<I>Phyllonorycter Elmaella</I> (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Temporal Distribution of Phyllonorycter elmaella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) and Its Major Parasitoid, Pnigalio flavipes (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), in Washington Apple Orchards BRUCE A. BARRETl'l AND JAY F. BRUNNER Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, Washington State University, Wenatchee, Washington 98801 Environ.Entomol.19(2): 362-369 (1990) ABSTRACT The seasonal occurrence of Phy!lonorycter elmaella Doganlar & Mutuura, a Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ee/article/19/2/362/468438 by guest on 25 September 2021 tentiform leafminer, and its parasitoid, Pnigalio flavipes (Ashmead), in insecticide-free blocks located in commercial apple orchards was determined. P. elmaella had three complete generations each year; population densities increased in each generation. P. elmaella sap feeders (first to third instars) were "abnormally" abundant in the blocks at the end of each season, possibly because of a delay in their development. P. flavipes had at least the same number of generations as P. elmaella. Parasitoid activity decreased as the season progressed. Phenology data showed adult P. flavipes emerged almost concurrently with adult P. elmaella during the spring and summer generations, 2-3 wk before tissue feeders (fourth and fifth instars), were present in the orchard. This emergence pattern may be caused by a reproductive advantage for female P. flavipes to feed on sap feeders before oviposition. The number of individuals of P. elmaella that are able to overwinter successfully, rather than the seasonal levels of parasitism, seems to determine the leafminer's year-to-year population dynamics. However, parasitoid activity reduced the leafminer's intraseasonal population increase and kept its densities below treatment threshold levels in all orchard blocks examined. KEY WORDS Insecta, Phyllonorycter elmaella, phenology, parasitism Phyllonorycter elmaella Doganlar & Mutuura is of P. elmaella on apple, development of resistance one of three major Phyllonorycter spp. attacking to it in the Pacific Northwest is of great concern. apple in North America. Phyllonorycter blancar- In addition, the use of oxamyl may disrupt the della (F.), the spotted tentiform leafminer, and P. already established integrated mite control pro- crataegella (Clemens), the apple blotch leafminer, gram used in many Washington apple orchards occur in eastern North America (Weires et al. 1980); (Hoyt 1983). A management program is needed P. elmaella occurs in western North America (Do- that would decrease the chance for resistance de- ganlar & Mutuura 1980, Gibb 1983). Before the velopment and be compatible with current Wash- late 1970s, P. elmaella was considered only a minor ington apple IPM programs. pest with infrequent outbreaks but in recent years, Worldwide evidence suggests that Phyllonoryc- infestations have become more severe and frequent ter populations are amenable to biological control in many fruit-growing areas of Washington and by hymenopterous parasitoids (Celli 1970, Swan Oregon (Orphart 1982). Larvae of Phyllonorycter 1973, Bassino et al. 1976). In central Washington, spp., which do not feed on the fruit but within the the major parasitoid species of P. elmaella is an leaves, have two feeding stages: sap feeders (first ectoparasitic eulopid, Pnigalio flavipes (Ashmead) to third instars) and tissue feeders (fourth and fifth (Barrett 1988). Occasional high levels of parasitism instars). Extensive leaf mining by Phyllonorycter in many commercial apple orchards indicated that, larvae has been reported to cause early leaf drop; through parasitoid conservation, biological control premature fruit ripening and drop; and reductions of P. elmaella by P. flavipes could play an impor- in terminal growth, fruit size, and fruit set the tant role in leafminer management. The success of following year (Pottinger & LeRoux 1971, Reissig any biological control project depends on appro- et al. 1982). priate biological, ecological, and population studies The cause of the increasing problems with Phyl- of the species involved (Miller 1983). Here we re- lonorycter spp. in eastern North America is thought port on the temporal distributions of P. elmaella to be their resistance to commonly used organo- and P. flavipes and present an assessment of P. phosphorous insecticides (Weires et al. 1978). Be- flavipes as a biological control agent of P. elmaella. cause the carbamate oxamyl (Vydate) is the only chemical registered in Washington for the control Materials and Methods From 1985 to 1987, three insecticide-free test I Current address: PennsylvaniaState University,Fruit Re- search Laboratory,Biglerville,Pa. 17307. blocks, each consisting of 25 'Red Delicious' apple 0046-225XI9010362-0369$02.00/0 © 1990 EntomologicalSocietyof America April 1990 BARRETT & BRUNNER: DISTRIBUTION OF P. elmaella AND P. flavipes 363 trees (5 x 5), were maintained at the commercial because they were intended to provide only a pas- Twin WW (WW), Ox Team (OX), and the Colum- sive estimate of adult occurrence. bia View (CV) orchards of the Washington State Sample Analysis. Density of P. elmaella (mines University Tree Fruit Research and Extension Cen- per leaf) was determined by dividing the number ter. All sites were in Douglas County. A second of mines found on the leaf samples by the total block at the Twin WW orchard (WB) was added number of leaves collected. Levels of parasitism in 1987 because levels of codling moth in the WW (%), referred to as parasitoid-induced mortality block required the application of azinphosmethyl (PIM), were obtained by dissecting each sampled (Guthion) that year, although samples were still mine and recording the stage (sap feeder, tissue taken from the WW site. The WB block was seven feeder, pupa, or emerged adult) and its condition rows south of the WW block. Trees at the OX, (healthy, death caused by parasitoid activity, or WW, and WB blocks were standard size (4.3-5.5 unknown mortality). PIM consisted of host-stinging Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ee/article/19/2/362/468438 by guest on 25 September 2021 m tall, 28-36 yr old). Trees at the CV block were with oviposition (P+), host-stinging without ovi- semidwarf (3.0-3.7 m tall, 15 yr old). Before 1985, position (P-), and adult host feeding (HF). Host- these blocks had existing populations of P. elmaella stinging without oviposition has been reported for and P. flavipes and were subject to routine pesticide parasitoid-attacked P. crataegella larvae (Van applications. Ten trees in the center of each block Driesche & Taub 1983). Larvae of P. elmaella killed were selected as sampling trees, with one buffer by host feeding had a characteristic appearance. row of trees not treated with insecticides separating The body was completely or partially void of its them from the surrounding orchard. liquid contents and usually was attached to the Sampling. The density of P. elmaella in each inner mine surface at a localized dark spot. PIM block was determined by randomly picking 30 was calculated by summing all P+, P-, and HF leaves from the lower inner and lower outer regions mines, dividing by the total number of mines sam- of three trees (180 leaves/block) once a week. Para- pled, and multiplying by 100 (Van Driesche 1983). sitoid activity and the seasonal occurrence of P. elmaella and P. flavipes stages were determined Results and Discussion by gathering the first 30 mines encountered in the lower inner and lower outer regions of two trees Seasonal Density of P. elmaella. Density (mines (120 mines/block) once a week. Mine selection was per leaf) increased in successive generations in all accomplished by choosing a shoot or cluster of leaves orchard blocks each year (Table 1). Similar pop- in a given region and turning the leaves over, ex- ulation dynamics have been reported for P. blan- posing their undersides. This was done to avoid a cardella (Johnson et al. 1976, Ridgway & Mahr biased selection of tissue-feeding mines because 1985). The increase in leafminer density from the mines of sap feeders are visible only from the un- first to the second generation ranged from 1.4 (WW, derside of the leaf, whereas those of tissue feeders 1986) to 20 times (OX, 1987) for an average in- are visible from both sides. To insure an accurate crease of 5 times. The increase in density from the estimate of parasitoid activity within the current second to the third generation ranged from 3.8 generation only, mines that were obviously old and (OX, 1987) to 39 times (OX, 1986) for an average from an earlier generation (indicated by their ap- increase of 16 times. Increases in density from the pearance) were not sampled. The weekly totals of third to the fourth generation (1987 only), ranged healthy leafminer and parasitoid stages from the from 1.1 (OX) to 3.4 times (CV) for an average mine samples provided the information we re- increase of 2.3 times. quired to determine the relative seasonal occur- There are two explanations for why the increase rence of P. elmaella and P. flavipes. Leaf and mine in density from the first to the second generation samples were taken from different trees each week. was much less than that from the second to the Sampling started in late April (1986-1987) or mid- third generation. The first is a possible generational May (1985) and ended in late September (1985- difference in leafminer fecundity. Yamada et al. 1986) or late November (1987). In 1985 through (1986) reported marked generational differences 1988, mine samples (70-140 mines/block) were in the average fecundity of Phyllonorycter rin- taken from the OX, CV, and WW blocks at the goniella Matsumura; secbnd-generation adults had end of October or November to determine the level the highest average. However, Pottinger & LeRoux of P. elmaella and P. flavipes pupation occurring (1971) reported no differences in P. blancardella in the overwintering generation. fecundity (eggs per female) between generations. In 1987, adult P. elmaella and P. flavipes also It is unknown if the fecundity of P.