Wednesday, December 13, 2006
D0584

Survey of Peristenus digoneutis, a parasitoid of tarnished plant bug, Lygus linolaris, in New York apple orchards

Lora Crampton, lac62@cornell.edu and Michael P. Hoffmann, mph3@cornell.edu. Cornell University, Department of Entomology, 3132 Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY

Peristenus digoneutis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was successfully established in the northeastern United States in the 1980’s for biological control of the tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris. P. digoneutis attacks nymphs and in alfalfa generally exceeds levels of parasitism by native parasitoids. P. digoneutis expanded its geographic range and spread from the alfalfa fields to strawberries, a high value crop. We report here that P. digoneutis and two native parasitoids, P. pallipes and P. pseudopallipes are also present in New York apple orchards. In addition, we report parasitoid success under different insecticide treatments: conventional, reduced risk, organic and unsprayed (abandoned) apple orchards.



Species 1: Hymenoptera Braconidae