Abstract
Drosophila suzukii has been recorded in the UK since the end of 2012. To date, reports of serious damage have been rare. Previous research has demonstrated that there are chemicals available within the UK that are efficient in dealing with D. suzukii. However, few effective chemicals for use by the organic sector have been identified; equally the addition of “new” insecticides into previously stable ecosystems can have negative impacts upon natural enemies and so disrupt control strategies that have developed over a period of time. Therefore, there is a need also to screen for potential biological control agents for D. suzukii. The following commercially available predatory species were evaluated for their potential to act as control agents for D. suzukii: Orius majusculus, Orius laevigatus, Atheta coriaria, Hypoaspis miles and Anthocoris nemoralis. This set of natural enemies could potentially target several life stages of D. suzukii (larvae, pupae and adults). All species, except H. miles, fed on D. suzukii life stages to some extent. Hypoaspis miles displayed no impact upon D. suzukii populations. Anthocoris nemoralis displayed a tendency to feed upon more male than female adult D. suzukii and caused 45% mortality after five days. None of the natural enemies trialed were able to control D. suzukii individually. However, these and other non-commercially produced species will all play a role within a given ecosystem in controlling D. suzukii populations.
Highlights
The invasive pest, Spotted Winged Drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) has a wide host range, infesting many varieties of soft fruits [1,2]
Within 30 minutes of initiating the experiment an individual O. laevigatus was visually observed to feed on an adult female SWD [17] (Figure 1)
Orius laevigatus significantly reduced male SWD numbers compared to the control (p < 0.05) following 72 h (Figure 2)
Summary
The invasive pest, Spotted Winged Drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) has a wide host range, infesting many varieties of soft fruits [1,2]. There are several stages were different natural enemies may be efficient at targeting different lifestages of D. suzukii, that is, both on the soil surface as larvae/pupae fall to the ground following leaving the fruit and in the canopy against adult flies. Direct sprays of fungi onto SWD adults did not kill adult flies quick enough; as a result the generation of flies began emerging in the feeding media before adult flies that had been treated began to die [5] These findings demonstrate that pathogen induced mortality alone is not enough to control fly populations. Under laboratory conditions several naturally occurring parasitoids of drosophilids in France were able to successfully parasitize D. suzukii These included two larval parasitoids, Leptopilina heterotoma and Leptopilina boulardi, and two pupal parasitoids, Pachycrepoideus vindemiae and Trichopria drosophilae.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
