Monday, December 10, 2007 - 9:41 AM
0348

Life history and biology of two Leucopis species (Diptera: Chamaemyiidae), predators of the hemlock woolly adelgid in the Pacific Northwest

Glenn R. Kohler, glenn.kohler@oregonstate.edu1, Kimberly F. Wallin2, and Darrell W. Ross, darrell.ross@oregonstate.edu1. (1) Oregon State University, Department of Forest Science, 321 Richardson Hall, Corvallis, OR, (2) The University of Vermont, The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, George D. Aiken Center, 81 Carrigan Drive, Burlington, VT

Leucopis argenticollis Zetterstedt and Leucopis atrifacies (Aldrich) have been collected from hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae Annand, infested western hemlocks, Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sargent, in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). L. argenticollis and L. atrifacies are being investigated as candidates for A. tsugae biological control in the eastern United States. Abundance of L. argenticollis adults and chamaemyiid larvae were correlated with A. tsugae density on T. heterophylla in the PNW. Both Leucopis species have been reared from A. tsugae in the laboratory. L. argenticollis and L. atrifacies have been reported to feed exclusively on adelgids; however, they have not been previously reported on A. tsugae. Observations of L. argenticollis and L. atrifacies life histories and their synchrony with A. tsugae in the PNW are reported. Feeding behavior and host range of L. argenticollis in the laboratory will also be discussed.


Species 1: Hemiptera Adelgidae Adelges tsugae (hemlock woolly adelgid)
Species 2: Diptera Chamaemyiidae Leucopis argenticollis
Species 3: Diptera Chamaemyiidae Leucopis atrifacies