Abstract
The western leaffooted bug, Leptoglossus zonatus (Dallas) (Heteroptera: Coreidae), is a key pest of almonds and pistachios in the USA. With limited monitoring strategies and no economic threshold developed, the use of broad-spectrum insecticides remains the primary control tactic for L. zonatus. In pursuit of more sustainable management options, experiments were carried out to assess the biocontrol potential of the egg parasitoid Hadronotus pennsylvanicus (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) against L. zonatus. Biological and demographical attributes of H. pennsylvanicus were evaluated under controlled laboratory conditions. Mated females lived on average 116 days. However, female longevity declined by 74% when provided with host eggs, and by 97% when deprived of a suitable diet. Females produced an average 39.70 offspring, with peak fecundity observed within the first week of their lifespan. The total progeny was on average 92.75% female. Non-reproductive host mortality accounted for > 52% of the total egg mortality observed within the first two weeks, and represented the majority of total host egg mortality thereafter. Age of host eggs did not influence parasitism rates. Under laboratory conditions, H. pennsylvanicus exhibits suitable demographic and reproductive traits as a candidate biocontrol agent of L. zonatus. Further research is needed to determine how to best manipulate and enhance H. pennsylvanicus populations to promote biocontrol of L. zonatus under field conditions.
Highlights
The western leaffooted bug, Leptoglossus zonatus (Dallas) (Hemiptera: Coreidae), is a polyphagous pest native to the Western Hemisphere (Brailovsky 2014), and known to attack diverse economically important crops (Grimm 1999; Rivero and Hernandez 2009; Xiao and Fadamiro 2010; Foresti et al 2017; Joyce et al 2017)
Males and females provided host eggs and fed a water diet began dying on day 1 of the study, with complete mortality reached on day 3 and day 6, respectively
When fed honey-water in the absence of host eggs, males started dying after 85 days, living up to 105 days, while females began dying after 105 days and surviving up to 135 days
Summary
The western leaffooted bug, Leptoglossus zonatus (Dallas) (Hemiptera: Coreidae), is a polyphagous pest native to the Western Hemisphere (Brailovsky 2014), and known to attack diverse economically important crops (Grimm 1999; Rivero and Hernandez 2009; Xiao and Fadamiro 2010; Foresti et al 2017; Joyce et al 2017). Current methods for monitoring L. zonatus in orchards include beat-tray sampling of the tree canopy and visual assessment of developing nuts for feeding damage (Daane et al 2016; Zalom et al 2018). Given the lack of effective monitoring tools, along with grower aversion to risk from early season feeding damage, broad-spectrum insecticides such as pyrethroids remain the primary control tactic for L. zonatus (Haviland et al 2018; Zalom et al 2018). H. pennsylvanicus exhibits desirable biological and reproductive traits as a biocontrol agent to A. tristis (Nechols et al 1989) and L. occidentalis (Sabbatini Peverieri et al 2012). The results of this study highlight the prospects and limitations of egg parasitoid H. pennsylvanicus as a candidate biocontrol agent of agricultural pest L. zonatus
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