The recent introduction of the concept of refuge areas for the management of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), on resistant potato highlighted the existence of important gaps in our knowledge and understanding of this pest’s dispersal. The objective of this review was to present a synthetic view of the information available for the benefit of […]
Populations of successfully established exotic organisms rarely reach noticeable densities in their new environment, and little information is currently available on the population dynamics of the exotic insects released on the Hawaiian islands. In the present study, we surveyed present incidence of a tephritid fly of New World origin, Tetreuaresta obscuriventris (Loew.), on the island of Kauai.
Imidacloprid is a commonly used insecticide that is highly effective in controlling insect pests of potato. The relatively high cost of imidacloprid provides commercial growers with a strong incentive to reduce field application rates. In the present study, we investigated the impact of reduced imidacloprid rates on aphid abundance and potato virus Y transmission within
The abundance of mymarid parasitoids attacking the two-spotted leafhopper (Sophonia rufofascia [Kuoh and Kuoh]), a polyphagous pest recently adventive to Hawaii, was monitored using yellow sticky cards deployed in several areas on the islands of Kauai and Hawaii. The yellow cards captured Chaetomymar sp. nr bagicha Narayanan, Subba Rao, & Kaur and Schizophragma bicolor (Dozier), both adventive species; as well as Polynema sp. Haliday,
The two-spotted leafhopper, Sophonia rufofascia (Kuoh and Kuoh), is a recent invasive pest attacking a wide variety of plant species in Hawaii. We surveyed the distribution and parasitism of its eggs in a number of natural and agricultural habitats on the islands of Kauai, Oahu, and Hawaii. Egg density was fairly low, with egg distribution affected both
The flower-head feeding fly Acinia picturata (Diptera: Tephritidae) was deliberately introduced from Mexico into Hawaii in 1959 for biological control of the exotic weed Pluchea odorata (Snow) (Asteraceae). Neither field efficacy nor possible non-target effects of the fly have been evaluated in the 40 years since the introduction. We assessed the impact of the fly on both its target
Kallitaxila granulata (Stal) (Homoptera: Tropiduchidae), a recent invasive species in Hawaii, is a potential pest of agricultural and forest ecosystems. We present information on the planthopper’s oviposition behavior, its egg distribution patterns, and the occurrence of egg parasitoids in Hawaii. There were no differences in the percentage of leaves containing K. granulata oviposition scars or in the number
Methyleugenol-baited traps are used for Oriental fruit fly control through male annihilation, as well as for detection and monitoring of fly populations. However, if the males which come to these traps emit sex pheromones, attract females from the surrounding vegetation, and mate with them before being killed, then using such traps might in fact increase
We performed a series of laboratory experiments to determine the effects of shade, soil moisture, and soil compaction on the selection of pupation habitats by wandering late instar Oriental fruit flies, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel). Larvae showed a strong preference towards pupating in shaded rather than brightly lit areas, in moist rather than dry soil, and in soil