Potential new associations of North American parasitoids with the invasive Asian longhorned beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) for biological control

Authors: Duan, Jian; Aparicio, Ellen; Tatman, Daria; Smith, Michael; Luster, Douglas - Doug

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/31/2015
Publication Date: 11/24/2016
Citation: Duan, J.J., Aparicio, E.M., Tatman, D.M., Smith, M.T., Luster, D.G. 2016. Potential new associations of North American parasitoids with the invasive Asian longhorned beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) for biological control. Journal of Economic Entomology. 109(2):699–704.

Interpretive Summary: The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky), is a polyphagous wood-boring insect native to Asia. Since it invaded North America in the 1990s, this beetle has been continuously targeted by quarantines and eradication programs in the United States and Canada. In the present study, ARS scientists tested parasitic wasps associated with North American native longhorned beetles and other wood-boring insects for their potential use for biological control of ALB. Results of the study showed that five species of North American parasitic wasps successfully attacked ALB larvae naturally infesting red maple logs and produced both male and female progenies. One parasitic wasp (O. mellipes) were continuously reared on ALB larvae inserted inside small red maple sticks for over 50 generations, and produced female-biased progeny (approximately 6:1 female to male ratio) at each generation. These findings demonstrate that some North American parasitoids may be able to develop new associations with ALB and thus should be further studied for possible use in biocontrol.

Technical Abstract: The Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky), is a polyphagous wood-boring insect native to Asia. Since it invaded North America in the 1990s, the beetle has been continuously targeted by quarantines and eradication programs in the United States and Canada. In the present study, we examined the potential for development of new species-associations between A. glabripennis and hymenopteran parasitoids collected from cerambycids and other wood-boring insects infesting red maple (Acer rubrum L.) trees in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Results of our laboratory study showed that five species of braconid parasitoids (Ontsira mellipes Ashmead, Rhoptrocentrus piceus Marsh, Spathius laflammei Provancher, Heterospilus spp. and Atanycolus spp.) successfully attacked early instars of A. glabripennis larvae naturally infesting red maple logs and produced both male and female progenies. One species, O. mellipes, were continuously reared on A. glabripennis larvae inserted inside small red maple sticks for over 50 generations, and produced female-biased progeny (approximately 6:1 female to male ratio) at each generation. Continuous rearing of O. mellipes on A. glabripennis larvae did not significantly increase the parasitism rates and mean number of progeny produced per parasitized host. However, the original parental generation (wild-collected directly from North American cerambycid larvae) caused less A. glabripennis larval parasitism (45.8%) than did the parental generations (F1 – F50) reared from A. glabripennis larvae (causing 54.9 – 70.7% parasitism). In addition, parental generations of F21 – F 50 O. millepes produced slightly more female progeny (6.7 – 7) from each parasitized A. glabripennis larva than did F1 – F20 parental wasp (5 – 6.1) or the original (wild-collected) parental generation (5.0). Together, these findings demonstrate that some North American parasitoids may be able to develop new associations with A. glabripennis and thus should be further studied under semi-field or field conditions for possible use in biocontrol.