Establishment of the predator Laricobius nigrinus, introduced as a biological control agent for hemlock woolly adelgid in Virginia, USA

Laricobius nigrinus Fender (Coleoptera: Derodontidae), a predatory beetle native to western North America, has been released since 2003 for management of hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), Adelges tsugae Annand (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), a non-native pest killing hemlocks in eastern North America. Over 420,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BioControl (Dordrecht, Netherlands) Netherlands), 2021-06, Vol.66 (3), p.367-379
Main Authors: Jubb, Carrie S., McAvoy, Thomas J., Stanley, Kari E., Heminger, Ariel R., Salom, Scott M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adelges tsugae
Agriculture
Animal Biochemistry
Animal Ecology
Behavioral Sciences
Biological control
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Entomology
Forests
Hybrids
Insects
Laricobius nigrinus
Life Sciences
Microsatellites
Plant Pathology
Predation
Predators
Prey
Trees
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Summary:Laricobius nigrinus Fender (Coleoptera: Derodontidae), a predatory beetle native to western North America, has been released since 2003 for management of hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), Adelges tsugae Annand (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), a non-native pest killing hemlocks in eastern North America. Over 420,000 L. nigrinus have been released in the eastern USA from field and lab-reared sources, 14,000 of which were deployed in the Commonwealth of Virginia, USA. In order to determine the establishment rates of L. nigrinus in Virginia, surveys were conducted in 2017 and 2018 at all release sites within this state. During the study, stand-level HWA densities were estimated, and hemlock tree health and predator–prey ratios were quantified. The identification of Laricobius spp. recoveries were made using microsatellite analysis. During the period of the study, L. nigrinus were found to have established at 82% of Virginia release sites and were the primary species recovered (80%). Both Laricobius rubidus (18%) and hybrids (2%) were also recovered. Stand-level HWA densities varied greatly over sites and years but showed a general decline in year two of the study. Establishment at such a high percentage of release sites suggests that the climate in Virginia is suitable for the predator and the insect is adaptable to the wide variety of site conditions where hemlocks typically grow.
ISSN:1386-6141
1573-8248
DOI:10.1007/s10526-020-10072-5