The Entomological Society of NSW

The Entomological Society of NSW

The Entomological Society of NSW

Contents Vol. 35

GENERAL AND APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY

The Journal of the Entomological Society of New South Wales Inc.

VOLUME 35 CONTENTS

DOMINIAK, B.C. Review of the use of protein food based lures in McPhail traps for monitoring Queensland fruit fly Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt) (Diptera: Tephritidae). ………………………………………………………………….. 7

A literature review reveals many undesirable features of wet protein food baited McPhail traps including the cost to service these traps, their short distance of attraction, their short period of attraction, and their capacity to attract non-target insects.  There are other possible concerns which may alter the attraction of wet protein foods such as the role of bacteria and chemical aspects including pH and salinity.  There is little data to support the continued use of wet protein baited McPhail traps as specialist traps for female Queensland fruit fly.

General and Applied Entomology 35: 7-12

DOMINIAK, B.C., GILLESPIE, P.S., and KERR, M. Search for Asian Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar L.) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) from 2003 to 2006 in New South Wales, Australia. ………………………………………. 41

Surveys for Asian Gypsy Moth were undertaken between October and March in 2003/2004, 2004/2005 and 2005/2006 in New South Wales.  One hundred and eighty four traps were inspected fortnightly.  No Asian Gypsy Moths were found however, several native Lymantria antemata (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) were collected in traps at Grafton on the New South Wales far-north coast.

General and Applied Entomology 35: 41-42

HERRON, G.A., ROPHAIL, J. and JAMES, T.M. A method to bioassay onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) for pesticide response. …………………………………………………………………………….. 15

Onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman, is a major pest of Australian field onion with chemical control limited to organophosphate insecticides.  Following grower complaints of field failure we aimed to establish a bioassay capability for onion thrips and develop a method that could accurately measure small differences in response to insecticides with a view to resistance detection.  LC99.9, extrapolation indicated a discriminating concentration of 1.25 g ai L-1 for diazinon, 0.40 g ai L-1 for dimethoate. 0.40 g ai L-1 for methidathion, 0.11 g ai L-1 for omethoate and 3.50 g ai L-1 for malathion.

General and Applied Entomology 35: 15-19

IL’ICHEV, A.L. and WILLIAMS, D.G. Combined control of codling moth Cydia pomonella L. and oriental fruit moth Grapholita molesta Busck (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) by mating disruption on pears in Australia. …………. 29

Codling moth (CM) and oriental fruit moth (OFM) are both very important pests of pome fruit in Victoria, Australia.  Successful control of OFM in stone fruit and CM in pome fruit has been achieved by the use of pheromone-mediated mating disruption in Victorian orchards.  However, mating disruption can be costly for growers when applied at the full registered rates for both of these pests on pome fruit.  Field trials conducted over three seasons consistently demonstrated that the effectiveness of the half rate of Isomate OFM Rosso for OFM control combined with the full rate of Isomate CTT for CM control was comparable with the full registered rates of both these dispensers applied in pears.  During three consecutive seasons of the trial, both treatments reduced moth catches and fruit damage to a similar degree.  The results suggest that the cost of controlling OFM and CM together in pears by mating disruption could be reduced by applying half the registered rate of Isomate OFM Rosso (one dispenser tree-1 or 250 dispensers hectare-1) combined with the full rate of Isomate CTT (two dispensers tree-1 or 500 dispensers hectare-1).

General and Applied Entomology 35: 29-37

LEVOT, G.W. and HAQUE, N.M.M. Insecticidal control of adult Small Hive Beetle, Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) in laboratory trials. ……………………………………………………………………………………… 1

Treated filter paper laboratory bioassays were used to identify insecticides with potential for the control of Small Hive Beetle adults.  Coumaphos, diazinon, tcmephos, flumethrin, tau-fluvalinatc, methomyl, imidacloprid and fipronil were evaluated.  Fipronil was the most potent and was selected for further testing in a novel delivery system.  This system, based on aluminium foil covered, insecticide treated cardboard took advantage of the beetle’s preference to harbour inside corrugated cardboard.  Dose-response lines for beetles exposed to cardboard that had been treated with various concentrations of fipronil demonstrated that residues deposited by application of 25 mg L-1 (or greater) solutions were lethal to adult beetles.  Results of bioassays with cardboard that had been stored at room temperature for up to 84 days indicated that toxicity slowly dissipated over time.  Placement of a single covered piece of treated cardboard on the bottom board of artificially infested boxes of comb caused the death or moribundity of 98.4% of beetles within 7 days.

General and Applied Entomology 35: 1-5

LEVOT, G.W. and HAQUE, N.M.M. Insecticides applied to soil for the control of Small Hive Beetle Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) larvae. ………………………………………………………………….. 23

A laboratory bioassay was developed to measure the response of full-size Small Hive Beetle, Aethina tumida Murray larvae to insecticidal soil treatments.  Formulated products diluted in water were sprayed onto the surface of 15 cm columns of soil contained in 9 cm diameter plastic tubes prior to the release of larvae onto the soil surface or onto soil already containing pre-pupae.  Chlorpyrifos (Lorsban), permethrin (Permex) and imidacloprid (Premise) were the most effective of the insecticides tested.  Trials with permethrin and imidacloprid demonstrated that treatments were effective irrespective of whether larvae were placed onto previously treated soil or were present in the soil before spray application.  The persistence activity of permethrin and imidacloprid in soil was measured by exposing treated soil to ambient weather. In one trial, toxicity to beetle larvae diminished with time.  However, in a second trial, where heavier rainfall was recorded, effectiveness was maintained at a high level throughout the 89 days post-treatment interval.  This suggests that rainfall influences soil moisture content which in turn presumably assists contact between larvae and insecticide residues.

General and Applied Entomology 35: 23-27

LEVOT, G.W. and HAQUE, N.M.M. Scientific Note: Disinfestation of Small Hive Beetle Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) infested stored honey comb by phosphine fumigation. …………………………………… 43

Stored supers of honey or extracted comb are susceptible to damage by Small Hive Beetle (SHB), Aethina tumida Murray (Colcoptera: Nitidulidac).  Feeding and subsequent fouling by larvae can spoil honey and destroy wax comb (Elzen et al. 1999).  Bee keepers are familiar with the use of aluminium phosphide tablets to rid stored comb of wax moth (Galleria mellionella L. Lepidoptcra: Pyralidae).  Here we describe the effectiveness of this treatment against all life-stages of the SHB.  In accordance with label directions, fumigation was conducted during times when ambient temperature exceeded 15°C.

General and Applied Entomology 35: 43-44

NOACK, A.E. and COVIELLA, C.E. Scientific Note: Thaumastocoris australicus Kirkaldy (Hemiptera: Thaumastocoridae): First record of this invasive pest of Eucalyptus in the Americas. …………………………………. 13

Thaumastocoris australicus is reported from the Americas for the first time with a number of these insects being collected from Buenos Aires, Argentina.  This heteropteran has had a devastating effect on many eucalypts growing in Sydney, Australia over a number of years and has recently been reported infesting Eucalyptus plantations in South Africa.  New eucalypt hosts are briefly discussed.

General and Applied Entomology 35: 13-14

BOOK REVIEWS:

100 Caterpillars: Portraits from the Tropical Forests of Costa Rica ………….………………21

A Walk Around the Pond: Insects in and over the Water …………………………………..…39

For Love of Insects ……………………………………………………………………………..45

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