Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-4rdpn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T17:13:42.216Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

SEASONAL ABUNDANCE OF THE MULLEIN BUG, CAMPYLOMMA VERBASCI (MEYER) (HETEROPTERA: MIRIDAE), ON APPLE AND MULLEIN IN THE OKANAGAN VALLEY

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

H.M.A. Thistlewood
Affiliation:
Centre for Pest Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6
J.H. Borden
Affiliation:
Centre for Pest Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6
R.D. McMullen
Affiliation:
Centre for Pest Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6

Abstract

The mullein bug, Campylomma verbasci (Meyer) (Heteroptera: Miridae), was studied in and around 17 apple orchards in the Okanagan Valley during 1982–1984. Apple and pear were overwintering hosts and the principal perennial hosts during summer months. Campylomma verbasci was the most abundant mirid on apple and occurred in 16 orchards, with two or three generations per year. Nymphs first emerged from overwintered eggs near full bloom, but variation in timing occurred between orchards and years. Population densities of C. verbasci were higher (P<0.05) in unsprayed than in sprayed orchards, but no differences were observed between commercial and “organic” orchards. In June, some adults moved onto herbaceous plant hosts, primarily common mullein, Verbascum thapsus L. Two generations of C. verbasci were found on mullein and the bugs were distributed in an aggregated pattern. Significant associations occurred among height, raceme length, or flower number of mullein plants and the number of C. verbasci on them. From mid-August to October, adult numbers declined on mullein and increased on apple. The number of mullein plants per orchard was not always associated with the density of overwintered C. verbasci in the following year.

Résumé

La punaise de la molène, Campylomma verbasci (Meyer) (Heteroptera : Miridae), a été étudiée en dedans et autour de 17 vergers de pommes de la vallée de l’Okanagan pendant 1982 à 1984. Les hôtes hivernants étaient les pommiers et les poiriers et ils étaient aussi les hôtes perpétuels les plus importants pendant l’été. Campylomma verbasci a été la punaise la plus abondante de la pomme et elle s’est rencontrée dans 16 vergers, ayant deux à trois générations par année. Les nymphes se sont écloses d’oeufs hivernants quand les arbres étaient près de la floraison complète, mais le temps d’apparence a varié parmi les vergers et les années. La densité de population de C. verbasci a été élevée (P<0,05) dans les vergers non-arrosés à comparer à ceux arrosés, mais aucune différence n’a été observée entre les vergers commerciaux et les vergers “organiques”. Au mois de juin, quelques adultes ont déménagé aux plantes-hôtes herbacées, principalement à la molène, Verbascum thapsus L. Deux générations de C. verbasci étaient trouvées sur la molène et les punaises ont été distribuées dans un patron collectif. Des associations significatives sont survenu entre la grandeur, la longueur de raceme, ou le nombre de fleurs des plantes de molène et le nombre de C. verbasci. À partir de la mi-août au mois d’octobre, le nombre d’adultes a diminué à la molène et augmenté à la pomme. Le nombre de plantes de molène par verger n’a pas toujours été associé avec la densité l’année suivante de C. verbasci qui a survécu l’hiver.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1990

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.)

Footnotes

1

Current address: Agriculture Canada Research Station, Vineland Station, Ontario, Canada L0R 2E0.

2

Agriculture Canada Research Station, Summerland, British Columbia, Canada V0H 1Z0.

References

Abrahamson, W.G., and Caswell, H.. 1982. On the comparative allocation of biomass, energy, and nutrients in plants. Ecology 63: 982991.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Anonymous. 1985. Tree Fruit Production Guide for Interior Districts. B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Victoria, B.C. Google Scholar
Boivin, G., and Stewart, R.K.. 1982. Phenologie et comportement biologique de cinq especes de Mirides phytophages (Hemiptera: Miridae) dans une pommeraie du sud-ouest du Quebec. Ann. Soc. ent. Quebec 27: 148157.Google Scholar
Boivin, G., and Stewart, R.K.. 1983 a. Sampling technique and seasonal development of phytophagous mirids (Hemiptera: Miridae) on apple in southwestern Quebec. Ann. ent. Soc. Am. 76: 359364.10.1093/aesa/76.3.359CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boivin, G., and Stewart, R.K.. 1983 b. Seasonal development and interplant movements of phytophagous mirids (Hemiptera: Miridae) on alternate host plants in and around an apple orchard. Ann. ent. Soc. Am. 76: 776780.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Collyer, E. 1953. Biology of some predatory insects and mites associated with the fruit tree red spider mite (Metatetranychus ulmi) in south-eastern England. IV. The predator mite relationship. J. Hort. Sci. 28: 246259.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Collyer, E. 1955. Some predacious insects of fruit trees: Capsid bugs. East Malling Res. Stn. A. Rep. 43: 155159.Google Scholar
Conn, J.S., Proctor, C.H., and Skroch, W.A.. 1982. Selection of sampling methods to determine weed abundance in apple (Malus domestica) orchards. Weed Sci. 30: 3540.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Drought, B.G., and Amyot, J.A.R.. 1983. Weather observations for 1982. Mimeo. Agric. Can. Res. Stn., Summerland, B.C. Google Scholar
Drought, B.G., and Amyot, J.A.R.. 1984. Weather observations for 1983. Mimeo. Agric. Can. Res. Stn., Summerland, B.C. Google Scholar
Jonsson, N. 1983. The bug fauna (Hem., Heteroptera) on apple trees in south-eastern Norway. Fauna norv. Ser. B. 30: 913.Google Scholar
Jonsson, N. 1985. Ecological segregation of sympatric Heteropterans on apple trees. Fauna norv. Ser. B. 32: 711.Google Scholar
Kelton, L.A. 1982. Plant bugs on fruit crops in Canada. Heteroptera: Miridae. Agric. Can. Monograph 24. Ottawa.Google Scholar
Killian, J.C., and Meyer, J.R.. 1984. Effect of orchard weed management on catfacing damage to peaches in North Carolina. J. econ. Ent. 77: 15961600.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leonard, M.D. 1915. The immature stages of Plagiognathus politus and Campylomma verbasci (Miridae, Hemiptera). J. N.Y. ent. Soc. 23 193196.Google Scholar
Madsen, B.J., and Morgan, C.V.G.. 1975. Mites and insects collected from vineyards in the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys, British Columbia. J. ent. Soc. B.C. 72: 914.Google Scholar
Madsen, H.F., Peters, F.E., and Vakenti, J.M.. 1975. Pest management: experience in six British Columbia apple orchards. Can. Ent. 197: 873877.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Madsen, H.F., and Procter, P.J.. 1982. Insects and mites of tree fruits in British Columbia. Publ. No. 82-6, Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Victoria, B.C. Google Scholar
McMullen, R.D., and Jong, C.. 1970. The biology and influence of pesticides on Campylomma verbasci (Heteroptera: Miridae). Can. Ent. 102: 13901394.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Niemczyk, E. 1978. Campylomma verbasci (Heteroptera: Miridae) as a predator of aphids and mites in apple orchards. Pol. Pismo Ent. 48(2): 221235.Google Scholar
Pickett, A.D. 1938. The mullein leaf bug, Campylomma verbasci, as a pest of apple in Nova Scotia. Ent. Soc. Ont. A. Rep. 69: 105106.Google Scholar
SAS Institute. 1985. SAS Users Guide. Statistics, Version 5 Edition. Cary, NC. 956 pp.Google Scholar
Thistlewood, H.M.A. 1986. The bionomics and monitoring of Campylomma verbasci (Meyer) on apple in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia. Ph.D. thesis, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C. 199 pp.Google Scholar
Thistlewood, H.M.A., and McMullen, R.D.. 1989. Distribution of Campylomma verbasci (Meyer) (Heteroptera: Miridae) nymphs on apple and an assessment of two methods of sampling. J. econ. Ent. 82: 510515.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thistlewood, H.M.A., McMullen, R.D., and Borden, J.H.. 1989. Damage and economic injury levels of the mullein bug, Campylomma verbasci (Meyer) (Heteroptera: Miridae) on apple in the Okanagan Valley. Can. Ent. 121: 19.10.4039/Ent1211-1CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tonks, N.V. 1952. Annotated list of insects and mites collected on brambles in lower Fraser Valley, British Columbia. 1951. Proc. ent. Soc. B.C. 49: 2729.Google Scholar