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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Newark, Delaware » Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #415429
Research Project: Biology, Ecology, Genetics, and Genomics of Introduced Species for Biological Control of Invasive and Other Insect Pests

Location: Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit

Title: North American hymenopteran parasitoids of emerald ash borer larvae: seasonal abundance and interaction with introduced Asiatic parasitoids

Author
item PETRICE, TOBY - Us Forest Service (FS)
item POLAND, THERESA - Us Forest Service (FS)
item BAUER, LEAH - Us Forest Service (FS)
item STRAZANAC, JOHN - Michigan State University
item Duan, Jian
item Schmude, Jonathan
item WILLIAM, RAVLIN - Michigan State University

Submitted to: The Canadian Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/25/2024
Publication Date: 10/30/2024
Citation: Petrice, T., Poland, T.M., Bauer, L.S., Strazanac, J.S., Duan, J.J., Schmude, J.M., William, R. 2024. North American hymenopteran parasitoids of emerald ash borer larvae: seasonal abundance and interaction with introduced Asiatic parasitoids. The Canadian Entomologist. 7-14. https://doi.org/10.4039/tce.2024.44.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4039/tce.2024.44

Interpretive Summary: The emerald ash borer (EAB) is a serious invasive forest pest of ash trees in the United States and Canada. A long-term management of EAB via biological control needs to monitor the seasonal abundance and interactions among both introduced biocontrol agents and native North American natural enemies (parasitoids). At sites in Michigan, where introduced biocontrol agents (parasitoids) have been established for multiple years, we monitored the seasonal abundance of these agents as well as several native hymenopteran parasitoids using yellow pan traps. Our findings indicate that these natural enemies are active throughout the season in Michigan and any exploitive competition among them are negligible.

Technical Abstract: As a long-term management strategy for emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmare (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), an invasive pest of ash (Fraxinus spp.) trees, Asiatic parasitoid species from the native range of EAB have been introduced and released in North America. There are also several North American parasitoid species that attack EAB, some of which have similar parasitism rates to introduced Asiatic species. At sites in Michigan where Asiatic EAB parasitoids have been established for multiple years, we monitored the seasonal abundance of four native hymenopteran parasitoids, the braconids Atanycolus cappaerti Marsh & Strazanac, A. simplex (Cresson), and Spathius laflammei Provancher, and the chalcid, Phasgophora sulcata Westwood using yellow pan traps. We also compared their abundances with those of Asiatic species. Adult Atanycolus cappaerti, followed by A. simplex, had the broadest seasonal activity, S. laflammei were mostly captured in the first half of the growing season, and Phasgonophora sulcata was restricted to mid-summer. Adult captures of native species with yellow pan traps were highly variable, but, with the exception of P. sulcata, were not significantly different from Asiatic species. Data from debarking of EAB-infested ash trees showed that densities of EAB larvae parasitized by A. cappaerti or P. sulcata were not significantly different from the Asiatic species. However, we did not confirm parasitization of any EAB larvae by A. simplex or S. laflammei. Considering the adult abundance of these two species, it is likely that A. simplex and S. laflammei primarily attack native hosts and attacks on EAB are rare. We did not find any negative correlations for adult or immature parasitoid abundance between any native or Asiatic species, suggesting that any exploitive competition that may be occurring is negligible.