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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Insect Behavior and Biocontrol Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #309454
Title: Temporal response and attraction of Diaphorina citri to visual stimuli

Author
item THOMSON, PARIS - University Of Florida
item CROXTON, SCOTT - University Of Florida
item STANSLY, PHILLIP - University Of Florida
item Allan, Sandra - Sandy

Submitted to: Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/5/2015
Publication Date: 3/15/2015
Citation: Thomson, P.M., Croxton, S.D., Stansly, P.A., Allan, S.A. 2015. Temporal response and attraction of Diaphorina citri to visual stimuli. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. 155:137-174.

Interpretive Summary: Citrus greening or huanglongbing is the most devastating citrus disease in the world and currently is seriously impacting citrus production in Florida. Asian citrus psyllids are the vectors and are present throughout Florida and in other US citrus production areas currently free of citrus greening. Critical to containing the spread of citus greening is effective management of its vector, generally through use of foliar and systemic insecticides. Guiding proper insecticide management is an effective surveillance method to provide an understanding of the number of D. citri present in a citrus grove. In this study at the Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology Laboratory in Gainesville, FL, scientists examined the optimal time of response of psyllids to visual traps and determined the colors of light emitting diodes that were most attractive to psyllids. This information provides the basis for enhancement of the sensitivity of surveillance for the Asian citrus psyllid thereby providing better management of the disease vector.

Technical Abstract: As the vector of the global disease of citrus greening or huanglongbing, Asian citrus pysllids, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera; Liviidae) are the greatest threat to the worldwide citrus industry. Critical to management of D. citri and huanglongbing, is optimization of surveillance methodologies. While phytophagous insects may find hostplants by multimodal cues, some appear to primarily use visual cues. In this study, we examined the behavior of Asian citrus psyllids towards light from light emitting diodes (LEDs) in the insect visible spectrum. The periodicity of attraction of psyllids to visual cues was evaluated in the field (yellow sticky traps) and laboratory (multi-colored LEDs) with a strong peak of activity during the afternoon in both the field (10:00 to 14:00 hr) and the laboratory (12:00 to 20:00 hr). In laboratory evaluations of psyllids to different colored LEDs, strongest attraction was to LEDs emitting ultraviolet (390 nm), green (525 nm) and lime-green (590 nm) light. No differences were observed between male and female responses. Male and female psyllids did not different significantly in their responses to visual cues. These findings provide the basis for better traps for monitoring psyllids and the beginning steps towards an understanding of Asian citrus psyllid visual behavior.