J . ENT'):II() L. SOC. R I:IT. C Ol.i · M Hl ;" 64 (1967), A CG. 1, 1967 35

.\EW HECOHIlS A'\I) IlIS(TSSIO.\ OF PHEIl\TOHS OF TI-IE ItEAI( ItSYLL\. I)S)LLf Pl RICOLf FORSTEH, 1,\ HHITISII COLl.\lHL\'

By R. D. M c MuLLEN a nd C. JONG ABSTRACT The fo llowing species are present ed as nell' records of inscct pred· ators of the pea~ ' p S~' ll a , Psylla pyricola Forster, in British Columbia: , An~hoc.ons ne~oralis (F.l Campylomma verbasci (Meyer), Deraeo­ cons brevIs plceatus Kmght, D. fasciolus Kni " ht Diaphnocoris provancheri (Burque), Adalia frigida Schn ., Calvia duode;em'maculata Gebl.. Coccinella transversog~ttata ~-a ld. , H,ippoda~,ia quinquesignata Kirb:; , Platypalpus sp. near pluto Mel.. Hemeroblus paclflcus Banks. The biol ogies of some of the most common predators of the pear psylla are brie fl y discussed.

INTRODUCTION of th e previously known predators a re The role of predaceous in discussed . the natura l control of Psylla pyricoZa METHODS Forster h as been docum ented and Most of th e records of predation discussed by several workers. Un til we r e obtained from two pear or­ Madsen ( 1961 ) presented observa ­ chards. One, located at th e Research tions on predation of P . pyricola by Station, Summerland, has a grass Anthocoris melanocerus Reuter in sod cover crop a nd has r eceived all British COlumbia a n d speculated on th e ,~ tanda r d h or ticultural practices its importance in th e n a tural control except for th e a pplication of pesti­ of this species th ere were very few cides for th e past 18 years. The oth er, publish ed records of prcdators of P . located at Penticton, h as a weedy pyricola in North America. Previously, cover crop and h as been m a intained Slmgerland ( 1896) observed preda­ as a commercial orch a rd. During the tion by Chrysopa oculata Say and past three years portions of th e or­ Adalia bipunctata (L.) in New York. ch a rd h ave been tr eated with various More r ecently Chrysopa carnea Fitch insecticides a nd parts left untr eated C. ploribunda Fitch, H em erobius an ~ for experimen ts on the in tegra ted gustus (Ba nks ) , Anthocoris antevo ­ con trol of p ests of pear. lens White and Orius sp. were r ecord­ The presen ce and relative a bund­ ed as predators in studies evaluating ance of active stages of predators in the n atura l control of P. pyricola in pear tr ees were determined by th e California by Madsen, Westigard a nd limb-ja rring m eth od (Lord, 1949). Sisson (1963 ) a nd Nickel, Shimizu The orchards were sampled in this and Wong (1965). In British Colum­ m anner at weekly or biweekly inter­ bia, Wilde ( 1962 ) and Wilde and Wat­ vals from early Ma rch to mid-October. son (1 963) reported the following Obser vations on acts of predation species as predators of P . pyricola; C. were usually ma de first in th e or­ carnea, C. oculata, A . antevolens, A . ch a rd, often wi th th e a id of a h a nd rn elanocerus, Oriu s tristicolor White lens, and then confirmed in the Hippodarnia convergen s G u e l' i n~ labora tory. Nymphs and adults of Meneville, Magilla juscilabris Mulsant and th e la rva of a syrphid fly, s uspected predators we r e caged with various s tages of P. pyricola and ob­ Sphaerophoria sp. served through a low-power micro­ Additional records of species pre­ scope. daceous on P . pyricola a re presented below. The biologies of these and some During the growing season the eggs of predators and preferred ovi­ 1 Contribution '\[0. 216 , Research Station Re· position s ites we re identified by ob­ search Bra nch, Canada De partment of Ag'ricul. lure, S um merla nd, British Colum bia. serving oviposition in th e orch ard. .T. E\'TO M 01 .. SO('. BHlT. C OTl i i\IHIA. 64 (1967) , A UG . ], ]967

Also eggs suspected of being those of DISCUSSION predators were reared in the labora­ Chrysopidae. Very little informa­ tory to stages that permitted identifi­ tion has been published on the biolo­ cation. gies of Chrysopa spp. in British Informa tion on overw i n tel' i n g Columbia . Current inves tigations in­ habits were obtained by several dica te that one or more species are methods. Corrugated cardboard bands important predators of P. pyricola. were placed on trees in the early Adults of C. carnea and C. oculata are autumn to serve as artificial hiberna­ common in pear orchards. By direct tion sites . These were examined dur­ observation in pear orchards and ing the win tel'. Cracks and crevices in laboratory rearing, the larvae of both the bark on tree trunks and limbs species are known to prey on eggs were also exa mined. During the win­ and nymphs of P. pyricola. However, ter, orchard trash, sod and top soil information on the relative abund­ were processed through Berlese type ance of the two species on pear trees funnels to aid in the assessment of is la cking. In the light of a statement preferred overwintering sites. For by Putman (1932) that C. oculata is species that overwinter in the egg restricted almost entirely to low vege­ stage, branches and twigs containing tation in Ontario peach orchards, the suspected eggs of predaceous species value of this species in an arboreal were placed in water filled jars in a h a bitat is questionable. In pear or­ greenhouse during the late winter. chard cover crops, Chrysopa spp. The nymphs that hatched from the larvae are abundant on weeds infested eggs were reared to an identifiable with and other in stage. cover crops . But again, the species concerned and their relative abund­ NEW RECORDS OF PREDATORS OF ance are not known. PSYLLA PYRICOLA FORSTER IN Chrysopa spp. larvae are present BRITISH COLUMBIA in pear orchards and prey on eggs The following species represent and nymphs of P. pyricola from early new predator records obtained during May through October. They are most the course of this s tudy: abundant in July and August. Addi­ Anthocoris nemoralis (F.) (Hete­ tional records of prey species on pear roptera: An thocoridae) trees include all stages of the Euro­ Campylomma verbasci (Meyer) pean red mite, Panonychus ulmi (: ) (Koch), and the two-spotted spider brevis piceatus Knight mite, Tetranychus telarius (L.), lar­ (Heteroptera: Miridae) vae of the frui t-tree leaf roller Deraeocoris jasciolus K n i g h t Archips argy1'Ospilus (Walker), the (Heteroptera: Miridae) apple Aphis pomi DeGeer and Diaphnocoris provancheri (Bur­ nymphs of unidentified que) (Heteroptera: Miridae) (Cicadellidae) . Adalia jrigida Schn. (Coleoptera: Hemerobiidae. Of the brown lace­ Coccinellidae) wings, Hemerobi us pacijicus Banks is Calvia duodecemmaculata Gebl. the only species that has been verified (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) as preying on eggs and nymphs of P. Coccinella transversoguttata Fald. pyricola in British Columbia, but (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) other species may also be involved. In Hippodamia quinquesignata Kirby the pear orchards studied, brown (Coleoptera : Coccinellidae) lacewings were only a bout one-tenth Platypalpus sp. near pluto Mel. as abundant as were green lacewings. (Diptera: Empidae) In contrast, Nickel, Shimizu and Hemerobius pacijicus Banks (Neu­ Wong (1965) stated that H. angustus roptera: Hemerobiidae) was more common than C. carne a in J. EKTO.\[OJ.. Soc. Hin T. C OI.DrBLI , 64 (1967). A UG. 1, 1967 37 pear orchards near San Jose, Calif­ Anderson (l962a) gave the time ornia. required to complete one generation Anthocoridae. The distribution, under la boratory conditions for A. life histories and habits of several antevolen s as five to six weeks and species of Anthocoridae in British for A. melanocerus as four to five Columbia, including Anthocoris ante­ we eks. Field observations during 1965 volens, A. melanocerus and Orius and 1966 indicated that at Penticton tristicolor have been discussed by An­ and Summerland there were four derson (1962a). A . melanocerus and generations per year of each species. A. antevolens are two of the most Females maturing after the first week abundant predators of P. pyricola in of September do not reproduce but unsprayed pear orchards. Both spe­ enter a state of reproductive diapause cies overwinter as adults. Nymphs are in preparation for overwintering. frequently found in hibernation but Anthocoris spp. must be consid­ they are killed by winter tempera­ ered as among the most important tures. In pear orchards, adults are natural control agents of P. pyricola. most commonly found during the They are abundant and their seasonal winter beneath bark scales and in distribution is more closely synchron­ cracks on the lower scaffold limbs ized wi th that of P. pyricola than and trunks of trees. Accumulations of other predators. They are the only dry orchard trash on the ground are abundant species which prey on P . also favored as overwintering sites. pyricola in the latter half of March Adults of both species exhibit aggre­ and the first half of April. gational behavior during hibernation Other records of predation by and both species occur in the same Anthocoris spp. on pear trees include aggregations. all sta ges of P. ulmi and T . telarius, Dispersal from overwintering sites eggs of the codling moth, Carpocapsa in early spring is gradual and usually pomonella (L.), small larvae of A. begins when daily maximum tem­ argyrospilus (Walker) and nymphs of peratures exceed 50 'F . After dispersal unidentified leafhoppers (Cicadelli­ the adults search for sources of prey dae) . Both species also feed on a and then remain to feed and oviposit variety of small arthropods and re­ where food sources are adequate. In prod uce on weeds in pear orchard pear orchards, eggs laid by over­ cover crops. wintered P. pyricola and overwintered Anthocoris nemoralis is not a na­ eggs of P . ulmi appear to be the main tive of British Columbia but was prey and attraction. introduced at Summerland from The sex ratio, males to females, of Europe as a predator of P. pyricola by both A . antevolens and A. melano­ the Canada Department of Agricul­ cerus is approximately 1: 10 in over­ ture in co-operation with the Com­ wintered populations. The females monwealth Institute of Biological are fertilized in the fall and addi­ Control. In June, 1963, 50 were re­ tional mating in the spring is not leased in an experimental pear required. The sex ratios of summer orchard. By August, 1966, the species generations is apprOXimately 1: 1. was very abundant at the release site OvipOSition starts before pear buds and had dispersed to other orchards are opened. At this time, eggs are in­ at least 1.5 miles distant. serted into bud scales. Later in the Psyllids are preferred prey for A . season, eggs are laid into any soft n emoralis (Anderson, 1962b) . In Eng­ green tissue, most frequently in the land there are only two generations lamina, veins and petioles of leaves. per year. This species differs from The eggs are inserted into the tissue, most other Anthocoris spp. in that just beneath and parallel to the sur­ the sex ratio of males to females in face with only the operculum exposed. the overwintering generation is ap- J . «;,,"1( ' .\1(' 1.. 80('. B HIT. COI.\; \I.BlA. 64 (1967) , Au(; . 1, ]967 proximately 1: 1 (Anderson, 1962c). fruits, even when relatively large The biology of this species in its new numbers (30-35 per cluster) of environment has not yet been studied. nymphs were presen t and feeding in Since A . nemoralis proba bly occupies clusters of immature fruit during a niche very similar to that of A . May. C. verbasci is recorded as a m elanocerus and A . antevol ens, ob­ vector of the fire blight orga nism , servations on competition between Bacillus amylovorus (Burr) Trev. by these species will be of interest. Stewa rt and Leonard (1915). This Orius tristicolor is a minor preda­ could n egate its value as a predator. tor of P . pyricola. In pear orchards it As a predator of P. pyrico!a, D era­ is more abundant near the ground on eocoris breVis piceatu s ranks second cover crop plants tha n in the canopy in importance to Anthocoris spp. This of pear trees. Adults h a ve been ob­ species is most abundant during mid­ served feeding on P. pyricola eggs and s ummer and early fall. It overwinters small nymphs. Nymphs of O. tristi­ as a n adult, most commonly in h eavy color are rare on pear foliage. dry trash in and around orchards and Miridae . The mullein plant bug, also in crevices in the bark of trees. Campylomrna verbasci, is an import­ The sex ratio of overwintered adul ts ant predator of P . pyricola during th e is approximately 1: 1 and mating in month of May The species overwin­ the spring is required for th e produc­ ters in the egg stage. The eggs are tion of fertil e eggs. Overwintered inserted into th e bark of current sea­ adults become active in early April son twig growth during the latter when th ey seek out and feed on th eir half of September to mid-October. prey. Oviposition h abits are s imilar to The over wintered eggs h atch jn early those described for Ant hocoris spp. May just before pears bloom. There The earliest h atch ed nymphs of the are three or possibly four gen erations first generation appear during the per year . Most of the ad ul ts of the first week of May. OvipOSition by first generation leave pear orchards overwin tered females is extended over to reproduce on a variety of wild and a period of several weeks so that very cultivated herbaceous plant species. young nymphs of the first generation Some remain in pear orchards bu t the are present when the earliest h atched later generations are never so num­ individua ls h ave completed develop­ erous as the first generation. In the ment. There a re at least four genera­ fall, adults of the last generation re­ tions per year. Reproduction ceases in turn f l' a m herbaceous hosts to mid-September and all adults matur­ oviposit overwintering eggs on pear ing after this time undergo a repro­ and apple trees. ductive diapause. Feeding by adults C. verbasci plays an important continues until cold weather in Octo­ role in the natural control of P. pyri­ ber or November forces the adults cola because it occurs in large num­ into protective hibernation sites. In­ bers on pears when most other pre­ frequently, n ymphs have been ob­ da ceous species are relatively scarce. served in ar t ificial hibernation sites Besides feeding on eggs and nymphs bu t none h ave overwin tered success­ of P . pyricola, prey records for C. ver­ fully. basci on pear include a ll stages of P . Records of prey of D. brevis picea­ ulmi and T. telarius. tw; on pear include eggs and n ymphs In addition to being predaceous C. of P . pyricola, all stages of P . ulmi a nd verbasci is phytophagous. Reports of T. telarius. s mall larvae of A. argyros­ injury to apple are well a uthenticated pilus, eggs of C. pomonella, n ymphs (Ross and Caesar, 1920; Pickett, 1939 and adults of the a pple grain a phid, and Leonard, 1965) . During the Rhopaiosiphum jitchii (Sanderson) , course of the presen t observations no and A . pomi, and nymphs of un­ adverse effects were noted on pear iden tified leafhoppers (Cicadellidae) . J. E~TO M ()I. . So ... BUlT. C Ol.l' \ lBlA. 64 ( 1967). AUG. 1, 1967 39

In pear orchards, eggs and nymphs of of May. The adults of the second gen­ P. pyricola appear to be the chief eration mature and oviposit over­ prey of this species. In laboratory wintering eggs in the bark of fruit studies, eggs rather than nymphs of spurs and one and two-year old twigs P. pyricoia were preferred as prey. during the second and third weeks of In the laboratory as well as in September. Records of prey on pear orchards nymphs and adults were oc­ includes eggs and nymphs of P. pyri­ casionally observed feeding on leaves cola and all stages of P. 1llmi and T. and immature fruit. No apparent telarius. Both adults and nymphs are injury occurred. The significance of phytophagous as well as predaceous this partial phytophagous habit to but plant feeding is restricted to the nutrition and development of this foliage. No discernable inj ury to pear species, as well as the other species of trees has been observed. Miridae discussed, has not been de­ Coccinellidae. As individual spe­ termined. A partial phytophagous cies and as a group the CocCinellidae habit may be of importance in sus­ rank as minor predators of P . pyri­ taining populations of predaceous colcl. At no tim e during this investiga­ insects when prey are tion have the numbers of Coccinelli­ absent or at low densities (Collyer, dae in predator samples exceeded one 1953) . per cent of the total predaceous Deraeocoris fasciolus is a common fauna. preda tor of P. pyricola that is most Empidae. Adults of Platypalpus sp. a bundant in mid-summer to early near pluto, a dance fly, prey on adult fall. Little is known about the biology P. pyricola. This species is frequently of this species in British COlumbia. It numerous in unsprayed pear or­ overwinters in the egg stage. The eggs chards. The flies have been observed a re inserted deep into the bark of seizing adult P . pyricola resting on rough twigs and fruit spurs of pear foliage and in flight. No attempt has ' trees. Newly hatched nymphs first been made to assess the importance appear about mid-May. There are two of predation by this species toward generations per year. Prey records natural control of P. pyricola. How­ include eggs and nymphs of P. pyri­ ever, it is the only species that has cola and all stages of P . ulmi. been observed to prey consistently on Diaphnocoris provancheri over­ the adult stage of P. pyricola. Clausen winters in the egg stage. There are (1940) mentions that the larvae of two generations per year. The nymphs Empidae are either predaceous or of the first generation first appear in scavengers in moist soil or decaying pear orchards during the third week wood habitats.

References Anderson, N. H. 1962a. Anthocoridae of the Pacific Northwest with notes on distribu­ tions, life histories, and habits (Heteroptera). Can. Ent. 94:1325-1334. Anderson, N. H. 1962b. Growth and fccundity of Anthocoris spp. reared on various prey (Heteroptcra: Anthocoridae). Entomologia expo appl. 5:40-52. Anderson, N. H. 1962c. Bionomics of six species of Anthocoris (Heteroptera: Antho­ coridae) in England. Trans. R. ent. Soc. Lond. 114:67·95. Clausen, C. P. 1940. Entomophagous Insects. McGraw Hill Book Co. New York. x + 688 pp. Collyer, E. 1953. Biology of some predatory insects and mites associated with the fruit tree red (Metatetranychus ulmi (Koch)) in south·eastern England. J. hort. Sci. 28:246·259. Leonard, D. E. 1965. Atractotomus mali ana Campylomma verbasci (Heteroptera: Miri­ dae) on apples in Connecticut. J. econ. Ent. 58:1031. Lord, F. T. 1949. The influence of spraY' programs on the fauna of apple orchards in Nova Scotia. III Mites and their predators. Can. Ent. 81 :202-214, 217·230. Madsen, H. F. 1961. Notes on Anthocoris melanocerus Reuter (: Anthocoridae) as a predator of the pear psylla in British Columbia. Can. Ent. 93:660-662. 40 .T . l "~ Hnll)l. . SO('. RIOT. (;O I.1 ·,I BI.\ . 64 (1967), A1TG. 1. 1967

Madsen, H. F., P. H. Westigard. and R. L. Sisson. 1963. Observat.ions on the natural control of the pear psylla, Psylla pyricola Forster, in California. Ca n. Ent. 95: 837-844. Nickel, J. L., J. T. Shimizu, and T. Y. Wong. 1965. Studies on natural control of pear psyJla in California. J. Econ. Ent. 58:970-976. Pickett, A. D. 1939. The muJlein leaf bug, Camp'ylomma verbasci, Meyer, as a pest of apple in Nova Scotia. Rept. ent. Soc. Ont. , (1938) 69:105-106. Putman, W. L. 1932. Chrysopids as a factor in the natural control of the oriental fruit moth. Can. Ent. 64: 121-126. Ross, W. A., and L. Caesar. 1920. Insects of the Season in Ontario. Rept. ent. Soc. Ont., (1919) 50:95-104. Slingerland, M. V. 1896. The pear psyJla. Bull. Cornell Univ. agric. Exp. Stn. 108:69·81. Stewart, V. B., and M. D. Leonard. 1915. The role of sucking insects in the dissemina­ tion of nre blight bacteria. Phytopathology 5: 117-123. Wilde, W. H. A. 1962. Bionomics of the pear psyJla , Psylla pyricola Foerster , in pear orchards of the Kootenay VaJley of British Columbia, 1960. Can. Ent. 94:845-849. Wilde, W. H. A .. and T. K. Watson. 1963. Bionomics of the pear psyJla, Psylla pyricola Foerster, in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. Ca n. J. Zoo!. 41 :953-961.

CONE INSECTS OF CUAND FlU, ABIES GRANDIS (DOUGLAS) UNDLEY, I~ BUITISH COLUMBIA A. F . HEDLINl ABSTRACT Insects cause considerable seed loss in cones of grand fir , Abies grand is (Doug.) Lind!. on Vancouver Island. Three species of midge, a scale feeder, a gall former , and a seed-feeding midge; two species of seed chalcid, Megastigmus pinus Parf. and M. rafni Hoff. ; and a cone maggot, Earomyia abietum McAlpine, we re r esponsible for most of the damage. Coneworms were not important.

INTRODUCTION guished by morphological character­ Insects that destroy seed of grand istics and by th eir location in the fir, Abies grandis (Douglas) Lindley, cone (Fig. 1) . Larvae of the scale h ave received little attention. Keen midge feed on the inner surface of (1958) reported that insects, ma inly the cone scales, and h ave anal hooks ch alcids and midges, destroyed 10 to which are absent in the cecidogenous 25c( of the seed at Ashla nd, Oregon. midge and th e seed midge. Morpho­ Information on species, and lo gical differences of the sternal the type and exten t of their damage spatulas of full- grown third instal' was gathered on Vancouver Island in larvae are compared in Fig. 2. the s ummer of 1963 . Cones collected SCALE MIDGE . This is probably weekly from 14 June to 19 August the insect which K een (1958) refers near Cowichan Bay contained midges, to as the con e resin midge. The full­ seed chalcids, cone maggots, and a grown larva is orange and lives free­ few coneworms. lyon th e inner surface of the cone Grand fir flowers in spring and scale, often between the seed wing th e cones mature by early September. and scale, causin g darkening of the Cones are erect, varying in length from 2.0 to 4.5 inches a t maturity. In scale at the feeding site. Larvae usu­ au tumn they diSintegrate. ally occur singly, but may be in clus­ ters. Larvae are present th L' oughout LIFE HISTORY AND HABITS th e summer; they averaged 28 per Midges cone in eigh t cones dissected during Three species of midges, consist­ June and July. In autumn the larvae ently present in cones, were distin- drop to the ground to overwinter. The larvae do not affect the seeds direct­ I Forest Research Laboratory, Department of Forestry a nd Rural Development, Victoria. B.C. ly so their damage is apparently light