Effects of UV-absorbing plastic films on greenhouse whitefly (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae)

Studies were conducted to investigate the effects of ultraviolet (UV)-absorbing plastic films on the orientation and distribution behavior of the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood). In field experiments, small tunnels were constructed and covered with either an UV-transmitting (Thermilux) or UV-absorbing (K-Rose) plastic film. Results show that significantly more whiteflies were recorded in the tunnels with high compared with those with low UV intensities. Moreover, whitefly penetration and dispersion were less inside the UV-deficient tunnels. These results suggest that the type of plastic film used for greenhouse covers may have a significant influence on both the initial immigration and distribution of T. vaporariorum into greenhouses. The possibilities of using UV-absorbing plastic films for whitefly integrated pest management in greenhouses are discussed.     

Field evaluation of insect resistance in a wild tomato and its effects on insect parasitoids

Populations ofHelicoverpa (=Heliothis) zea (Boddie),Heliothis virescens (F.),Manduca sexta (L.) andM. quinquemaculata (Haw.) and their egg and larval parasitoids were sampled in field plots of the: insect-resistant wild tomato,Lycopersicon hirsutum f. glabratum C. H. Mull, accession PI 134417; susceptible commercial tomato cultivar ‘Better Boy’; F₁ hybrid; and selected, moderately resistant backcross genotype. Densities ofH. zea andH. virescens eggs and small larvae were higher on resistant genotypes than on susceptible genotypes, but densities of large larvae were similar on all genotypes. Densities ofManduca spp. larvae were too low to permit similar analyses of the effects of plant genotype. Rates of egg parasitism byTrichogramma spp. andTelenomus sphingis (Ashmead) were reduced on insect-resistant genotypes. Rates of parasitism by the larval parasitoidsCampoletis sonorensis (Cameron) andCotesia congregata (Say) were reduced on resistant genotypes. No consistent effects on parasitism rates byCotesia marginiventris (Cresson) were observed and parasitism rates byCardiochiles nigriceps Viereck were unaffected.     

Estimation of nektonic insect populations

SUMMARY 1. A water column sampler is described for obtaining absolute population estimates of nektonic insects in shallow waters.
2. Relative population estimates were obtained for Corixidae (Hemip-tera) and Buenoa (Hemiptera: Notonectidae) using a standardized sweep net procedure and compared to absolute estimates from column samples. These two types of estimates were highly correlated among lakes.
3. Simultaneous prediction and tolerance intervals for predictions from linear regressions indicated that reliable absolute population estimates generally cannot be expected from relative estimates     

Combining tactics to exploit Allee effects for eradication of alien insect populations

Invasive species increasingly threaten ecosystems, food production, and human welfare worldwide. Hundreds of eradication programs have targeted a wide range of nonnative insect species to mitigate the economic and ecological impacts of biological invasions. Many such programs used multiple tactics to achieve this goal, but interactions between tactics have received little formal consideration, specifically as they interact with Allee dynamics. If a population can be driven below an Allee threshold, extinction becomes more probable because of factors such as the failure to find mates, satiate natural enemies, or successfully exploit food resources, as well as demographic and environmental stochasticity. A key implication of an Allee threshold is that the population can be eradicated without the need and expense of killing the last individuals. Some combinations of control tactics could interact with Allee dynamics to increase the probability of successful eradication. Combinations of tactics can be considered to have synergistic (greater efficiency in achieving extinction from the combination), additive (no improvement over single tactics alone), or antagonistic (reduced efficiency from the combination) effects on Allee dynamics. We highlight examples of combinations of tactics likely to act synergistically, additively, or antagonistically on pest populations. By exploiting the interacting effects of multiple tactics on Allee dynamics, the success and cost-effectiveness of eradication programs can be enhanced.     

大棚甜瓜蒸腾规律及其影响因子

研究大棚甜瓜的蒸腾规律和影响因子,可以为大棚甜瓜水分优化管理提供理论依据。利用大棚盆栽试验,设定了4个水分梯度,定量分析了大棚甜瓜蒸腾规律及蒸腾量与植株生理特性、气象环境因子、土壤水分含量的关系。结果表明:(1)各水分处理条件下甜瓜蒸腾强度日变化曲线均呈"双峰型",有明显的"午休"现象。(2)甜瓜生理需水系数与叶面积指数、有效积温关系显著,分别呈线性和抛物线函数关系。(3)甜瓜全生育期累计蒸腾量呈现出"慢—快—慢"的变化规律,可以用Logistic函数进行模拟。(4)甜瓜叶面积指数、日平均空气温度、日平均空气相对湿度、日太阳辐射累积、土壤相对含水量均与单株日蒸腾量呈显著性相关关系;甜瓜叶面积指数对蒸腾的综合作用最大,是决策变量;土壤水分含量是限制变量,主要通过对其他因子的影响间接作用于蒸腾。(5)气象环境因子对甜瓜蒸腾量的影响力很大程度上取决于土壤水分含量;气象环境因子与蒸腾量的相关性随土壤水分含量的增大而增大,在土壤相对含水量为70%—80%范围内达到最高值,当土壤含水量接近田间持水量时,与各因子的相关系数逐渐下降。(6)甜瓜水分胁迫指数与土壤相对有效含水量关系显著,二者呈现线性关系。     

Density-dependent effects of larval dispersal mediated by host plant quality on populations of an invasive insect

The success of invasive species is often thought to be due to release from natural enemies. This hypothesis assumes that species are regulated by top-down forces in their native range and are likely to be regulated by bottom-up forces in the invasive range. Neither of these assumptions has been consistently supported with insects, a group which includes many destructive invasive species. Winter moth (Operophtera brumata) is an invasive defoliator in North America that appears to be regulated by larval mortality. To assess whether regulation was caused by top-down or bottom-up forces, we sought to identify the main causes of larval mortality. We used observational and manipulative field and laboratory studies to demonstrate that larval mortality due to predation, parasitism, and disease were minimal. We measured the response of larval dispersal in the field to multiple aspects of foliar quality, including total phenolics, pH 10 oxidized phenolics, trichome density, total nitrogen, total carbon, and carbon–nitrogen ratio. Tree-level declines in density were driven by density-dependent dispersal of early instars. Late instar larvae dispersed at increased rates from previously damaged as compared to undamaged foliage, and in 2015 field larval dispersal rates were related to proportion of oxidative phenolics. We conclude that larval dispersal is the dominant source of density-dependent larval mortality, may be mediated by induced changes in foliar quality, and likely regulates population densities in New England. These findings suggest that winter moth population densities in New England are regulated by bottom-up forces, aligning with the natural enemy release hypothesis.     

The use of ultraviolet-blocking films in insect pest management in the UK; effects on naturally occurring arthropod pest and natural enemy populations in a protected cucumber crop

Studies in polytunnels were conducted to investigate the effects of ultraviolet (UV)‐blocking films on naturally occurring insect pests and their arthropod natural enemies on a cucumber crop. Within tunnels clad with Antibotrytis (blocks light < 400 nm) and UVI/EVA (UV transmitting), 5.8 and 23.4 times more aphids, respectively, were recorded on traps compared with those on traps within tunnels clad with XL 385 (blocks light < 385 nm). When all plants within the UVI/EVA tunnels had become heavily infested with aphids, half of the plants in XL 385 tunnels were uninfested. More Coleoptera and thrips (approximately two times) were recorded under the UVI/EVA film than under the UV‐blocking films, but for other arthropod pests (e.g. whitefly, leafhoppers), clear conclusions could not be drawn as low numbers were recorded. Substantial numbers of chalcid parasitoids and syrphids were found under the UV‐blocking films, but further research is needed to evaluate fully the effect of such films on biological control of aphids. Higher syrphid numbers and more aphid mummies were recorded under the UVI/EVA film, probably because of the higher numbers of aphids present in tunnels clad with this film. The potential that UV‐blocking films have as an effective component of commercial Integrated Pest Management (IPM) systems, for protected horticultural crops, is discussed.     

Field evaluation of the effects of the insect growth regulator tebufenozide on entomophagous arthropods and pests of apples

Organophosphate insecticides are very widely used in commercial apple production to control fruit-attacking pests but their broad-spectrum activity constrains biological control of other pests. Compounds with narrow-spectrum activity are therefore desirable. The insect growth regulator (IGR) tebufenozide was compared with another IGR, fenoxycarb, and the organophosphate, azinphos-methyl, in a replicated field trial in the 1994/1995 apple-production season. Vacuum sampling of the tree foliage on five occasions during the growing season showed significantly lower populations of various natural enemies (spiders, lacewings and the specialist mite predator Stethorus spp. adults and larvae) in the azinphos-methyl treatment than in either of the two IGR treatments. The two-spotted mite ( Tetranychus urticae Koch) was most numerous in the azinphos-methyl treatment. In 1995/1996, the entire trial area was placed under a tebufenozide treatment program to determine the extent to which natural enemy populations would recover when broad-spectrum insecticide (azinphos-methyl) use was halted. Populations of polyphagous natural enemies assumed levels broadly equivalent to those observed under IGR treatments the previous year. Numbers of Stethorus spp. were lower than in the 1994/1995 season, possibly because T. urticae (prey) populations were much reduced from the previous season's densities. All three insecticide treatments were equally effective in controlling the lepidopteran pests, codling moth ( Cydia pomonella (L.)), lightbrown apple moth ( Epiphyas postvittana (Walker)) and early season caterpillars (predominantly Helicoverpa punctigera (Wallengren)). Results indicate that tebufenozide provides good control of lepidopteran pests, while allowing the rapid build-up of natural enemies which contribute to control of other pests.     

Context dependency of insect and mammalian herbivore effects on tall thistle (Cirsium altissimum) populations

Aims Identifying factors that drive variation in herbivore effects on plant populations can provide insight for explaining plant distributions and for limiting weeds. Abiotic resource availability to plants is a key explanation for variation in herbivore effects on individual plants, but the role of resources in determining herbivore effects on plant populations is largely unexplored. We tested the hypothesis that soil nutrient availability drives variation in insect and mammal herbivore effects on tall thistle (Cirsium altissimum) population growth.     

Field tests with insecticides and insect growth regulators to control insect pests of cowpea and its effects on certain beneficial insects

A small‐plot tests were conducted on cowpea, Vigna ungiculata (L.) Walp, to determine the effectiveness of 14 selected insecticides representing four insecticide classes (organophosphates, carbamates, pyrethroids, and insect growth regulators, IGRs), and four insecticide/IGR mixtures on cowpea insect pests and its effects on certain beneficial insects. By day 3 after treatement, the insecticides phenthoate, isoxathion, cyanophos, carbaryl, and cypermethrin used at sub‐recommended rates reduced the leafhopper, Empoasca spp., populations by >83% than those in the control. On that day, all insecticide treatments significantly reduced the cowpea aphid, Aphis craccivora, numbers below that of the control. The prothiofos, isoxathion, pirimicarb, and fenpropathrin treatments provided continuing control to both leafhoppers and aphids through day 21 after spraying. It seems that most insecticide treatments were not effective in whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, control. The best control of the whitefly immatures was obtained by day 3 after spraying in plots received thiodicarb (76%) and fenpropathrin (60%). All selected insecticides and rates used had very low residual effect against B. tabaci immatures. By day 3 posttreatment, the carbaryl (2.02 kg/ha) caused completely protection for cowpea pods frMw blue pea butterfly, Lampides boeticus, larvae. The IGRs, flufenoxuron and Dowco‐439, applied alone and those applied in mixtures with insecticides, carbaryl/teflubenzuron, chlorpyrifos/XRD‐473, and methomyl/ flufenoxuron, exhibited satisfactory control (>81%) to butterfly larvae on day 7 posttreatment. All treatments did not exhibit a considerable residual activity against L. boeticus larvae through 2–3 weeks followed spray. Most insecticides applied at the higher rates used significantly reduced the numbers of limabean pod borer, Etiella zinckenella, larvae found in cowpea pods collected on day 7 after application. The IGRs, flufenoxuron and Dowco‐439, applied alone, at 0.119 kg/ha, or in mixtures, methomyl/flufenoxuron (0.167 kg/ha) and chlorpyrifos/Dowco‐439 (0.911 kg/ha) caused >73% control of E. zinckenella larvae through day 21 posttreatment. The best control of cowpea weevil, Callosobru‐chus spp., adults (>83%), on day 3 after spraying, was obtained in treatments of cyanophos (1.19 kg/ha), prothiofos (1.43 kg/ha), flufenoxuron (0.119 kg/ha), and chlorpyrifos/Dowco‐439 (0.911 kg/ha). The IGR flufenoxuron applied alone or in mixture, methomyl/flufenoxuron (0.164 kg/ ha) exhibited satisfactory residual activity against Callosobruchus adults through day 21 posttreatment. Percentage seed damage by the larvae of cowpea weevils was significantly lower in most treatments than that of control. Populations of insect predators found in all treated plots were extremely reduced than those found in untreated plots. By day 21 after spraying, the IGRs flufenoxuron, XRD‐473, and Dowco‐439, applied at the low rate of 0.071 kg/ha, seemed to be less effect against insect predators than other insecticides used.     

On the capacity of macroparasites to control insect populations

A graphical model of the population dynamics of macroparasites and their hosts is developed. Three principal means by which the parasites can be regulated are considered: reduction in host density as a result of parasite-induced host mortality, reduction in host density as a result of parasite-induced host sterility, and competition among parasites within multiply-infected hosts. The means by which parasites are regulated has a major effect on the degree to which they can depress host population densities. In particular, a parasite that sterilizes its host is expected to reduce host density more than one that causes an equivalent decline in host fitness through increased mortality. A special case of the model is developed for herbivorous insects that, in the absence of parasites, are limited by larval food resources. Parasites that are regulated via parasite-induced host sterility will control the insect populations below the level set by larval resources if the threshold host density for the parasites (N(T)) is less than the ratio of carrying capacity to net reproductive rate of the insects (K/R). Data are presented showing that all three means of parasite regulation, but especially parasite-induced host sterility, can operate in Howardula aoronymphium, a nematode parasite of mycophagous Drosophila flies. Data from a field cage experiment show that, if these nematodes are regulated primarily via reductions in host density due to this sterility, the parameters N(T), K, and R are such that Howardula is likely to play an important role in controlling Drosophila populations. However, this conclusion must be tempered by the fact that these nematodes also cause increased host mortality and experience within-host competition, making the conditions for parasite control of the flies more stringent.     

Stability of environment and of insect populations

The abundance of moths was monitored with light-traps in two sites in southern Bohemia, České Budějovice for 22 years and in Černiš for 9 years. In these sites, that are vastly different in environmental stability and predictability, stability of insect populations was studied. The amplitude of fluctuations in abundance of the insect populations, as measured by the coefficient of variation (CV), varied a great deal between species so that there was a large overlap between the two sites. Nevertheless there was a highly significant tendency for species at Černiš, the more stable site, to have smaller values of CV, i.e., to be less fluctuating. Also in species co-occurring in the two sites, the CV at Černiš tended to be smaller. Trends in abundance of individual species over time, both increases and decreases, were common in both sites and did not differ between habitats. Environmental stability begets insect population stability in terms of the amplitude of the fluctuations, but trends in time occur irrespective of stability of the habitat.     

农田生态系统植物多样性对害虫种群数量的影响

着重分析植物多样性影响害虫发生为害及种群数量的生态学机制,综合评述了关于这种机制的两种主要假说,即天敌假说和资源集中假说．同时总结了植物多样性增大和减少对害虫控制的有利和不利因素．研究表明农田生态系统中植物多样性的增大在多数情况下能导致某些害虫种群数量的下降,但是目前很难就不同栖境中所有类型的害虫形成一般性的结论     

昆虫抗冻耐寒能力的测定与分析方法

昆虫抗冻耐寒能力因其理论意义和实践价值成为当前生物学和生态学的重要研究内容。尤其昆虫抗冻耐寒能力的测定与分析是昆虫低温生物学的热点问题。本文从昆虫生态,及生理生化层面阐述了昆虫抗冻策略和耐寒机制类型。进一步介绍了昆虫抗冻耐寒能力的测定与分析方法:一方面,以昆虫种群为对象,分析低温对种群存活的胁迫作用,如低温实验中种群的存活率,致死中温度或致死中时间,冷伤害上限温度,冷害低温总和,以及低温冷伤害的死亡速率等。另一方面,以昆虫个体为对象,测定个体为适应低温环境而采取响应机制,如昆虫个体过冷却点、含水量、能量物质、抗冻小分子物质和抗冻蛋白含量等。在未来,从微观上看随着低温生物学拓展到基因组、转录组、蛋白质组及代谢组层次的研究,从宏观上看随着越冬代昆虫种群数量动态及其迁飞转移行为规律与栖息地微环境气候和区域性景观格局特征等的关系研究,有利于更全面地和深入地了解昆虫类群的抗冻策略或耐寒机制,从而为更系统地建立昆虫抗冻耐寒能力的测定与分析方法体系提供可靠指标。     

Activity of an essential oil derived from Chenopodium ambrosioides on greenhouse insect pests

This study involved both greenhouse and laboratory experiments evaluating the effect of an essential oil product (QRD 400) derived from Chenopodium ambrosioides variety nr. Ambrosioides L. (Chenopodiaceae) on greenhouse insect pests that feed on different plant parts: citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri (Risso); longtailed mealybug, Pseudococcus longispinus (Targioni Tozzetti); western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), and fungus gnats (Bradysia spp.). Treatments were applied to coleus, Solenostemon scutellarioides plants; transvaal daisy, Gerbera jamesonii flowers; or growing medium, depending on the insect pest. The essential oil was most effective, based on adult emergence, on both the second and third instars of the fungus gnat Bradysia sp. nr. coprophila when applied as a drench to growing medium. In addition, there was a significant rate response for QRD 400 on fungus gnats. The QRD 400 treatment had the highest percentage of mortality on longtailed mealybug (55%) compared with the other treatments. However, the essential oil was less effective against citrus mealybug (3% mortality) and western flower thrips adults (18-34% mortality) compared with standard insecticides, such as acetamiprid (TriStar) and spinosad (Conserve), which are typically used by greenhouse producers. This lack of efficacy may be associated with volatility and short residual properties of the essential oil or with the essential oil taking longer to kill insect pests. Other insecticides and miticides evaluated, including sesame oil, garlic, paraffinic oil, and Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis, provided minimal control of the designated insect pests. In addition, adult rove beetle Atheta coriaria Kraatz adults were not effective in controlling the larval instars of fungus gnats when applied at a rate of five adults per container.     

Space and the persistence of male-killing endosymbionts in insect populations

Male-killing bacteria are bacteria that are transmitted vertically through the females of their insect hosts. They can distort the sex ratio of their hosts by killing infected male offspring. In nature, male-killing endosymbionts (male killers) often have a 100% efficient vertical transmission, and multiple male-killing bacteria infecting a single population are observed. We use different model formalisms to study these observations. In mean-field models a male killer with perfect transmission drives the host population to extinction, and coexistence between multiple male killers within one population is impossible; however, in spatially explicit models, both phenomena are readily observed. We show how the spatial pattern formation underlies these results. In the case of high transmission efficiencies, waves with a high density of male killers alternate with waves of mainly wild-type hosts. The male killers cause local extinction, but this creates an opportunity for uninfected hosts to re-invade these areas. Spatial pattern formation also creates an opportunity for two male killers to coexist within one population: different strains create spatial regions that are qualitatively different; these areas then serve as different niches, making coexistence possible.