Ecology and Control of the Striped Earwig, Labidura Riparia, (Labiduridae: Dermptera) in Louisiana
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Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1967 Ecology and Control of the Striped Earwig, Labidura Riparia, (Labiduridae: Dermptera) in Louisiana. Harry Roy Gross Jr Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Gross, Harry Roy Jr, "Ecology and Control of the Striped Earwig, Labidura Riparia, (Labiduridae: Dermptera) in Louisiana." (1967). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 1292. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/1292 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. This dissertation has been microfilmed exactly as received 67-13,987 GROSS, Jr., Harry Roy, 1939- ECOLOGY AND CONTROL OP THE STRIPED EARWIG, LABIDURA RIPARIA. (LABIDURIDAE:DERMAPTERA) IN LOUISIANA. Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, Ph.D., 1967 Entomology University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan ECOLOGY AND CONTROL OP THE STRIPED EARWIG, LABIDURA RIPARIA. (LABIDURIDAE:DERMAPTERA) IN LOUISIANA A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Entomology by Harry Roy Gross, Jr. M.S., Louisiana State University, 1964 May, 1967 ACKNOWLEDGMENT The author wishes to extend his gratitude to his major professor, Dr. W. T. Spink, Associate Professor of Entomology, who contributed time and many helpful suggestions to this investigation and to the preparation of this manu script. Grateful acknowledgment is made of the helpful suggestions offered by Dr. L. D. Newsom, Boyd Professor and Head of the Department of Entomology, Dr. E. C. Burns, Professor of Entomology and Dr. W. Birchfield, Nematologist, United States Department of Agriculture, for correction of the manuscript. The author is also grateful to Dr. P. E. Shilling, Assistant Professor of Experimental Statistics for assistance in statistical analysis of data and to Dr. J. H. Roberts, Professor of Entomology and Zoology for preparation of illustrations and correction of this manuscript. Further indebtedness is expressed to Mrs. Elaine Kirst for stenographic work and to my wife, Marlyne, for her assistance and encouragement during the progress of the research and preparation of the manuscript. TABLE OP CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENT ................................ 11 LIST OF T A B L E S ................................ V LIST OF F I G U R E S ................................ vil LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ........................... ix ABSTRACT. ........ X INTRODUCTION . 1 SECTION I: DISTRIBUTION AND CONTROL OF L. RIPARIA IN SUBURBAN YARDS ................................ 4 Review of Literature. ..... 4 Insecticide Evaluation Studies— 1965 . 5 Materials and Methods ..... 5 Results and Discussion ..... 9 Insecticide Evaluation Studies— 1966 . 14 Materials and Methods ..... 14 Results and Discussion ..... 16 Striped Earwig Distribution in Suburban Yards. 20 Materials and Methods ..... 20 Results and Discussion ..... 21 ill Page SECTION H i FLIGHT STUDIES ON L. RIPARIA CONDUCTED AROUND MERCURY VAPOR LIGHTS ..................... 25 Review of Literature ...... 25 Materials and Methods ...... 27 Trapping Site . .' . 28 Trapping Methods ...... 29 Results and Discussion ...... 31 SECTION IIIi EFFECTS OF HEPTACHLOR AND MIREX TREAT MENTS ON POPULATIONS OF L. RJPARIA .... 40 Review of Literature ...... 40 Materials and Methods . 41 Yard Plot Studies ...... 42 Field Plot Studies ...... 42 Sampling Methods ...... 44 Results and Discussion ...... 46 Yard Plot Studies ...... 46 Field Plot Studies ...... 53 SECTION IV; PREDATION STUDIES ON EGGS OF L. RIPARIA. 61 Review of Literature ...... 61 Materials and Methods ...... 63 Results and Discussion ...... 64 CONCLUSIONS................................................ 68 BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................... 75 VITA ...................................................... 78 iv LIST OF TABLES Table Page I Insecticides, formulations, rates, methods of application and settings of insecticide applicator used in 1965 striped earwig control studies ........ 8 II Weekly totals of striped earwigs, Labidura riparia, collected in baited pitfall traps during evaluation of insecticides applied in 10-foot bands around houses in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1965 ....... 11 III Weekly totals of striped earwigs, Labidura riparia, collected in baited pitfall traps during evaluation of insecticides applied in 1-foot bands around houses in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1966 . .18 IV Weekly totals of striped earwigs, Labidura riparia, collected in baited pitfall traps at 1, 10, 20 and 30 feet from suburban houses in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1965 . 2 2 V Weekly totals of striped earwigs, Labidura riparia, collected in baited pitfall traps from heptachlor-treated and untreated suburban yard plots in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1966 . 48 VI Weekly totals of imported fire ants, Solenopsis saevissima richteri, collected in baited pitfall traps from heptachlor-treated and untreated suburban yard plots in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1966 ....... ..52 VII Weekly totals of striped earwigs, Labidura riparia, collected in baited pitfall traps from heptachlor and mirex-treated and untreated field plots in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1966 . 55 v Table Page VIII Weekly totals of imported fire ants, Solenopsis saevissima richteri, collected in pitfall traps from heptachlor and mirex-treated and untreated field plots in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1966 . 69 IX Total numbers of Labidura riparia eggs removed from 0.5 dram vials during overnight exposure in heptachlor and mirex-treated and untreated plots in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1966 . 65 X Analysis of variance of effects of 5 insecticides on field populations of striped earwigs, Labidura riparia, 1965. 7 0 XI Analysis of variance of effects of 4 insecticides on field populations of striped earwigs, Labidura riparia, 1966. .7 1 XII Analysis of variance of distribution of striped earwigs, Labidura riparia, within suburban yards ......... 72 XIII Statistical analysis of weekly averages of striped earwigs, Labidura riparia, collected in heptachlor-treated and untreated yard plots, using Student's T test to determine significance ....... 73 XIV Analysis of variance of weekly averages of striped earwigs, Labidura riparia, collected in heptachlor and mirex-treated and untreated field plots ......... 74 LIST OP FIGURES Figure Page 1 Weekly averages of atriped earwigs, Labidura riparia, collected in baited pitfall traps during evaluation of insecticides applied in 10-foot bands around houses in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1965 ...... 10 2 Weekly averages of striped earwigs, Labidura riparia, collected in baited pitfall traps during evaluation of insecticides applied in 1-foot bands around houses in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1966 ...... 17 3 Recorded inches of rainfall and numbers of striped earwigs, Labidura riparia, collected on Stickem® covered hardware cloth traps during earwig flight studies in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1965 ...... 37 4 Diagrams of yard and field test plots indi cating arrangement, size of field plots and relative position of pitfall traps. A. Yard Test Plot. B. Field Test Plot . 45 5 Weekly averages of striped earwigs, Labidura riparia. collected in baited pitfall traps from heptachlor-treated and untreated suburban yard plots in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1966 . 47 6 Weekly averages of imported fire ants, Solenopsis saevissima richteri, collected in baited pitfall traps from heptachlor-treated and untreated suburban yard plots in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1966 . 51 Weekly averages of striped earwigs, Labidura riparia, collected in baited pitfall traps from heptachlor and mirex-treated and untreated field plots in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1966 . 54 vii Figure Page 8 Weekly averages of imported fire ants, Solenopsis saevissima richteri, collected in baited pitfall traps from heptachlor and mirex-treated and untreated field plots in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1966 58 viii LIST OP ILLUSTRATIONS Plate Page Front view of hardware cloth trap used in striped earwig flight studies . 30 2 Lateral view of hardware cloth trap used in striped earwig flight studies . 31 3 Three complete trapping apparatus arranged in a soil filled plot at Bon Marche/ Shopping Center, where striped earwig flight studies were conducted ...... 33 ix ABSTRACT Research on the striped earwig, Labidura riparia, was designed to improve control measures, determine distribution within suburban yards and collect ecological data in the following 3 areas: (1) influence of weather factors on flight; (2) influence of local applications of heptachlor for imported fire ant control on earwig population buildup; (3) predation on earwig eggs exposed overnight under field conditions. Control studies revealed that 10-foot band applications of 2% diazinon granules at 5 pounds per acre and 85% carbaryl wettable powder at 1 pound per 5000 square feet around houses prevented striped earwigs from entering houses for 3 to 4 weeks during fall months. Similar applications of Baygon , Dursbair^and fenthion significantly reduced earwig populations but did not prevent their entrance