1) Project title: Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Biological Control Project

Investigators: Juli Gould (APHIS Otis Lab) and Amy Roda (APHIS Niles Lab)

Contact: Amy Roda (Amy.L.Roda@aphis.usda.gov)

Project description: The discovery of the exotic buprestid, Emerald Ash Borer, Agrilus planipennis, in Michigan, Ohio, and Canada has led to a multi-agency (APHIS, US Forest Service, Michigan State University, Michigan Dept. of Agriculture, local governments, etc) effort to develop a control program focused on its eventual eradication. Our involvement is to identify and rear potential biological control organisms both native and exotic, which can help to lower population densities. Collection of indigenous boring insects has begun in 2003 to provide colonies of borers for non-target testing with exotic parasitoids and to provide another source of native parasitoids for rearing and inoculative releases. Additionally, cooperators in China found an ecotparasitoid (Braconidae: Spathius spp.) attacking emerald ash borer in China. Host and non-target testing of this and other natural enemies will be conducted at the APHIS Otis laboratory quarantine facility.

2) Project title: Cereal Leaf Beetle (CLB) Biological Control Project

Investigators: Ruthann Berry and Dave Prokrym (APHIS PPQ Niles Laboratory), and participating federal and state cooperators

Contact: David Prokrym (David.R.Prokrym@aphis.usda.gov)

Project description: Project cooperators in Colorado, Montana, Oregon and Washington continued to release proven natural enemies in previously established state insectary sites as a proactive approach to manage the cereal leaf beetle (CLB), Oulema melanopus. Both Washington and Oregon reported state records for recovery of the larval parasitoid, Tetrastichus julis. Montana cooperators collected and redistributed the “dry land adapted” strain of the CLB egg parasitoid, Anaphes flavipes, from their established state insectary in Treasure County.

3) Project title: PPQ Purple Loosestrife Biological Control Project

Investigators: Amy Roda, Marge Guilford and Dave Prokrym (APHIS PPQ Niles Laboratory); participating federal and state cooperators

Contact: Amy Roda (Amy.L.Roda@aphis.usda.gov)

Project description: For the fifth year, the PPQ Niles Laboratory reared and shipped natural enemies for the management of purple loosestrife. Over 295,000 Galerucella spp. beetle adults were shipped to project participants in 15 states (CT, IL, IN, KS, MA, MD, ME, MO, MT, NE, NH, PA, TN, WI, WV). An additional 14,000 beetles were shipped to 46 Michigan cooperators in support of the States Partnership Project. The Niles Laboratory staff also reared the root-feeding weevil Hylobius transversovittatus on semi-artificial diet and supplied over 3,900 beetles to research scientists and cooperators in five states (CA, IN, MI, NY and PA). Currently, we are developing methods to separate Galerucella beetles from other arthropods collected from field insectaries in order to distribute to developing purple loosestrife stands.

4) Project title: PPQ Soybean Aphid Biological Control Project

Investigators: Deb Grooms and David Prokrym (PPQ Niles Laboratory); state cooperators in MI, MN, IN, WI; and USDA ARS scientists (DE, France)

Contact: David Prokrym (David.R.Prokrym@aphis.usda.gov)

Project description: The PPQ Niles Laboratory worked cooperatively with regional partners for a third year to continue implementation of a biological control program to manage the soybean aphid (Aphis glycines). PPQ supported cooperative agreements to conduct foreign exploration in Japan and Korea, continue evaluation of the native natural enemy impact on soybean aphid, and the screening and quarantine of newly imported aphid parasitoids. For a second year the Niles Laboratory reared the Wyoming strain of the aphid parasitoid Aphelinus albipodus for evaluation by state cooperators. Over 455,000 Aphelinus albipodus were shipped for field release in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and laboratory research conducted in Michigan and Wyoming. In addition, the Niles Laboratory shipped over 240,000 Aphis glycines for laboratory research by cooperators in Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

5) Project title: Offshore Initiative – Biological Control of Papaya Mealybug

Investigators: Amy Roda and Deb Grooms (PPQ Niles Laboratory); Dale Meyerdirk & Richard Warkentin (USDA-PPQ)

Contact: Amy Roda (Amy.L.Roda@aphis.usda.gov)

Project description: The papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), is an invasive pest that attacks over 50 plant species including field crops, fruit trees and ornamentals. Since the southern U.S. is highly vulnerable to establishment of this exotic pest, successful biological control of papaya mealybug in foreign countries is a valuable tool for safeguarding the U.S. mainland from this invasive pest species. Recent surveys indicate that the papaya mealybug is well established in Guyana. Unlike the Caribbean and the South Pacific where the ocean provides a natural barrier to hinder the movement of this pest, other regions of Guyana and neighboring countries are at serious risk of invasion. Without control, the papaya mealybug will spread throughout South America and increase its potential as a major economic threat to the United States. In September 2003, the Niles staff helped initiate a classical biological control program by releasing parasitoids into 8 sites. Parasitoid establishment and the population of papaya mealybug will be monitored for 1 year. Distribution of the parasitoids to other areas will be accomplished through continued parasitoid shipments and the development of a Guyana parasitoid insectary. The Niles Laboratory has also assisted by processing field samples to evaluate the release of several parasitoids (Apoanagyrus californicus, Acerophagus sp., Anagyrus loecki, Pseudaphycus sp.).

6) Project title: States Partnership Project, Cherry Bark Tortrix Biological Control Project

Investigators: Lynell Tanigoshi, Washington State University; Barry B. Bai, Oregon Department of Agriculture; Ruthann Berry and Dave Prokrym, PPQ Niles Laboratory

Contact: Lynell Tanigoshi (tanigosh@wsu.edu) or David Prokrym (David.R.Prokrym@aphis.usda.gov)

Project description: The cherry bark tortrix, Enarmonia formosana (Scopoli) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) is an introduced exotic pest that poses a threat to nursery and orchard industries as well as to the natural landscape plants in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The PPQ Niles Laboratory supported state cooperators by rearing and shipping Ephestia kuehniella eggs parasitized by Trichogramma cacoeciae. State cooperators released nearly 4.5 million T. cacoeciae on urban cherry trees in Portland, Oregon to evaluate the impact of this parasitoid on the tortrix populations.

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