Ref ID: 10401
Ref Type: Journal
Authors: Baker, S. C., Elek, J. A., Bashford, R., Paterson, S. C., Madden, J., and Battaglia, M.
Pub Date: 2003
Journal Name: Agricultural and Forest Entomology
Volume: 5
Issue: 2
Start Page: 97
End Page: 106
ISBN/ISSN:
Keywords: beetle/biological control/chrysomelid/Chrysomelidae/Chrysophtharta/Chrysophtharta bimaculata/coccinellid/control/damage/diet/dispersal/distance/eucalypt/Eucalyptus/Eucalyptus nitens/field/Harmonia conformis,Cleobora mellyi,Chrysophtharta bimaculata,Coccinellidae/high/laboratory/leaf/leaf beetle/monitoring/out/plantation/plantations/population/potential/predation/species/study/supplement/Tasmania/time/tree
Abstract: 1. Inundative augmentative releases of adult coccinellid beetles were assessed for their potential to effectively supplement biological control of outbreak populations of the Eucalyptus leaf beetle Chrysophtharta bimaculata in Eucalyptus nitens plantations. 2. Mixed groups of two species of overwintering coccinellids, Cleobora mellyi and Harmonia conformis, were collected from the field then fed three diets in the laboratory prior to release. Both species were released in the summer into two E. nitens plantations with economically damaging Chrysophtharta populations. 3. Differences between dispersal of coccinellids fed the three diets were slight; beetles brought straight out of overwintering before release were initially slower moving onto trees. 4. Numbers of coccinellids on trees in monitoring plots decreased exponentially with time, and populations had returned to pre-release levels seven days after release. The number of coccinellids recaptured decreased with increasing distance from the release point with very few coccinellids per tree at 70 m distance. Dispersal of Cleobora mellyi away from the release plot was slower than that of Harmonia conformis. 5. Numbers of coccinellids on trees were significantly related to predation levels of Chrysophtharta bimaculata with a large decrease in the C. bimaculata population to below the economic damage threshold in plots where the numbers of coccinellids were high. 6. Results of this study suggest that inundative release of laboratory reared coccinellids is possible for biological control of C. bimaculata, although it may only be economically viable in small, environmentally sensitive areas.
Notes: Entered by Sue Baker (06/06/2003)
Reprint: In File
Program: SPF Resource Protection
Project: C2
Deliverable:
Confidentiality: Public
Availability: Authors
Report: Annual Report 2002/3
Type: Article
Address: bakers@utas.edu.au