Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-l7hp2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T00:45:23.587Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Colonisation of Aphytis melinus DeBach (Hymenoptera, Aphelinidae) in Aonidiella aurantii (Mask.) (Hemiptera, Coccidae) on citrus in South Australia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

M. M. Campbell
Affiliation:
South Australian Department of Agriculture, Loxton 5333, South Australia

Abstract

Aphytis melinus DeBach was introduced to South Australia, reared in the laboratory, and then released against Aonidiella aurantii (Mask.) on citrus. In tests in nine citrus orchards, 100 adults of Aphytis melinus ensured colonisation during summer and early autumn, 1000 during late autumn, but even that number was insufficient during winter. Colonisation was equally successful whether Aonidiella aurantii was very abundant or very rare. The most efficient method for colonisation was therefore to release 100 adult parasites during summer and early autumn into small populations of A. aurantii. The parasite had dispersed at least three trees from each summer release site after five months, but much less following autumn releases. Ten months after summer release into nine trees of a total of 3330 adults, Aphytis melinus was recovered from 286 out of 354 (80%) trees in one orchard. In a further experiment, numbers of Aonidiella aurantii were reduced from 300–1000 per 150 leaves on five trees to less than 10 per 150 leaves 18 months after the release of Aphytis melinus, whereas on a control tree they increased from 550 to 1450 per 150 leaves over nine of those months.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1976

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bedford, E. C. G. (1968). The biological control of red scale, Aonidiella aurantii (Mask.) on citrus in South Africa.—J. ent. Soc. sth. Afr. 31, 115.Google Scholar
Boettger, C. R. (1958). On biological pest control.—Int. Congr. Ent. X 4, 875878.Google Scholar
Brewer, R. H. (1971). The influence of the parasite Comperiella bifasciata How. on the populations of two species of armoured scale insects, Aonidiella aurantii (Mask.) and A. citrina (Coq.) in South Australia.—Aust. J. Zool. 19, 5363.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campbell, M. M. (1970). Red scale spraying.—Murray Pioneer, 10 8.Google Scholar
Campbell, M. M. (1975 a). Establishing Aphytis melinus in citrus orchards by a new simple method.—J. Aust. Inst. agric. Sci. 41, 6263.Google Scholar
Campbell, M. M. (1975 b). Duration of toxicity of residues of malathion and spray oil on citrus foliage in South Australia to adults of a California red scale parasite, Aphytis melinus DeBach (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae).—J. Aust. entomol. Soc. 14, 161164.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Conradie, J. M. (1968). Entomological report.—Tech. Rep. LeTaba Est., Tzaneen, N. Transvaal, 03 1968.Google Scholar
DeBach, P. (1965). Weather and the success of parasites in population regulation.—Can. Ent. 97, 848863.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
DeBach, P. (1969). Biological control of diaspine scale insects on citrus in California.—In Chapman, H. D. (Ed.) Proc. 1st int. Citrus Symp. 2, 801815.Google Scholar
DeBach, P. & Bartlett, B. R. (1964). Methods of colonization, recovery and evaluation. In DeBach, P. (Ed.) Biological control of insect pests and weeds.—402426. London, Chapman & Hall.Google Scholar
DeBach, P. & White, E. B. (1960). Commercial mass culture of the California red scale parasite Aphytis lingnanensis.—Bull. Calif. agric. Exp. Stn no. 770, 58 pp.Google Scholar
Downes, W. & Andison, H. (1940). The establishment in British Columbia of parasites of the holly leaf miner, Phytomyza ilicis Curtis.—J. econ. Ent. 33, 948949.Google Scholar
Flanders, S. E. (1947). Elements of host discovery exemplified by parasitic Hymenoptera.—Ecology 28, 299309.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Flanders, S. E. (1959). The employment of exotic entomophagous insects in pest control.—J. econ. Ent. 52, 7175.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Turnbull, A. L. & Chant, D. A. (1961). The practice and theory of biological control of insects in Canada.—Can. J. Zool. 39, 697753.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilson, F. (1960). A review of the biological control of insects and weeds in Australia and Australian New Guinea.—Tech. Commun. Commonw. Inst. biol. Control no. 1, 102 pp.Google Scholar