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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #375196
Research Project: Systematics of Parasitic and Herbivorous Wasps of Agricultural Importance

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: New records of Leptopilina, Ganaspis, and Asobara species associated with Drosophila suzukii in North America, including detections of L. japonica and G. brasiliensis

Author
item ABRAM, PAUL - Agriculture And Agri-Food Canada
item MCPHERSON, AUDREY - University Of Victoria
item Kula, Robert
item HUEPPELSHEUSER, TRACY - British Colombia Ministry Of Forests And Range
item THIESSEN, JASON - Agriculture And Agri-Food Canada
item PERLMAN, STEVE - University Of Victoria
item CURTIS, CATITLIN - University Of Victoria
item FRASER, JESSICA - University Of Victoria
item TAM, JORDAN - University Of British Columbia
item CARRILLO, JULI - University Of British Columbia
item Gates, Michael
item Scheffer, Sonja
item Lewis, Matthew
item Buffington, Matthew

Submitted to: Journal of Hymenoptera Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/24/2020
Publication Date: 8/31/2020
Citation: Abram, P., Mcpherson, A.E., Kula, R.R., Hueppelsheuser, T., Thiessen, J., Perlman, S.J., Curtis, C.I., Fraser, J.L., Tam, J., Carrillo, J., Gates, M.W., Scheffer, S.J., Lewis, M.L., Buffington, M.L. 2020. New records of Leptopilina, Ganaspis, and Asobara species associated with Drosophila suzukii in North America, including detections of L. japonica and G. brasiliensis. Journal of Hymenoptera Research. 78:1-17.

Interpretive Summary: In North America, parasitic wasps are used extensively in the biological control of pest insects. These wasps are often brought from other countries, kept in quarantine while being evaluated, and if deemed safe and effective, released against a pest. Sometimes, however, these wasps migrate from one continetn to another without the involvement of entomologists. We present here data on just such an occurrence in British Columbia, where three species of parasitic wasp, endemic to Asia, are now established and attacking the notorious spotted wing drosophila. This research is critical for future control efforts of th is pest fly, and the data will be used by biocontrol researchers and extension entomologists.

Technical Abstract: We report the presence of two Asian species of larval parasitoids of spotted wing Drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), in northwestern North America. Leptopilina japonica Novkovic & Kimura and Ganaspis brasiliensis (Ihering) (Hymenoptera:Figitidae) were found foraging near and emerging from fruits infested by D. suzukii at a number of locations across coastal British Columbia, Canada in the summer and fall of 2019. While G.brasiliensis was found in British Columbia for the first time in 2019, re-inspection of previously collected specimens suggests that L. japonica has been present since at least 2016. Additionally, we found a species of Asobara associated with D. suzukii in British Columbia that is possibly Asobara rufescens (Förster) (known only from the Palearctic Region) based on COI DNA barcode data. These findings add to the list of cases documenting adventive establishment of candidate classical biological control agents outside of their native ranges. The findings also illustrate the need for revisiting species concepts within Asobara, as well as host and geographic distribution data due to cryptic and/or misidentified species.