六种新烟碱类杀虫剂和三氟苯嘧啶对黄胸蓟马及南方小花蝽的选择毒性

【目的】评估6种新烟碱类杀虫剂和1种新型杀虫剂三氟苯嘧啶对黄胸蓟马Thrips hawaiiensis及其天敌南方小花蝽Orius strigicollis的选择毒性,为杀虫剂与南方小花蝽联合防控黄胸蓟马提供依据。【方法】采用药膜法测定吡虫啉、呋虫胺、氟吡呋喃酮、氯噻啉、烯啶虫胺和噻虫嗪6种新烟碱类杀虫剂及三氟苯嘧啶对黄胸蓟马成虫的毒力及对南方小花蝽5龄若虫的急性毒性,并评估其对南方小花蝽5龄若虫的暴露风险。【结果】供试的7种杀虫剂对黄胸蓟马成虫的半致死用量(median lethal rate, LR₅₀)均低于田间最大推荐用量。氯噻啉对黄胸蓟马成虫的LR₅₀值最低(0.183 g a.i/hm²),显著低于其他杀虫剂;氟吡呋喃酮和三氟苯嘧啶对黄胸蓟马成虫的LR₅₀值分别为3.066和3.949 g a.i/hm²,显著高于其他杀虫剂;两种烯啶虫胺制剂(20%烯啶虫胺可溶液剂和10%烯啶虫胺水剂)对黄胸蓟马成虫的LR₅₀分别为0.327和0.201 g a.i/hm²;两种噻虫嗪制剂(70%噻虫嗪水分散粒剂和25%噻虫嗪水分散粒剂)对黄胸蓟马成虫的LR₅₀值分别为0.970和0.685 g a.i/hm²;不同剂型和含量的烯啶虫胺和噻虫嗪对黄胸蓟马成虫的毒力差异显著。测试的6种新烟碱类杀虫剂对南方小花蝽5龄若虫的LR₅₀值均低于田间最大推荐用量,而三氟苯嘧啶对南方小花蝽5龄若虫的LR₅₀值高于田间最大推荐用量。三氟苯嘧啶对南方小花蝽5龄若虫的毒性最低(LR₅₀>65.736 g a.i/hm²),吡虫啉和呋虫胺次之(LR₅₀值分别为21.317和24.486 g a.i/hm²)。吡虫啉、呋虫胺、三氟苯嘧啶对黄胸蓟马成虫和南方小花蝽5龄若虫具有较高的选择毒性。三氟苯嘧啶和吡虫啉对农田内、农田外南方小花蝽的风险均可接受,氯噻啉和噻虫嗪均不可接受。【结论】黄胸蓟马成虫对6种新烟碱类杀虫剂和三氟苯嘧啶均具极高的敏感性,其中以吡虫啉和三氟苯嘧啶对南方小花蝽5龄若虫的风险较低;三氟苯嘧啶与南方小花蝽兼容性较高,二者在黄胸蓟马的联合防控中具备良好的潜力。     

八种新烟碱类杀虫剂对地熊蜂工蜂的毒性及风险评估

【目的】评价新烟碱类杀虫剂对地熊蜂Bombus terrestris工蜂的毒性和生态风险性,为温室施用新烟碱类杀虫剂提供科学依据。【方法】分别采用饲喂法和接触法测定了噻虫嗪、噻虫胺、啶虫脒、吡虫啉、烯啶虫胺、呋虫胺、噻虫啉和氟吡呋喃酮8种新烟碱类杀虫剂对地熊蜂成年工蜂的急性经口和急性接触毒性。同时评估了8种新烟碱类杀虫剂对地熊蜂工蜂的生态风险性。【结果】8种杀虫剂经饲喂法测定,噻虫胺对地熊蜂成年工蜂的毒性最高,24 h和48 h的LD₅₀值分别为0.0433和0.0330μg a.i./蜂;氟吡呋喃酮毒性最低,24 h和48 h的LD₅₀值分别为72.4119和67.9079μg a.i./蜂。接触法测定的毒性与饲喂法测得的结果一致,噻虫胺的毒性最高,24 h和48 h的LD₅₀值分别为0.0220和0.0192μg a.i./蜂;氟吡呋喃酮的毒性最低,24 h和48 h的LD₅₀值分别为141.7641和130.3062μg a.i./蜂。生态风险评估表明,啶虫脒、噻虫啉和氟吡呋喃酮对地熊蜂成年工...     

不同类型杀虫剂对烟粉虱捕食性天敌日本刀角瓢虫的毒力

采用试管药膜法,测定了不同类型杀虫剂对日本刀角瓢虫Serangium japonicum Chapin的毒力。结果表明,灭多威和敌敌畏对日本刀角瓢虫具有极强的毒力,其25%推荐剂量即可导致日本刀角瓢虫全部死亡;氯虫苯甲酰胺、吡虫啉和噻虫嗪对日本刀角瓢虫也具有很强的毒力,其田间推荐剂量可导致日本刀角瓢虫全部死亡,其50%推荐剂量对日本刀角瓢虫的致死率也高达73.33%～100.00%;乐果、烯啶虫胺、丁醚脲田间推荐剂量对日本刀角瓢虫的致死率分别为40.00%、56.67%、50.00%,预示着上述这些杀虫剂的田间应用对刀角瓢虫具有很高的直接杀伤风险。高效氯氰菊酯、联苯菊酯、毒死蜱、甲氰菊酯、高效氯氟氰菊酯、虫螨腈、阿维菌素、吡蚜酮、噻嗪酮、定虫隆和氟虫脲对日本刀角瓢虫的毒力较低甚至没有直接致死作用。研究结果将为合理使用杀虫剂,协调利用化学防治与生物防治对烟粉虱进行综合防治提供依据。     

5种杀虫剂对滇东白背飞虱种群的毒性及其田间药效

【目的】为持续有效防控白背飞虱,研究云南东部白背飞虱种群对常用5种杀虫剂的敏感性及药剂的田间防治效果。【方法】采用室内稻茎浸渍法测定白背飞虱种群对5种杀虫剂的敏感性,同期通过田间小区试验评价5种杀虫剂对白背飞虱种群的防治效果。【结果】与敏感种群比较,噻虫嗪、噻嗪酮、吡虫啉、吡蚜酮和毒死蜱对滇东白背飞虱种群的LC_(50)分别为0.208、0.459、0.608、3.108、1.256 mg·L~(-1),抗性倍数分别为2.2、10.4、5.6、6.5、5.3倍;白背飞虱对噻虫嗪无抗性,对吡虫啉、吡蚜酮和毒死蜱为低水平抗性,对噻嗪酮为中等水平抗性;5种杀虫剂药后1、5和10 d对白背飞虱种群的田间防控效果均有显著差异。除了吡蚜酮外,其他药剂的防效均在80%以上,其中以吡虫啉和噻嗪酮的持续期较长,药后10 d仍在90%以上;噻虫嗪和吡虫啉药后1和5 d的防效达90%以上;吡蚜酮药效在供试药剂中防效最低,在64.88%～77.82%之间。【结论】滇东师宗白背飞虱种群对噻嗪酮为中等水平抗性,对吡虫啉、吡蚜酮和毒死蜱均为低水平抗性,对噻虫嗪无抗性,田间防控效果以吡虫啉和噻嗪酮为最好。建议滇东稻区可以使用吡虫啉和噻嗪酮药剂防控白背飞虱,注意控制吡蚜酮的使用次数与用量。     

Effect of insecticides on the mortalities of three whitefly parasitoid species, Eretmocerusmundus, Eretmoceruseremicus and Encarsiaformosa (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae)

The toxicities of 24 insecticides for the biological control of whiteflies were evaluated for Eretmocerus mundus (Mercet), Eretmocerus eremicus Rose and Zolnerowich and Encarsia formosa Gahan using the residual film method (for adults) and the dipping method (for pupae). Mortalities from insect growth regulators (IGRs) (flufenoxuron and lufenuron), Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), pymetrozine and sulfur were <30% for both pupae and adults of all three species, indicating that the parasitoids were not seriously affected by these insecticides. Neonicotinoids (acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid and nitenpyram), synthetic pyrethroids (etofenprox and permethrin), organophosphates (acephate and fenitrothion), chlorphenapyr, emamectin benzoate, spinosad and tolfenpyrad were seriously harmful (100% mortality) and acaricides (chinomethionat, milbemectin and pyridaben) were moderately harmful or seriously harmful to adult parasitoids (leading to mortalities of >92%). For each insecticide, the mortality of pupae was generally lower than that of adults, even though the toxicity classification for the two groups was similar. The results indicate that IGRs, Bt, pymetrozine and sulfur are relatively harmless, and are compatible with the use of parasitoids to help control whiteflies for integrated pest management in greenhouses.     

Systemic control efficacy of neonicotinoids seeds dressing on English grain aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is an important pest of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and is usually controlled by intensive foliar sprays of pesticides under field conditions. In order to reduce labour costs and increase the utilization of pesticides, neonicotinoids seed treatment was studied as a simple and accurate control technology for S. avenae. We evaluated the mortality of imidacloprid, acetamiprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin, nitenpyram and dinotefuran to the English grain aphid by seed dressing methods in the laboratory, and found that the toxicity with that LC₅₀ of clothianidin (20.97?a.i.?g/100?kg seeds) and thiamethoxam (28.84?a.i.?g/100?kg seeds) to S. avenae are higher than other neonicotinoids. LC₅₀ values of nitenpyram, imidacloprid and acetamiprid ranged between 120?a.i.?g/100?kg seeds and 210?a.i.?g/100?kg seeds. Dinotefuran showed the lowest toxicity with LC₅₀ value 565.76?a.i.?g/100?kg seeds to English grain aphid. Field plot experiments were conducted to investigate the control efficacy of neonicotinoids seed treatment for the aphid, and the effects on growth of wheat. Field observations indicated that clothianidin and thiamethoxam provided the better control efficacy on the English grain aphid than imidacloprid, and had no influence on wheat seedling emergence. These results showed that seed treatment by neonicotinoids was effective against S. avenae throughout the growth period, furthermore, thiamethoxam and clothianidin were the effective and safe alternative options for S. avenae management in the crop.     

新烟碱类和大环内酯类杀虫剂对四种赤眼蜂成蜂急性毒性和安全性评价

为了明确新烟碱类和大环内酯类杀虫剂对天敌赤眼蜂Trichogramma spp.的影响, 在室内采用药膜法测定了其对稻螟赤眼蜂Trichogramma japonicum Ashmead、 亚洲玉米螟赤眼蜂Trichogramma ostriniae Pang et Chen、 拟澳洲赤眼蜂Trichogramma confusum Viggiani和广赤眼蜂Trichogramma evanescens Westwood成蜂的急性毒性, 并进行了安全性评价。急性毒性测定结果表明： 在测定的新烟碱类药剂中, 噻虫嗪对拟澳洲赤眼蜂和稻螟赤眼蜂表现出最高的急性毒性, 其LC₅₀分别为0.24 (0.21~0.27) 和0.40 (0.37~0.44) mg a.i./L; 其次为烯啶虫胺, 该药剂对上述两种赤眼蜂的LC₅₀分别为0.83 (0.74~0.96) 和0.72 (0.65~0.80) mg a.i./L; 而吡虫啉对亚洲玉米螟赤眼蜂和拟澳洲赤眼蜂的毒性最低, 其LC₅₀分别为502.13 (459.80~549.62)和752.62 (687.51~828.63) mg a.i./L。在测定的大环内酯类药剂中, 阿维菌素对稻螟赤眼蜂的急性毒性最高, 其LC₅₀为0.49 (0.46~0.65) mg a.i./L, 而甲氨基阿维菌素苯甲酸盐对拟澳洲赤眼蜂表现出最低的急性毒性, 其LC₅₀为21.76 (19.59~24.40) mg a.i./L。安全性评价结果表明, 吡虫啉、 啶虫脒、 氯噻啉和甲氨基阿维菌素苯甲酸盐对4种赤眼蜂为低风险~中等风险性, 安全性系数为0.57~23.54; 噻虫啉和依维菌素对4种赤眼蜂却为中等风险~高风险性, 安全性系数为0.16~3.45; 而烯啶虫胺、 噻虫嗪和阿维菌素对4种赤眼蜂为高风险~极高风险性, 安全性系数为0.01~0.15。本研究测定的大部分杀虫剂对赤眼蜂都有一定的急性毒性风险。因此, 在害虫综合治理中应谨慎使用新烟碱类和大环内酯类杀虫剂尤其是烯啶虫胺、 噻虫嗪和阿维菌素, 以免造成对赤眼蜂的大量杀伤。     

褐飞虱和白背飞虱对几类杀虫剂的敏感性

为了科学用药和抗性治理提供理论基础, 采用稻茎浸渍法测定了2008年7月采自浙江省杭州市和宁波市褐飞虱 Nilaparvata lugens (Stål)种群对7种杀虫剂的抗药性及褐飞虱和白背飞虱Sogatella furcifera (Horváth)种群对16种杀虫剂的敏感性。褐飞虱抗药性测定结果表明, 与相对敏感品系相比, 杭州种群和宁波种群对吡虫啉的抗性倍数分别为479.0倍和366.1倍; 对氯噻啉的抗性倍数分别为81.1倍和50.9倍; 对噻虫嗪的抗性倍数分别为10.3倍和9.4倍; 对噻嗪酮和氟虫腈分别产生了5.0~8.6倍和15.8~17.0倍的抗药性; 对烯啶虫胺和啶虫脒的抗性倍数在3倍以下。两种稻飞虱对杀虫剂的敏感性测定结果表明: 噻虫嗪、噻嗪酮、烯啶虫胺和毒死蜱对褐飞虱和白背飞虱种群都具有较高的室内毒力。当田间褐飞虱和白背飞虱混合发生时, 可选用噻虫嗪、噻嗪酮、烯啶虫胺和毒死蜱进行防治, 不宜使用吡虫啉、氯噻啉和氟虫腈防治。     

Can insecticide mixtures be considered to surmount neonicotinoid resistance in Bemisia tabaci?

Cotton whitefly, Bemisia tabaci is an important polyphagous pest worldwide. It is exposed to various chemical insecticides throughout the year, resulting in the rapid development of insecticide resistance. Mixtures of insecticides with distinct modes of action could enhance the toxicity of chemicals more effectively than sequences or rotations in resistant pest populations. Bioassays were conducted to study the efficacy of mixtures of neonicotinoid and ketoenol insecticides at different ratios against a laboratory susceptible (Lab-WB) and a neonicotinoid resistant (TMX-SEL) strain of B. tabaci Asia I. The results showed that mixtures of imidacloprid, acetamiprid, thiamethoxam or dinotefuran with spiromesifen at 1:1, 1:10 and 1:20 ratios and of imidacloprid, thiamethoxam or dinotefuran with spirotetramat at 1:1 ratio significantly increased (p < 0.05) toxicity to neonicotinoids in TMX-SEL strain. The combination indices of each tested neonicotinoids + ketoenols at 1:1 ratio and of acetamiprid + spiromesifen, and imidacloprid or dinotefuran + spirotetramat at 1:10 ratio for TMX-SEL strain were significantly below 1, suggesting synergistic interactions. The inhibitors PBO and DEF largely overcame resistance to the tested neonicotinoids, while none of the synergists significantly restored the susceptibility of B. tabaci to ketoenols. Increased activities of P450 monooxygenase and esterase were observed in TMX-SEL strain with an elevated 2.76 and 1.32-fold, respectively. Mixtures of neonicotinoids with spiromesifen or spirotetramat at a 1:1 ratio could be used to restore the neonicotinoid susceptibility in B. tabaci.     

抗吡虫啉棉蚜对其他新烟碱类药剂的交互抗性及相关酶的活性变化

为明确抗吡虫啉棉蚜Aphis gossypii对其他新烟碱药剂交互抗性及相关酶活性的变化, 本研究以室内筛选的棉蚜吡虫啉抗性种群、山东夏津县田间多抗种群和敏感种群为材料,采用生测法测定了这3种不同抗性种群棉蚜对呋虫胺和烯啶虫胺的交互抗性,以及3种解毒酶抑制剂对吡虫啉等药剂的增效作用,采用生化分析法测定了这3个种群棉蚜解毒酶及乙酰胆碱酯酶的活性和药剂的抑制作用。结果表明：吡虫啉抗性种群、夏津田间多抗种群的棉蚜对呋虫胺均无交互抗性,但对烯啶虫胺的交互抗性分别达5.28和4.89倍。呋虫胺对抗吡虫啉棉蚜的羧酸酯酶、乙酰胆碱酯酶及谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶都有显著的抑制作用;烯啶虫胺对抗吡虫啉棉蚜的羧酸酯酶、乙酰胆碱酯酶及谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶的抑制作用较小。羧酸酯酶抑制剂TPP和多功能氧化酶抑制剂PBO对吡虫啉和烯啶虫胺都有明显的增效作用,但对呋虫胺的增效作用不明显; 谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶抑制剂DEM对3种药剂均没有明显的增效作用。呋虫胺和烯啶虫胺都可以抑制抗吡虫啉棉蚜的解毒酶及乙酰胆碱酯酶,其中以呋虫胺的抑制效果较为显著。结果显示呋虫胺在抗吡虫啉棉蚜治理中的应用价值较大,其结构可为今后新烟碱类药剂的开发提供参考。     

褐飞虱抗药性研究现状

褐飞虱Nilaparvata lugens(Stal)对杀虫剂产生抗药性是其近年来暴发频繁的重要原因。文章综述国内外关于褐飞虱抗药性的研究成果,包括褐飞虱抗性测定方法、抗药性的发展、交互抗性、抗性遗传、抗性机理及抗性治理等。田间褐飞虱种群对新烟碱类药剂产生不同程度的抗药性,其中对吡虫啉产生高水平到极高水平抗性,对氯噻啉和噻虫嗪分别产生中等水平和低水平的抗药性,对呋虫胺和烯啶虫胺仍然处于敏感性阶段。此外,褐飞虱种群对噻嗪酮(昆虫生长调节剂)产生低水平到中等水平抗性。长期大面积使用化学药剂是褐飞虱产生抗药性的重要原因。因此,必须加强褐飞虱的抗性治理,以延缓其抗药性进一步发展。     

Toxicity of four systemic neonicotinoids to adults of Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

As part of the ongoing evaluation of different systemic insecticides for prophylactic treatment of trees, responses of the beetle Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) to different doses of four systemic neonicotinyl insecticides were studied. Adult beetles were provided with twigs or leaves of trees treated with different concentrations of imidacloprid to evaluate the toxicity of the insecticide through ingestion or contact or through both. Adult beetles also were provided with twigs of host plant treated with clothianidin, dinotefuran, and thiamethoxam to establish dose response of the beetle to these insecticides. Levels of individual insecticides in twigs and leaves were determined by using the "parent" method with high-performance liquid chromatography, and these levels were compared with the applied concentrations to determine their relationship. The LC50 values for detected level of each insecticide in twigs was 5.1 ppm at 24 h, 2.9 at 48 h, and 1.9 ppm at 72 h for imidacloprid; 1.1 ppm at 72 h for clothianidin; 2.2 ppm at 72 h for dinotefuran; and 1.0 ppm at 72 h for thiamethoxam. Our results indicate that mortality of adult beetles resulted not only from the ingestion and contact toxicity but also possibly from the antifeedant effect of imidacloprid.     

Assessment of cross-resistance potential to neonicotinoid insecticides in Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

Laboratory bioassays were carried out with four neonicotinoid insecticides on multiple strains of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) to evaluate resistance and cross-resistance patterns. Three imidacloprid-resistant strains and field populations from three different locations in the southwestern USA were compared in systemic uptake bioassays with acetamiprid, dinotefuran, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam. An imidacloprid-resistant strain (IM-R) with 120-fold resistance originally collected from Imperial Valley, California, did not show cross-resistance to acetamiprid, dinotefuran or thiamethoxam. The Guatemala-resistant strain (GU-R) that was also highly resistant to imidacloprid (RR=109-fold) showed low levels of cross-resistance when bioassayed with acetamiprid and thiamethoxam. However, dinotefuran was more toxic than either imidacloprid or thiamethoxam to both IM-R and GU-R strains as indicated by low LC50s. By contrast, a Q-biotype Spanish-resistant strain (SQ-R) of B. tabaci highly resistant to imidacloprid demonstrated high cross-resistance to the two related neonicotinoids. Field populations from Imperial Valley (California), Maricopa and Yuma (Arizona), showed variable susceptibility to imidacloprid (LC50s ranging from 3.39 to 115 microg ml(-1)) but did not exhibit cross-resistance to the three neonicotinoids suggesting that all three compounds would be effective in managing whiteflies. Yuma populations were the most susceptible to imidacloprid. Dinotefuran was the most toxic of the four neonicotinoids against field populations. Although differences in binding at the target site and metabolic pathways may influence the variability in cross-resistance patterns among whitefly populations, comparison of whitefly responses from various geographic regions to the four neonicotinoids indicates the importance of ecological and operational factors on development of cross-resistance to the neonicotinoids.     

Development of neonicotinoid resistance in the cotton aphid Aphis gossypii (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in Japan

A neonicotinoid-resistant Aphis gossypii Glover population was first detected from cucumber and sweet pepper crops in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan, in April 2012. In this study, we determined the insecticide susceptibility of five field-collected populations of A. gossypii to seven neonicotinoids. Insecticide susceptibility was determined by performing bioassays and using the seedling-treatment method. Insecticide susceptibility of a susceptible population of A. gossypii, originally collected from a cucumber field in 2008, was also determined. High mortality (96.4–100 %) was observed in the susceptible population for the seven insecticides. In contrast, the mortality rate of the five field-collected populations collected in 2012 was low for five of the seven neonicotinoid insecticides tested: imidacloprid (26.7–65.5 %), dinotefuran (0–27.3 %), clothianidin (20.0–35.7 %), thiamethoxam (7.1–42.3 %), and nitenpyram (6.7–32.1 %). Mortality was 86.2–100 % for acetamiprid and 90.2–100 % for thiacloprid. The resistance ratio in comparison with the susceptible population was the highest for clothianidin (687-fold), lowest for thiacloprid (17-fold), and ranged from 43- to 253-fold for the other five neonicotinoids. Thus, the frequency of insecticide use needs to be reduced and other insecticides need to be employed in order to prevent the development of resistance to these two insecticides in the future.     

Sublethal effects of chronic exposure to chlorpyrifos or imidacloprid insecticides or their binary mixtures on Culex pipiens mosquitoes

Mosquitoes represent one of the most significant threats to human and veterinary health throughout the world. Consequently, improving strategies for the control of mosquitoes is essential. In the present study, juvenile Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae), the common house mosquito, are chronically exposed to sublethal concentrations of chlorpyrifos (20% of LC₅₀) and imidacloprid (5% of LC₅₀), both separately and as a mixture. Developmental time, the emergence rate of adults and the expression of five selected genes involved in detoxification and resistance to pesticides are assessed. To assess the effects on oviposition choice, gravid females are forced to oviposit into cups containing water with added chlorpyrifos, imidacloprid or a mixture of both. The time required for the development of second‐ and third‐instar larvae is observed to differ significantly between treatments. Adults of C. pipiens fail to emerge from larvae hatched in both imidacloprid and the binary mixture. The expression of the four quantified detoxification genes differs significantly in third‐larval instars exposed to chlorpyrifos and/or imidacloprid compared with controls. Gravid females also fail to lay eggs on water to which either of the insecticides or the binary mixture is added, although they do lay eggs in cups containing water only. Chronic exposure to sublethal concentrations of chlorpyrifos or imidacloprid has significant adverse effects on development and thus the reproductive fitness of C. pipiens and, accordingly, could be used in the population control of these mosquitoes.     

Insecticide,sugar, and diet effects on feeding and mortality in Rhagoletis indifferens (Dipt., Tephritidae)

The effects of spinosad bait and various insecticides, the presence of sugar in insecticides, and diet on feeding responses and mortality in western cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis indifferens Curran (Dipt., Tephritidae), were determined. Numbers of feeding events on insecticides with sugar were greater than on insecticides alone, but there was only a small effect of diet on feeding responses to insecticides with sugar. Feeding durations on imidacloprid, thiamethoxam and acetamiprid with sugar were shorter than on sugar water and spinosad bait, as the neonicotinoids paralysed flies quickly. Flies that fed on sugar only (nitrogen‐starved) suffered higher mortalities when exposed to spinosad, thiamethoxam and azinphos‐methyl than to imidacloprid, acetamiprid and indoxacarb, and mortality in between these two groups of treatments when exposed to spinosad bait. Mortalities were greater when sugar was added to insecticides, and were higher in nitrogen‐starved than fully‐fed (yeast extract + sugar fed) flies. Flies that fed once on thiamethoxam were killed more quickly than those that fed once on spinosad bait and spinosad. Results suggest that thiamethoxam is comparable to spinosad in its effects on mortality, and that using it with sugar in bait may also have similar results as using spinosad bait or spinosad. One benefit of using thiamethoxam with sugar may be that it kills flies more quickly, before they can oviposit, than spinosad bait, although whether a fly will feed on it may depend on how much sugar or nitrogenous food it has eaten.     

Susceptibility of the predatory stinkbug <Emphasis Type="Italic">Picromerus bidens</Emphasis> to selected insecticides

The Palaearctic stinkbug Picromerus bidens L. (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) has been considered as a potential biocontrol agent of several defoliator pests in various agricultural and forest ecosystems. It may therefore be a valuable alternative for the Nearctic pentatomid Podisus maculiventris (Say) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), the augmentative use of which has largely been abandoned in Europe given its possible environmental impact as an exotic polyphagous predator. However, no study has yet documented the impact of insecticides on P. bidens, which is essential to evaluate the possible combination of this predatory pentatomid with current insecticide applications in integrated pest management (IPM) programmes. This study reports on laboratory experiments investigating the susceptibility of P. bidens to five insecticides with different modes of action: the pyrethroid deltamethrin, the diacylhydrazine methoxyfenozide, the juvenile hormone mimic pyriproxyfen, the spinosyn spinosad, and the neonicotinoid imidacloprid, all of which are used to control defoliator pests. Fourth-instar nymphs and female adults of the predator were exposed to formulated materials of the insecticides by residual contact. Methoxyfenozide and spinosad did not cause significant mortality to 4th instars and female adults of P. bidens. In contrast, deltamethrin and imidacloprid were harmful to nymphs and adults of the predator, with LC₅₀ values ranging between 1.5 and 9.9 mg a.i./l. Pyriproxyfen was toxic to 4th instars with an LC₅₀ value of 13.9 mg a.i./l but did not affect female adults. Reproduction and longevity of P. bidens were not adversely affected when the predator was exposed to field concentrations of spinosad, methoxyfenozide, or pyriproxyfen, or sublethal concentrations (around LC₁₀) of deltamethrin and imidacloprid. The results from residual contact experiments suggest that methoxyfenozide, spinosad, and to a lesser extent, pyriproxyfen may be compatible with P. bidens in an IPM programme. Further experiments assessing food chain toxicity of these compounds should offer a more complete picture of their selectivity.     

Development of methods to evaluate susceptibility of soybean aphid to imidacloprid and thiamethoxam at lethal and sublethal concentrations

The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Homoptera: Aphididae), is a recent introduction (2000) from Asia and has become a serious soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. (Fabaceae)] pest in North America. Seed treatments using the neonicotinoid insecticides, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, have been suggested as a method of control, and the use of these insecticides is becoming widespread. As a consequence, there is increased potential to select for resistance to these compounds. In the case of soybean aphids, baseline susceptibility to neonicotinoid insecticides and standardized methods for bioassay are lacking. A bioassay technique that uses excised soybean leaves immersed in an insecticide solution was developed to determine systemic insecticidal activity at lethal and sublethal concentrations. Mortality and population growth inhibition were evaluated after 7 days. Life table parameters were calculated by exposing 1‐day‐old aphids to three concentrations of thiamethoxam. Aphid mortality and nymph production were recorded daily until the entire cohort collapsed. Soybean aphid age‐specific survivorship, fecundity, net reproductive rate, longevity, intrinsic rate of increase, discrete daily growth rate, and life expectancy were all significantly reduced at higher thiamethoxam concentrations. Soybean aphid response to both insecticides was similar, and both compounds were very toxic with LC₅₀s of 31.3 and 16.9 ng ml^?1 and EC₅₀s of 6.3 and 5.4 ng ml^?1 for imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, respectively. These results indicate that the methods developed in this study had negligible impact on the life table estimates measured and can be used to develop a baseline of susceptibility as a benchmark for subsequent resistance monitoring. Given the rapid and widespread adoption of this new insecticide class, vigilant monitoring for changes in susceptibility will be essential to its long‐term sustainability.     

Toxicity of some insecticides to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tetranychus urticae</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neoseiulus californicus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tydeus californicus</Emphasis>

Three mite species are frequently found on vegetable crops in Italy: the pest Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), the predator Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) and the unspecialised feeder Tydeus californicus (Banks) (Acari: Tydeidae). In laboratory trials, the direct and residual effects of six insecticides recommended for the control of aphids, whiteflies and thrips in vegetable crops, (Biopiren® plus (pyrethrins), Confidor® (imidacloprid), Oikos® (azadirachtin), Plenum® (pymetrozine), Naturalis® (Beauveria bassiana) and Rotena® (rotenone)), were evaluated for the three mite species. All the products affected the mites and their effect was often favourable towards T. urticae and unfavourable towards N. californicus and T. californicus. Rotenone was more toxic to eggs than females of T. urticae. It was highly toxic to N. californicus and caused the death of all treated females of T. californicus. Pyrethrins and imidacloprid increased T. urticae fecundity, but decreased fecundity of N. californicus. Imidacloprid decreased T. californicus fecundity more than pyrethrins. Beauveria bassiana was not toxic to T. urticae and T. californicus, but induced high mortality in the progeny of treated females of N. californicus. Azadirachtin and pymetrozine were the least toxic to T. urticae and N. californicus, but decreased production of larvae in T. californicus. Implications for integrated pest management on vegetables are discussed.     

Inoculative releases of Trichogramma ostriniae for suppression of Ostrinia nubilalis (European corn borer) in sweet corn: field biology and population dynamics

The effectiveness of inoculative releases of Trichogramma ostriniae Pang and Chen for suppression of Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner) in sweet corn was assessed. Early-season, low-density (75,000 females ha⁻¹) releases were made, and establishment, levels of parasitism and sex ratios of emerging T. ostriniae quantified. T. ostriniae established effectively for each season that they were released, but appeared to be unable to overwinter. Parasitism levels tracked egg mass numbers closely, and T. ostriniae persisted in fields even where insecticides were applied. Parasitism by indigenous Trichogramma species was 3%. Field populations of T. ostriniae were distinctly female biased (78%), with males produced in the majority of broods. Numbers of males did not increase linearly with number of O. nubilalis eggs parasitized, but appeared to remain constant above an egg mass size of about 20 eggs. A Type-I functional response to increasing egg and egg mass density was found under field conditions, where the proportion of egg masses parasitized remained constant with increasing egg mass density. A relatively consistent percentage of eggs per egg mass was parasitized, with a linear increase in number of eggs parasitized with increasing number of eggs per egg mass. These results show that T. ostriniae established viable reproductive populations in sweet corn following inoculative release, with the potential to contribute to reduced dependence on insecticides for the control of O. nubilalis in an integrated pest management program.