Greenhouse evaluation of neonate and adult applications of Coleomegilla maculata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) to control twospotted spider mite infestations
Keywords:
lady beetle, Tetranychus urticae, impatiens, ornamental plant, generalist predatorAbstract
The lady beetle Coleomegilla maculata DeGeer (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is a euryphagous predator that is known to consume the twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae). Spider mites are frequently problematic in greenhouse operations and often cause damage to the ornamental and bedding plant Impatiens walleriana Hook f. (Ericales: Balsaminaceae). Increasing demand for alternatives to pesticides combined with resistance to registered pest control products necessitates the evaluation of viable alternatives. In this study, naïve impatiens were intentionally infested with twospotted spider mites. When damage was visible on experimental plants, they were treated with lady beetles in containment cages. One treatment was adult C. maculata and another treatment was neonate C. maculata using recently developed methods for rearing and harvesting eggs. Levels of spider mite infestation were assessed after treatments, and images of the treated and untreated plants were collected to assess the effectiveness of C. maculata in a greenhouse environment. Plants with C. maculata treatments were essentially free of spider mites. There is potential to use mass-reared C. maculata eggs as treatment for spider mites in contained crops or indoor decorative plants.
Resumen
La maraquita Coleomegilla maculata DeGeer (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) es un depredador eurífago conocida de consumir la arañita de dos manchas, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae). Las arañitas son frecuentemente problemáticas en las operaciones de invernaderos, y con frecuencia causan daño a la planta ornamental y de cobertura, Impatiens walleriana Hook f. (Ericales: Balsaminaceae). La creciente demanda de alternativas a los plaguicidas, combinadas con la resistencia a los productos registrados para el control de plagas requiere la evaluación de alternativas viables. En este estudio, impatiens ingenuos fueron infestadas intencionalmente con arañitsa de dos manchas. Cuando hubo daño visible en las plantas experimentales, ellas fueron tratadas con las mariquitas en jaulas de contención. Uno de loso tratamientos fue con adultos de C. maculata y el otro tratamiento fue con neonatos de C. maculata utilizando métodos recientemente desarrollados para la cría y la recolección de huevos. El nivel de infestación de las arañitas fue evaluado después de los tratamientos, y se recolectaron imágenes de las plantas tratadas y no tratadas para evaluar la eficacia de C. maculata en un ambiente de invernadero. Las plantas tratadas con C. maculata fueron esencialmente libre de la las arañitas rojas. Existe la potencial de utilizar huevos de C. maculata criados en masa como un tratamiento para las arañitas rojas en los cultivos contenidos o plantas decorativas de interior.
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