NUMBER 124, 1988 ISSN 0362-0069 New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, a Division of the New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, a Statutory College of the State University, at Cornell University, Ithaca Insects Associated with Apple in the Mid-Atlantic States'! M. W. Brown2, Cynthia R. L. Adler3 and R. W. Weires ABSTRACT awareness of real and potential pest species on apple throughout a region is needed to form the The insect fauna of managed, abandoned, basis for a comprehensive pest management and "organic" apple orchards in Virginia, West system. Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York were sampled Extensive research has been conducted during 1983 and 1984. A total of 191 species of on economic pests and their natural enemies in phytophagous insects were identified from 164 North American apple orchards. Fewer studies have genera, 58 families, and 9 orders. Species of investigated the total arthropod fauna of apple over a Lepidoptera (43%) and Homoptera (32%) were most broad region. Surveys of pests and beneficial numerous. Managed orchards, compared with arthropods have been conducted in Canada abandoned orchards, had fewer phytophagous (Macnay and Creelman 1958, LeRoux 1960, Lord species but a greater proportion were pests. Non- 1972, Hagley 1974, MacLellan 1977, Madsen and phytophagous insects from thirteen orders also were Madsen 1982) and in the United States (Slingerland identified. and Crosby 1914, Frost 1951, Cleveland and Hamilton 1958, Oatman et al. 1964, Horsburgh and INTRODUCTION Asquith 1968). Surveys limited to specific taxa have also been conducted (Clancy and McAlister 1958, Apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.). Specht and Dondale 1960, Legner and Oatman although native to southern Eurasia, is grown 1962, Chapman and Lienk 1971, McCaffrey and commercially in temperate regions throughout the Horsburgh 1980, Strickler and Whalon 1985). world. In North America, apple has become The purpose of this report is to provide a naturalized, acquiring a large and diverse insect record of insects associated with apple in four mid- fauna. Most of these insects are native to North Atlantic states, as of 1983-1984. America and have adapted to apple with varying degrees of usage, from a primary dependence on it MATERIALS AND METHODS for food and shelter to occasional feeding. However, many species, including some of the most serious Our survey was conducted from April to pests, have been introduced from other regions of September, 1983 - 1984, in Virginia, West Virginia, the world. Pennsylvania, and New York. Two managed The evolving nature of orchard orchards and one abandoned orchard were sampled management requires a broad knowledge of regional in each of three states each year. Orchards under arthropod populations on apple. Changes in minimal management, called "organic" by the management practices can create conditions growers, also were sampled in West Virginia (1983- favoring population growth of previously innocuous 1984), eastern New York (1983), and Pennsylvania species (Brown 1984). Reservoirs for such potential (1984). In every orchard we sampled five to seven pests exist outside managed orchards, as trees selected randomly at each visit except in the naturalized, ornamental, and abandoned apple trees Pennsylvania "organic", which because of the small or as other related native and introduced plants. An size of the trees, ten were sampled. Orchard 1 This material is based upon work supported by the U. S. Department of Agriculture under Agreement No. 58-32U4-4-675. 2 Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University; current address: USDA-ARS, Appalachian Fruit Research Station, Kearneysville, WV. 3 Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University; current address: Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC. locations, ages, cultivars, and sampling dates are similar to other faunistic studies of apple in North listed in Table 1. Sampling consisted of close America (Cleveland and Hamilton 1958, Macnay and examination of nine branch sections distributed Creelman 1958, Oatman et al. 1964, Lord 1972). throughout the tree (Table 2); in the Pennsylvania Thirteen orders of parasitic, predatory, "organic" only two branches per tree were sampled. scavenger, and transient insects were recorded Branch sections were subjectively defined, based (Table 11). Parasitic Hymenoptera (the most on a generalized tree structure (Fig. 1). Ladders abundant order found by Cleveland and Hamilton were used to sample the middle and uppermost (1958) and Oatman et al. (1964)) are especially portions of the trees. under-represented. Our list is based on incidental For each branch section we recorded the observations and represents only a fraction of the presence of all species of phytophagous insects, non-phytophagous insects present. and some non-phytophagous species, feeding on, This publication provides a record of the resting on, or in some other way utilizing apple as a insect community on apple in the mid-Atlantic states resource. Branches were approached cautiously to during 1983-1984. In conjunction with the other observe highly mobile individuals before a more faunistic studies cited, our list provides a reference intensive examination was made. Specimens that to compare with future studies in examining the could not be identified in the field were collected and effects of changes in orchard management and the preserved or reared to the adult in the laboratory for environment on the insect community. Particular later determination. Species determinations or attention should be given to non-pest species found confirmations were done by personnel at the USDA- in managed orchards; these species could become ARS Systematic Entomology Laboratory, Beltsville, pests in the future. Maryland, and their cooperators. Specimens are kept in a collection at the Appalachian Fruit Research ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Station, Kearneysville, WV. We gratefully thank the following RESULTS AND DISCUSSION individuals for their species identifications and confirmations: W. F. Barr (Col.: Cleridae), University Phytophagous insect species of Idaho; R. L. Brown (Lep.: Tortricidae) and D. encountered on apple in this study are listed by year, Adamsky (Lep.: Blastobasidae), Mississippi State region, and type of orchard management in Tables 3- University; W. A. Connell (Col.: Nitidulidae), 8. Insects from 191 species, 164 genera, 58 families Beneficial Insect Research Laboratory, Newark, Del.; and 9 orders were identified from apple in the mid- P. H. Adler (Dip.: Simuliidae), Clemson University; S. Atlantic states (Table 9). Lepidoptera (83 species) S. Roback (Dip.: Chironomidae), Academy of Natural and Homoptera (61 species) comprised 75% of Sciences, Philadelphia; E. L. Mockford (Psocidae), these phytophagous species. Cicadellidae (28 Illinois State University, Normal; R. C. Froeschner species) and Tortricidae (27 species) were the most (Hemiptera, 1984), O. S. Flint (Neuroptera, represented families. Mecoptera), D. R. Davis (Lep.: Epipyropidae, A summary of phytophagous insect taxa by Psychidae, Lyonetiidae, Gracillariidae), W. N. Mathis region and orchard type is given in Table 10. (Dip.: Ephydridae, Drosophilidae), and A. L. Differences in number of species among regions is a Norrbom (Dip.: Otitidae, Lonchaeidae, Lauxanidae), result of variable sampling frequency (see Table 1). Department of Entomology, Smithsonian Institution; Within a region, more species (and higher taxa) were J. P. Kramer (Homoptera), M. B. Stoetzel (Homop.: found in abandoned than managed orchards. Aphididae), D. R. Miller (Homop.: Psyllidae), T. J. "Organic" orchards were intermediate in most cases. Henry (Hemiptera, 1985), D. A. Nickle (Orthoptera, Managed orchards had a greater ratio of pest to non- Dermaptera), S. Nakahara (Thysanoptera), R. D. pest species than the abandoned orchard within a Gordon (Col.: Coccinellidae, Lampyridae, region (Figure 2); a species was considered a pest if Cantharidae, Corylophidae), J. M. Kingsolver (Col.: it was listed in either Davidson and Lyon (1979) or Lathridiidae, Cryptophagidae), T. J. Spilman (Col.: Brunner and Howitt (1981) as being a pest of apple. Cerambycidae, Elateridae), R. E. White (Col.: Orchard management, therefore, reduced the Chrysomelidae, Anthribidae, Anobiidae), D. R. number of species present and also resulted in an Whitehead (Col.: Curculionidae, Apionidae, insect community dominated by pest species. Rhynchitidae), D. M. Anderson (Col.: Scolytidae), D. Comparisons among faunistic studies are C. Ferguson (Lep.: Geometridae, Pyralidae, tenuous at best. Differences in sampling methods, Noctuidae-in part), R. W. Hodges (Lep.: sampling intensity and frequency, and size of the Coleophoridae, Gelichiidae, Blastobasidae, region studied all affect the number and type of Oecophoridae), R. W. Poole (Lep.: Lymantriidae, species found. In general, the number and Noctuidae-in part, Notodontidae, Arctiidae), E. E. taxonomic distribution of phytophagous species are Grissell (Hym.: Chalcididae, Torymidae), S. R. Shaw 2 and P. M. Marsh (Hym.: Braconidae), M. E. Schauff (Hym.: Eulophidae), A. S. Menke (Hym.: Bethylidae), Horsburgh, R.L. and D. Asquith. 1968. Initial survey G. Steyskal (Dip.: Agromyzidae), R. V. Peterson of arthropod predators of the European red mite (Dip.: Psychodidae), R. H. Foote (Dip.: Tephritidae), in south-central Pennsylvania. J. Econ. F. C. Thompson (Dip.: Syrphidae, Bibionidae), and Entomol. 61:1752-1754. N. W. Woodley (Dip.: Tachinidae, Anisopodidae,