at which the immature stages were held, both while feeding and after they had reached the fully-fed stage. Experiments were initiated to investigate this hypothesis.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document