Oviposition, adult longevity and temperature effects on the eggs of T etanocera elata ( F ab.) ( D iptera: S ciomyzidae): a potential biocontrol agent for slugs

• Published in: Journal of applied entomology (1986) 2014-11, Vol.138 (9), p.670-676
• Main Authors: Hynes, T., Mc Donnell, R. J., Gormally, M. J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0931-2048; 1439-0418
• DOI: 10.1111/jen.12120

Pestiferous slugs in organic and conventional farming systems damage crops, reduce yield and quality, and reduce profits; however, no biological control agent that is both efficacious and inexpensive has yet been developed. One potential biological control agent is the slug‐feeding T etanocera elata ( F ab.), for which scant scientific data are currently available regarding optimum growing conditions. This study examined the effect of constant temperatures (14, 17, 20, 23 and 26°C) and ambient outdoor and laboratory temperatures on the duration of the egg stage of T. elata . In general, mean and median duration of incubation decreased as temperatures increased, with the highest (52%) and lowest (20%) hatch rates occurring at 14 and 26°C, respectively. Longevity and oviposition rates for T. elata are discussed in the context of mass biocontrol production systems, and possible reasons for low hatch rates for eggs stored at 2–3°C are discussed in the context of the phenology of the species.