Journal of Applied Entomology最新文献

Pest regulation may be favoured in crop fields adjacent to semi-natural vegetation such as fragments of the Atlantic Forest in Southeastern Brazil. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyse the dynamics of mortality factors for eggs and larvae of Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in sugarcane adjacent to two types of forest fragments (Plateau and Gallery) at two distances from these fragments during two growing seasons. In each area (seven sugarcane plots), two 50 m long transects were established, parallel and spaced at 5 and 100 m from the field edge, and cohorts of the insect at each stage of development were monitored. The collected data were used to construct an ecological life table and determine the main mortality factors. Natural mortality factors that could not be characterised were grouped as unknown. In both seasons and stages of development observed, there was no difference in mortality between the two types of forest fragments (Plateau and Gallery) or between the two distances from the forest. For the egg stage, the mortality factors were classified as inviable due to infertility, predation, parasitism, desiccation and dislodgement. In both seasons, there was a significant difference in the natural mortality factors of D. saccharalis, with predation distinct from the others. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and green lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) were the most frequent predatory agents and occurred at both distances and types of forest fragments. For the larval stage, the mortality factors were classified as predation, parasitism, drowning and unknown, with the unknown group differing from the others. Unknown factors might have included predation, larval movement towards other plants and displacement caused by wind after hatching. Overall, predation is a key mortality component of D. saccharalis suppression. Therefore, agricultural practices focused on the conservation of natural enemies such as predators may provide more sustainable management.

We document the first observation of a severe shiitake mushroom infestation by several native Neotropical Zygothrica species (Drosophilidae, Diptera) under natural conditions. This infestation occurred in an agroforestry model, a medium-scale, log-based shiitake mushroom production culture. The mushroom farm is located in the Campo Largo municipality in the state of Paraná, Brazil, within the Atlantic Forest Biome. Adult flies, both males and females, were collected in December 2023. This study represents the first collection of Zygothrica parapoeyi Burla, 1956, Z. hypandriata Burla, 1956, Z. ptilialis Burla, 1956 and Z. paraptilialis Burla, 1956 from shiitake log culture. This record underscores the importance of field studies on macroscopic fungal infestations in Brazilian forests, particularly those within agroforestry systems, and their potential economic impacts. In this context, we also propose some preliminary preventive management actions.

Spotted-wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii, is a major pest of various soft-skinned fruit crops worldwide. We investigated an alternative approach to traditional insecticides to manage SWD. Previously, we have shown that 2-pentylfuran (2pf) reduced oviposition in raspberries in laboratory and small-scale field studies. Here, we further investigated the potential of 2pf as a management tool for SWD under more realistic field conditions. We tested the efficacy of 2pf under open field conditions in 2019 and 2020 using isolated plots of raspberries. For the two 2019 field trials, we used single raspberry fruiting inflorescences and deployed 2pf using a sachet for 48 h and 6 days, respectively, and assessed SWD infestation. We did not find any significant differences in SWD infestation in the 48 h trial but found noticeable reductions when 2pf was deployed for 6 days. In 2020, we randomly assigned treatments to an entire small, research planting of raspberries with different doses of 2pf (low, medium, and high) for both the summer and fall crops and recorded infestations. The low and medium doses of 2pf resulted in significant reductions in SWD infestation in field plantings when SWD densities were low (summer crop), but only the high dose reduced infestations when SWD pressure was high in the fall crop. Our study shows that 2pf has potential as a management tool for SWD under field conditions using a highly susceptible crop, but its effectiveness may vary depending on 2pf release rates and SWD abundance. Future studies are needed to test 2pf in combination with other repellents or with targeted insecticides.

The non-native invasive box-tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis) causes severe damage to ornamental box trees (Buxus spp.) and natural boxwood stands (Buxus sempervirens). Using two light traps, we recorded the seasonal flight activity and abundance of C. perspectalis in the suburbs of Basel (Switzerland) over a 15-year period (2009–2023) shortly after the moth's introduction to Europe in 2007. In each year, we also assessed the grazing damage and number of box-tree larvae in a nearby natural box-tree forest. We recorded two peaks in the number of C. perspectalis caught in the settlement area (2009–2010 and 2017–2018). Cross-correlation analysis showed that waves of C. perspectalis moths invaded the settlement area in the year after the peak years of forest damage. Moderate numbers of C. perspectalis were caught each year during off-peak periods. The outbreaks of C. perspectalis resulted in a complete defoliation of the box trees in the forest, after which the moth population collapsed. The slowly regenerating box-tree forest was recolonised by C. perspectalis, most probably from the settlement area. After the second outbreak, the box-tree forest did not appear to be able to fully recover, as moderate numbers of C. perspectalis larvae fed on the emerging new leaves. The annual mean temperature measured in Basel increased by 1.5°C between 2009 and 2023. During this period, the first C. perspectalis moths were caught earlier each year and the last moths were caught later each year. Thus, the duration of flight activity of C. perspectalis (all three generations of a year combined) increased from 13 weeks in 2010 to 20 weeks in 2023, indicating the impact of climate warming. Our study shows that the dynamics of C. perspectalis in the settlement area are strongly influenced by the presence of box trees in the adjacent forest.

Batocera horsfieldi is a major wood-boring pest in China's timber and economic forests, belonging to the order Coleoptera and the family Cerambycidae. This study headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) were used to analyse the volatile components of B. horsfieldi supplementary feeding host plants, and fingerprint profiles were established. The results revealed that the five plants contained 21, 18, 22, 16 and 17 volatile compounds, mostly terpenes, aldehydes and alcohols, along with trace amounts of furans, ketones and ethers. The terpene compounds were mainly monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. The results of hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) were consistent. Five common peaks were identified in these host plants, with (E)-2-hexenal, caryophyllene, (E)-cinnamaldehyde, nonanal, and 3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadien-3-ol being the shared volatile components among the five plants. The mantel test, correlation analysis and grey relational analysis indicated that temperature and precipitation are important factors affecting the content of volatile components. These analytical results provide a basis for using plant volatiles as attractants to control B. horsfieldi.

The tri-trophic interactions among five cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) cultivars—Copenhagen Market (CM), Red Acre (RA), Vertus Savoy (VS), Sugarloaf (SL) and Danish Ballhead (DBH)—a generalist aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and its parasitoid, Diaeretiella rapae McIntosh, were assessed. Copenhagen Market, known for its reported aphid resistance, recorded the fewest aphids (9.11 per plant; F = 6.50; df = 4, p < 0.01), followed closely by Red Acre (11.83 per plant), which was statistically similar. Upon aphid attack, all cultivars produced plant volatiles that influenced the attraction of the parasitoid, D. rapae. Copenhagen Market consistently showed a higher response across cultivar combinations, attracting 62.59%–67.50% of parasitoids. It also recorded a higher parasitisation rate (39.9%; F = 5.94; df = 4/20, p < 0.01) in a multiple-choice test. The results indicate that cabbage cultivars employ both constitutive and induced resistance, as aphid-resistant cultivars were also found to be more attractive to parasitoids. In addition to plant odour cues, factors such as plant colour, texture and host aphid kairomones can influence the orientation and parasitisation by D. rapae.

Agricultural practices and landscape simplification contribute to the ongoing global decline in wildlife. A more integrated approach such as cultivating flowering plants by agricultural fields can enhance wildlife habitat, especially for beneficial arthropods like pollinators. In Florida, citrus orchards are commonly bordered by living windbreaks, single lines of trees designed to buffer orchards from weather extremes as well as pest and pathogen movement. Although these windbreaks act as alternative habitats for residential arthropods, they can be improved with additional floral resources and vegetational complexity. In this study, we explored whether enhancing these field margins by planting flowering herbs, vines and shrubs would lead to higher pollinator abundance and diversity in citrus orchards in north and central Florida. We also investigated the role of naturally occurring wildflowers in attracting pollinators. We found that floral plantings by citrus orchard edges were utilised by pollinators. Cultivated blanketflower (Gaillardia pulchella) was particularly attractive to various wild bees, while commercially managed honey bees were primarily found on a common weedy flowering plant, Spanish needles (Bidens alba). We ultimately found differing patterns of pollinator activity in the adjacent citrus orchards across regions; while more bees, including honey bees, were found within the enhanced orchard compared to control orchard in central Florida, this was not true in north Florida. This study highlights the pollinator resources provided by wild flowers in and around orchards in addition to the conservation potential of cultivated, pollinator-friendly plants.