Recovery of Sasajiscymnus tsugae, Released Against Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, Adelges tsugae, in the Southern Appalachians
Hakeem A, Grant JF, Lambdin PL, Buckley D, Hale FA, Rhea JR, Wiggins GJ, Taylor GM. 2010. Recovery of Sasajiscymnus tsugae, Released Against Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, Adelges tsugae, in the Southern Appalachians. Biocontrol Science and Technology. 20(10):1069-1074
ABSTRACT: Eastern hemlock in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is currently threatened by the hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae Annand (Hemiptera: Adelgidae). As part of a management plan against this invasive insect pest, about 350,000 adults of the predatory beetle Sasajiscymnus tsugae (Sasaji and McClure) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) were released at ca. 150 sites in the Park from 2002 to 2007. Of these adult release sites, 33 were sampled in 2008 and 2009 using beatsheet sampling for 4 man-hours. Sasajiscymnus tsugae adults (n=78) and/or larvae (n=145) were recovered from seven sites (21.2% of the release sites sampled). Recovery of S. tsugae was significantly associated with older release sites, with the most beetles recovered from 2002 release sites. These results indicate that S. tsugae may require more time (i.e., 5-7 years) than anticipated for population densities to reach readily detectable levels in some areas.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Hakeem, Abdul; Grant, Jerome; Lambdin, Paris; Buckley, David; Hale, Frank; Rhea, James; Wiggins, Gregory; Taylor, Glenn
- Units
- GRSM
- Keywords
- Adelges tsugae, APHN, Appalachian Highlands Network, biological control, Coccinellidae, Coleoptera, eastern hemlock, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, GRSM, GRSM-00820, hemlock woolly adelgid, HWA, Insecta, invasive species, monitoring, Sasajiscymnus tsugae, SER, Southeast Region, Tsuga canadensis