IPM
Access Home Page
New BioControl
Research Project in Corvallis, Oregon
Jul '97-Sept.98
Amy J. Dreves, INSECTA
Harmonia axyridis
Our Friend, the Asiatic Ladybug
OBJECTIVES of
EPA-funded BIOCONTROL PROJECT:
- To develop a new biocontrol agent
by mass producing Harmonia axyridis and researching the use of
eggs as a potential mass-produced biocontrol agent for use against
pests such as aphids in greenhouses, nurseries and in the urban
environment (backyard garden). Patent
Pending
- To furnish a greenhouse/facility to
rear ladybugs and aphids as the food source for the ladybug.
- To research constraints and
potential in the production of the ladybug and experiment with
artificial diets and housing designs.
- To design a durable product for
commercial distribution. Patent Pending
- To utilize
Harmonia axyridis to
increase awareness of biocontrol tools and IPM by developing a kit with
educational materials and lesson plans on lifecycles, defense
mechanisms, behavior, predator-prey relationships, etc.
DID YOU KNOW?
One of the best defensive plays in pest management mimics the "checks
and balances" system that keeps natural populations on an even keel.
Biological control is the deliberate use of natural enemies such as
predators, parasites, and diseases to regulate pest populations. By
introducing beneficial organisms into a nursery, greenhouse, or other
setting they can become permanent "residents" and pests are less likely
to increase to damaging proportions. The lasting nature of biological
control makes it relatively inexpensive as well as environmentally
safe.
A single ladybug larva will eat between 200 and 300 aphids before
becoming an adult (~40-50 / day). As adults, females can eat up to 500
aphids before laying eggs.
Our hope is that Harmonia
axyridis will add
significantly to the natural control of aphid and adelgid pests in
raising Christmas trees and other conifers, greenhouses and nurseries,
backyard gardens, ornamental landscapes, and in various crops and
settings in the Northwest. Because this lady beetle is active so early
in the year it is possible that it will impact early season development
of aphid and adelgid pests to the extent that in some years complete
control will be achieved.
BEHAVIOR Biologically Harmonia axyridis is unusual. Most native Western ladybugs spend winter
months in the foothills of the Cascade, Coast Range or Sierra Nevada
mountains. In the spring they leave their winter homes to return to the
valley to lay the eggs that begin the next generation. Many generations
may be produced each spring and summer, but the final adults always
return to the foothills. However, Harmonia is
different. Our new ladybug prefers to remain in the valley all winter,
often congregating in large numbers in attics, barns, sheds, anywhere
that's dry and relatively dark. On warm, late-winter days the beetle
may become active and fly to windows.
We believe that Harmonia has
established itself in the valley and has been seen in areas west of the
mountains in the Northwest, perhaps venturing as far south as Medford.
It has not yet been reported east of the Cascades. It was originally
released in the West in Washington State.
HISTORY
In the process of reviewing literature.
Please check back later.
LIFECYCLE
The
Ladybug Lifecycle includes four stages: Egg, Larva, Pupa, and Adult. We
all know the brightly colored beetles with black spots, but fewer of us
know the larvae or baby ladybugs. Eggs are bright yellow, oblong in
shape, and laid in clusters of
10-20. Development time depends on temperature, if it is colder then it
takes the eggs longer to develop. At room temperature, or about
70°F, eggs will hatch in 4-5 days. The newly hatched larvae are
very tiny and black. They remain curled up around the empty eggshell
for several hours, then they begin to move around looking for food. In
7-10 days they will have shed their skins several times and grown to be
about 1/2 inch long, at which time they are ready to pupate. The larvae
are a distinctive black, white and orange. They have carrot-shaped
bodies, rather warty, somewhat hairy. They attach by their tail to the
surface (plant in nature), much like a caterpillar. After attaching
they shed their last larval skin and become pupae. A week or so later
they will emerge as adult ladybugs. Adults and larvae are always
hungry. They eat other insects (e.g. scales, mites) and their favorite
food is aphids.
This lady beetle adult (or ladybug) comes in many different variations of pattern and color.
Most commonly, the beetle is orange with black spots (up to as many as
nineteen black spots!) or it may be black with four red spots at the
corners. Scientists believe that this "morphological plasticity" is one
reason this lady beetle has been so successful.
RESEARCH and DEVELOPMENT
Several questions need to
be addressed and tests performed to understand the usefulness,
practicality, and potential of rearing Harmonia:
Behavior Studies
- Movement of larvae from release
point
- Level of cannibalism
- Host range
- Food consumption
- Survivability - generation
- Predator searching needs -
container size limitations
Regulation Research
- Can a bio-control predator be
released without a permit?
- What issues should be considered
before release of a non-native predator?
Cage Designs for rearing the different life stages (e.g.
egg, larvae, pupae, adult)
- Minimize labor and time.
- Provide the best environment for
health and happiness of the ladybug.
- Reduce cannibalism and disease.
- Optimum temperature and humidity.
- Maintain egg viability over a
period of time.
Food (artificial diet and supplemental nutrition)
- Literature search on diets and food
supplements for Coccinellids.
- Reduce labor, cost, high
maintenance for rearing aphids, and feeding time by introducing an
artificial diet that lasts for several days.
Egg Shelf-life & Adult Storage
- How long and at what temperature
can an egg or adult be stored and still have the viability and vitality?
- How would the eggs be shipped or
transported to a field site?
- Determine a substrate that ladybugs
like to lay eggs on for easy removal.
Pilot Projects for Field Testing
- Gathering Together Farms: John
& Sally Ebeland – Green peach
aphids on peppers (open greenhouse)
- Philomath Hydroponics: Ron &
Kathy Fenske – Green peach aphids on tomatoes and peppers
(closed greenhouse system )
- Peggy Bradley Hydroponics: Glass
Greenhouse; aphids on ginger, fava beans, tomatoes
- Corvallis EPA Douglas Fir Chamber
Project: Dave Olszyk – Conifer aphids on 4-year old Douglas Fir
(closed 4'x4' chambers)
- Corvallis EPA Ponderosa Pine
Chamber Project: Claudia Wise – Adelgids on 1-year old Ponderosa Pine
- Wetland Fish System, Animal House:
Dale Stepnicka – Aphids on wetland taro plants
Development of Greenhouse & New
Insect Research Facility
Originally the ladybird
beetles and 'show' insects were reared in Bellfountain, Oregon at Bugs,
Inc. We then moved to Oregon State University Weniger Greenhouse and
OSU East Greenhouse. Currently, we are developing a new facility, the
"Insecta Insectary", located in south Corvallis. The 12'x12' room is
being designed with shelving, lights, ventilation, and a heating and
cooling system.
Literature Review
There are many articles that
discuss Harmonia. The following
are a few key questions that need to be addressed from the articles
that were located.
Copyright 1998 Amy Dreves, Insecta
(drevesa@ava.bcc.orst.edu)
All rights reserved.
Created: July 28, 1998
Last Modified: August 25, 1998
Source: IPM Access - Integrated Pest Management Information Service
Forums and Files for Urban IPM, Ornamental Landscapes,
Rights of Way, Structural Facilities, Home Farms and Gardens
E-Mail: ipmpa@efn.org
URL: www.ipmaccess.com