Sunday, December 10, 2006 - 9:47 AM
0082

Intraguild predation by four ladybeetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) significantly suppress Asian citrus psyllid (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) populations in Southwest Florida

Jawwad A. Qureshi, jawwadq@ufl.edu and Philip A. Stansly, pstansly@ufl.edu. University of Florida - IFAS, Entomology and Nematology, SWFREC, 2686 State Road 29 North, Immokalee, FL

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, is an invasive pest of citrus in the United States and a primary vector of citrus greening disease. Several generalist predators and a parasitoid are known to target its nymphs. We quantified mortality in D. citri cohorts from eggs or neonates through adult eclosion and recorded any predators or parasitoids that were attacking D. citri populations. The citrus flush with D. citri eggs or first instars was either protected with cages or sticky barrier or was left exposed to evaluate the impact of predation and parasitism. Nymphal mortality was significantly higher in the cohorts that were not protected than the ones that were protected. Most of the mortality occurred during early instars of D. citri and was attributed to predation from ladybeetles, Curinus coeruleus, Olla v-nigrum, Harmonia axyridis, and Cycloneda sanguinea. Little parasitism by Tamarixia radiata was observed.


Species 1: Hemiptera Psyllidae Diaphorina citri (Asian citrus psyllid)
Species 2: Coleoptera Coccinellidae Curinus coeruleus (metallic blue ladybeetle)
Species 3: Coleoptera Coccinellidae Olla v-nigrum (southern 2-spotted ladybeetle)

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