Evaluation of Monitoring Traps and Lures for Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in Berry Plantings in Florida

Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is an invasive insect pest that was detected in Florida in August 2009 in Hillsborough County. Very limited information is available for berry growers to properly detect and monitor this serious pest in southern highbush blueberry (hybrids of Vaccinium corymbosum L. × V. darrowi Camp), rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium virgatum L.), and blackberry (Rubus fruticosus L.) production systems. We compared several D. suzukii traps and lures/baits at two sites in Florida. The traps evaluated included Trécé, Scentry, and a standard homemade cup trap. These traps were compared with various baits and lures, including Trécé lure, Scentry lure, yeast bait, and Suzukii trap, under Florida production systems. Early detection is important to develop an effective monitoring system so management action can be taken before economic damage occurs. Data were recorded as overall trends, as well as in 4–5 trapping periods from early to late season. Overall, the Scentry trap baited with Scentry lure, the Trécé trap baited with Trécé lure + yeast, and the Trécé trap baited with Scentry lure were the best performing traps. Yeast-based traps were also attractive to D. suzukii early in the season, but they did not provide consistent captures as the season progressed. The Scentry trap with yeast bait, the Scentry trap with Scentry lure, the Trécé trap with Trécé lure + yeast bait, and a cup trap with yeast bait caught most of the flies during the first trapping period in 2015 and 2016 in the rabbiteye blueberry. In the southern highbush blueberry, the population of D. suzukii was much lower than in the rabbiteye blueberry planting, and the Scentry trap with Scentry lure captured the highest number of flies during the first trapping period in 2016. In the blackberry, the Scentry trap with Scentry lure numerically had the highest captures during the first trapping period, but this was not significantly different from the cup trap with yeast bait, the Trécé trap baited with Suzukii trap, and the Trécé trap with Trécé lure. Overall, the Scentry trap with Scentry lure was the most consistent trap that captured D. suzukii flies throughout the season in the three production systems—rabbiteye blueberry, southern highbush blueberry, and blackberry. Growers in low pressure systems that are similar to Florida can use the Scentry trap with Scentry lure to monitor D. suzukii populations.

Diversity and Abundance of Nonculicid Biting Flies (Diptera) In A Zoo Environment

ABSTRACT The diversity of nonculicid biting flies was surveyed in Sunset Zoo, Manhattan, KS, by carbon dioxide–baited traps. A total of 8,399 nonculicid biting-fly females representing 32 species and 5 families were collected. Twenty-one biting midge (Ceratopogonidae: Culicoides) and 7 black fly (Simuliidae) species were collected, including new state records of 3 Culicoides and 1 simuliid. The species richness of Culicoides and Simuliidae within the zoo represents 72.4% and 41.2%, respectively, of the fauna known to occur in Kansas. Trap type significantly influenced (P < 0.05) collections of the 5 species analyzed, and trapping period affected 3 species. The diversity and abundance of nonculicid biting flies in the zoo as related to animal health and wellness is discussed.

Rainwater dispersal of Botryosphaeria conidia from infected grapevines

Dispersal of spores was investigated for the Botryosphaeria species that are responsible for dieback in grapevines Trapping for spores was carried out in a Canterbury vineyard during May 2008April 2009 to investigate spore availability during the year No spores characteristic of the Botryosphaeriaceae were collected on Vaselinecoated slides which were considered suitable for wind dispersed spores although spores of other fungi were collected However traps that collected rainwater runoff yielded conidia of the Botryosphaeriaceae In haemocytometer counts of spores they were initially identified by morphology and subsequently confirmed by PCR of rDNA followed by DNA sequencing During the trapping period 598 of the total Botryosphaeriaceae caught were Neofusicoccum spp and 402 were Diplodia spp These were present throughout the entire year with most abundant conidia being detected during December January and February when summer temperatures were high and when routine trimming of mature canes provided the wounds needed for infection

Evaluation of coloured sticky traps for monitoring beneficial insects in apple orchards

Field experiments to evaluate four different coloured sticky traps for monitoring beneficial insects were conducted on Braeburn apple blocks in four commercial orchards situated in the Motueka region Traps used were white yellow and blue Corflute sheets and a clear Mylar sheet all coated on one side with adhesive (Tactrap) The sticky traps were deployed between 27 February and 24 March 2006 Each colour sticky trap was hung vertically from a branch within the tree and traps were replaced and rerandomised two times during the trapping period Beneficial insects monitored included Aphelinus mali Platygaster demades Anagrus sp Stethorus bifidus and Encarsia spp Results indicated that yellow was the best trap colour for catching A mali Stethorus and Encarsia and a clear trap was best for Anagrus sp Trap colour did not have a significant impact on the catch of P demades

Do reindeer aggregate on snow patches to reduce harassment by parasitic flies or to thermoregulate?

During warm, sunny days (Max. temp. 22 °C to 25 °C) C02-baited traps operated at sites on and off snow patches (SP's) in subarctic Norway caught significantly fewer culicids, simuliids and tabanids on snow in both 1985 and 1987. However, for overnight catches (18.30 - 07.30 h) there was no significant difference in the number of culicids caught on versus off SP's. Analysis of videotapes taken in 1987 showed that defensive anti-fly behaviors of reindeer on and off SP's remained low (< 1/4 min) throughout the day. Based on reindeer anti-fly behaviors, harassment was greatest from 10.30 to 12.30 h (Norwegian Standard Time), but reindeer continued to aggregate on SP's while anti-fly behaviors were lowest (13.30 to 20.00 h). Groups of > 150 animals often occupied the entire surface of a snow patch. At the fly densities and climatic conditions encountered it seemed apparent that reindeer intermittently used SP's primarily to thermoregulate following periods of foraging. Almost all reindeer remained on SP's from 11.00 to 12.30 h, but at other times between 08.00 and 19 00 h about half the herd (ca. 800 animals) foraged for about an hour while the other half aggregated on SP's. However, by 20.00 h, during the cooler period when trap catches of mosquitoes were increasing, almost all reindeer had moved off SP's. The small decreases in anti-fly defensive behaviors observed for reindeer on SP's versus animals foraging in snow-free areas indicated that their presence on SP's may have resulted in a minor, coincidental reduction in harassment. Significantly more tabanids were caught during the morning trapping period than at other times, and significantly more mosquitoes were caught during the evening/overnight trapping period than at other times.

Migrating moths (Lepidoptera) collected in tower-mounted light traps in northern New South Wales, Australia: species composition and seasonal abundance

Light traps were operated between September and April for five years on towers on mountain tops at two locations in northern New South Wales, Australia. The traps were designed so that their lights could only be seen from above, and therefore only insects engaged in high altitude flight, presumed to be migrants, were captured. The catch consisted mostly of Noctuidae and Sphingidae. Sweep netting failed to reveal local breeding, and for many species there were few host plants close to the traps. A total of 51,580 moths were trapped at Point Lookout and 10,223 at Mt Dowe. Sphingids, mostly Hippotion scrofa (Boisduval), comprised 26.9% of the catch at Point Lookout, but only 2.6% at Mt Dowe, and there were more species of noctuids at Point Lookout (44) than at Mt Dowe (15). The most common noctuid species were Agrotis infusa (Boisduval), Mythimna convecta (Walker), Helicoverpa punctigera (Wallengren), H. armigera (Hübner), Dasygaster nephelistis Hampson and A. munda Walker. Known or suspected migrants comprised 94.6% of the catch at Point Lookout and 99.9% at Mt Dowe. However, there were at least 24 species not previously suspected as migrants. The seasonal distribution of catches varied between sites and years. Some species showed peaks in both spring and autumn in some years, but only in spring in other years. Many of the less common species were caught only in summer and autumn. Large catches were usually obtained overs short periods (1–2 nights), separated by long periods when catches were very low. These large catches, which were thought to represent major migrations, accounted for 76% of the catch in 3% of the trapping period at Point Lookout, and 87% of the catch in 2% of the trapping period at Mt Dowe.

THE BIOLOGY AND PHEROMONE-BASED MONITORING OF THE DRIEDFRUIT MOTH, VITULA EDMANDSAE SERRATILINEELLA (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE)

In western Canada, three wax-infesting moth species are serious pests of honey bee products, Vitula edmandsae serratilineella Ragonot, Achroia grisella (F.), and Plodia interpunctella (Hübner). The latter two species are found only in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia, while the driedfruit moth (sometimes called the bumble bee wax moth), V. edmandsae, is found throughout western Canada.Three female-produced pheromone components of V. edmandsae were identified as (Z,E)-9,12-tetradecadien-1-ol, (Z)-9-tetradecen-1-ol, and (Z)-11-hexadecen-1-ol, and field tested. Pheromone baits were used in traps outdoors and in bee equipment storage facilities in the Fraser and Okanagan valleys of British Columbia. The peak indoor trapping period occurred during May in the Okanagan Valley, while catches in indoor traps in the Fraser Valley were negligible throughout the entire trapping period. Catches in outdoor traps peaked during July in both regions. Traps baited with (Z,E)-9,12-tetradecadien-1-ol, alone or in binary combination with (Z)-11-hexadecen-1-ol, were significantly more attractive to male V. edmandsae than all other treatments tested. At one apiary, cumulative moth catch from a trap line 1.0 m from hives was significantly greater than that from a trap line 4.5 m away. The results suggest that a pheromone-based monitoring and control program for V. edmandsae is feasible.

TRAP CATCHES OF PSOCOPTERA IN THE RESERVA DUCKE, AMAZONAS

Psocoptera captured in emergence traps, light traps and a Malaise trap at the Reserva Ducke in 1977-78 are enumerated and discussed. Eighty four species were trapped, mainly in small numbers, and the few common species were present throughout the trapping period. Fewer species were caught in emergence traps than in other trap types. Distribution of Brazilian psocids is briefly discussed.