Since the introduction of the Asian lady beetle it has spread throughout most of North America displacing native species of lady beetles. Migrating populations have created new problems for fruit growers as well as businesses and homeowners. Many of the vineyards in Ohio and surrounding states have experienced hoards of lady beetles infesting ripening grape clusters at harvest. These beetles are equipped with a strong defensive chemical that deters other animals from preying on them. Upon contact or when crushed with the harvested grapes the Asian lady beetle imparts a musty odor and has been found to cause an undesirable odor and flavor in grape juice and wine. There are few diseases or predators associated with the Asian lady beetle. Imidacloprid is not considered a contact pesticide but for some reason the multicolored lady beetle has shown sensitivity to this compound and low rates of this compound knock the beetles down but does not kill them. This attribute may provide a means of knocking the beetles out of the grape canopy or other fruit canopies prior to harvest but still allowing them to recover and continue to function as a predator in biocontrol programs. The insecticides Danitol, Malathion, and Sevin were found to be highly toxic to the beetles while Provado and Pyrellin were marginally toxic. Sticky traps of various colors (purple, pink, red, yellow and green) are being evaluated. Field results indicate that they may be useful for monitoring populations of lady beetles.
Species 1: Coleoptera Coccinellidae Harmonia axyridis (multicolored Asian lady beetle)
Keywords: grape pest, behavior
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