Integrating sterile insect technique with the release of sterile classical biocontrol agents for eradication: is the Kamikaze Wasp Technique feasible?

Abstract

Eradication of new pests can avoid ongoing management costs. Although predominantly employed for suppression, classical biological control (CBC) may support eradication attempts, but also may cause non-target impacts in the long term. While CBC is potentially less costly than other approaches, complete eradication is difficult, especially when pests can sustain their populations at low levels. The sterile insect technique (SIT) involves the mass-rearing and release of sterilised insects to disrupt fecundity. This has proven to be synergistic with the release of biological control agents such as egg parasitoids. Here we describe a newly conceptualised tool, the ‘Kamikaze Wasp Technique’ (KWT), which uses a novel combination of CBC and SIT in an eradication to avoid impacts on non-target organisms. This technique proposes the release of sterile parasitoids, as irradiating mated female parasitoids can induce sterility without inhibiting their ability to kill the host. Future work should characterise the irradiation biology of parasitoids. Halyomorpha halys Stal (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) and its natural enemy, Trissolcus japonicus Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), provide a model system for assessing the potential of the KWT.