Contents Vol. 42

GENERAL AND APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY

The Journal of the Entomological Society of New South Wales Inc.

VOLUME 42

CONTENTS

COLE, P. AND GREENHILL, M. Control of pests with a pyrethrum formulation and impact on parasitoid and predatory species in greenhouse tomatoes. ………………………………………………….23

A synergized pyrethrins formulation (Py-Zap ) was assessed for its efficacy on the pest species, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) (greenhouse whitefly) and for its impact on the beneficial species, Encarsia formosa (Gahan) (parasitoid of whitefly).  Trials were conducted on tomato plants in a polyhouse at Coldstream, Victoria.  The pyrethrins formulation was highly effective at controlling greenhouse whitefly nymphs with the greenhouse whitefly population on tomato plants being reduced by about 90%.  The effect of direct spray contact of Py-Zap on juvenile whitefly with developing Encarsia parasitoids was dependent on the stage of development of the Encarsia.  Juvenile Encarsia at a mid-stage of development were not greatly affected by Py-Zap, however, a high proportion of Encarsia that were close to emergence were killed by the Py-Zap residues at the time of emergence. The trials showed that Py-Zap is effective at controlling greenhouse whitefly and that strategies can be employed to minimise the impact of Py-Zap on the beneficial species, by timing application to coincide with less vulnerable stages of their development.

General and Applied Entomology 42: 23-28

HERRON, G.A., MARSHALL, K.L and CORNWELL, G.W. Australian baseline data for western flower thrips (Franklineilla occidentalis) susceptibity to cyantraniliprole (DPX-HGW86) and the establishment of a discriminating dose for resistance detection. ………………………..1

Laboratory susceptible, reference resistant (spinosad pressured) and field collected (multiple resistances) western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) were tested against formulated cyantraniliprole using a Potter spray tower to generate baseline response data.  All test populations were killed at 8 g/L, with calculated LC99.9 level responses for the six strains ranging from 7.77 to 28.48 g/L.  A cyantraniliprole discriminating dose of 25 g/L for the purpose of resistance monitoring in F. occidentalis is proposed.

General and Applied Entomology 42: 1-5

RYAN, R.F. and DE LIMA, C.P.F Phosphine – an overview of a unique 80 year fumigant ……………………………………………………………31

Phosphine was patented 80 years ago as a solid formulation for crop protection and continues to be widely used to this day in many new forms for fumigation.  This overview summarises the development, use and value to global food production of this unique agricultural chemical over the past eight decades.  On farm use of phosphine began in the 1950’s in Europe and the USA, but as gas-tight storage structures improved from the 1970’s its use was extended world-wide to protect durable produce in storage.  Phosphine’s enduring value to agriculture is due to its unique qualities of relative safety in handling, ease of use, an effective alternative to ozone depleting methyl bromide, and virtually no residues in foodstuffs.  In recent years concerns have been raised regarding insect resistance but research has shown that this can be successfully managed with correct application techniques.  Since the late 1990’s suitable gaseous formulations of phosphine have enabled its use to be extended for treatment of pests in animal fodder, fresh flowers, vegetables and fruits bringing new and exciting challenges to agricultural research.  Insects infesting fresh produce require far higher doses of phosphine, respond in relatively shorter times (hours rather than days) and are killed at far lower temperatures (0-10°C) compared with insects in stored grain.

General and Applied Entomology 42: 31-42

SMITH, G. Two new species of Heterolepisma (Zygentoma: Lepismatidae) from eastern NSW. ……………………………7

Two new species of silverfish from the genus Heterolepisma are described from eastern New South Wales and compared with the nearest species.

General and Applied Entomology 42: 7-22

WEBB, G., MAYER, R. AND THOMPSON R. Control of meat ants (Iridomyrmex sanguineus Forel) in a Western Australian sandlewood plantation using bait technology …………………………………………………………43

Meat ants (Iridomyrmex sanguineus Forel) showed no significant preference for Distance Ant Bait (5g/kg pyriproxyfen) or a modified version containing fish oil in choice or no-choice preference tests.  However, removal of Distance + fish oil by meat ants was always higher at each time point for both choice and no-choice tests.  Bait efficacy was evaluated following the bait preference trial as well as during a dedicated efficacy trial.  Two measures were used to determine the effect of treatments on meat ant mounds – direct ant counts, and presence or absence of ant activity in the mound following physical disturbance.  No difference was apparent between the two formulations used in the bait preference trial in terms of mound activity.  In the dedicated efficacy trial, no significant difference (p < 0.05) in ant counts was found between bait treatments up to 42 days after treatment; but there were obvious trends in terms of mound activity over the full length of the study (47 weeks).  Amdro (7.3g/kg hydramethylnon) caused an immediate decrease in mound activity within 7 days but this did not persist with these mounds apparently recovering within 15 days and then showing decreased activity out to 47 weeks.  For the remaining treatments (pyriproxyfen and s-methoprene based baits) mound activity had decreased by 57 days after treatment in all 3 treatments.  Subsequent evaluations at 37 and 47 weeks after treatment showed some increase in mound activity for two of the three insect growth regulator-based baits, but only two of the original 13 mounds treated with Distance Ant Bait remained active.  While the addition of fish oil to Distance Ant Bait appeared to enhance bait preference, there was no evident value in terms of reducing overall mound activity.

General and Applied Entomology 42: 43-49

WEBB, G. A. Comparative attractiveness of two pyriproxyfen-based ant baits (DistanceÒ and Distance PlusÒ) to invasive and nuisance ants in Australia. ………………………………………………………..53

Nutritional requirements vary between ant species and the composition of ant baits designed to eliminate colonies of invasive and nuisance ant species needs to take this into account.  Simple corn and oil-based ant baits have been effective for only a limited range of species.  Distance Ant Bait (5 g/kg pyriproxyfen) has been very effective in the Australian eradication program for red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) but is less attractive to a wide range of other important pest species.  Modifications of this standard formulation were tested on many different species and one particular formulation, Distance Plus Ant Bait (also 5 g/kg pyriproxyfen), proved to be attractive to a wide range of species.  Data from many choice and no-choice tests directly comparing the two formulations are included here.  The incremental advantage in attractiveness of Distance Plus over Distance was evident for many species particularly those species that have a higher preference for carbohydrate and protein than lipids.  These included yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes), green tree ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) and pale tyrant ant (Iridomyrmex pallidus).  There was also a general improvement in bait attractiveness for some other species, including those for which Distance was considered suitable for control.

General and Applied Entomology 42: 53-63

BOOK REVIEW

A guide to the cockroaches of Australia. ………………………………………………………………….29

Cane toads – a tale of sugar, politics and flawed science ………………………………………………………51