The life cycle of Pineus strobi in southwest Virginia and associated predators

The release of biological control agent Laricobius nigrinus for hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae, in the eastern United States is having an unintended consequence on a native congener, Laricobius rubidus. Laricobius nigrinus and L. rubidus have been shown to hybridize and complete development on A. tsugae. Laricobius rubidus is a predator of a native adelgid species, pine bark adelgid, Pineus strobi, which infests eastern white pine (Pinus strobus). At present, there is little information on the native adelgid and its associated predators, making it difficult to assess the impacts that hybridization may have on the natural system. Additionally, knowledge of predators associated with pine bark adelgid may be used to determine suitability of potential biological control agents. Rearing efforts of L. rubidus may also benefit from additional insight into environmental conditions present during various stages of their life cycle in the Appalachian region. Over the course of two years, the life cycles of P. strobi and other associated predators will be observed at four sites located in southwest Virginia. This project has thus far yielded different phenologies of P. strobi and L. rubidus from those found in the published literature. Predators found to be associated with P. strobi include various Coccinellids, Chamaemyiids, and Cecidomyiids. These three families contain species used for biological control and the further identification of these individuals associated with P. strobi  would be of use to other research into biological control of forest pests.