Contact and ingestion toxicities of plant extracts to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thaumetopoea solitaria</Emphasis> Frey. (Lepidoptera: Thaumetopoeidae)

Thaumetopoea solitaria is a serious pest of pistachio throughout the Mediterranean and the surrounding region. In this study, contact and ingestion toxicities of Bifora radians, Fumaria officinalis, Humulus lupulus and Rhododendron ponticum extracts against T. solitaria larvae were examined under laboratory conditions. Dimethoate was used as a positive control. In the contact toxicity bioassays B. radians extract was the most toxic, causing 32% mortality. In the ingestion toxicity bioassays H. lupulus extract was the most active, causing 83% mortality after 48 h. This shows that H. lupulus is acting as a stomach poison. The LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values for H. lupulus ingestion toxicity bioassays were 1.7 and 8.7%, respectively. The LT₅₀ value was 29.3 h. Since H. lupulus extract caused >50% mortality even 6 days after application, its long lasting residual effect promises fewer applications. These results imply that H. lupulus has potential for use as a crop protectant against T. solitaria.     

The role of the monoterpene composition inPinus spp. needles, in host selection by the pine processionary caterpillar,Thaumetopoea pityocampa

This paper presents preliminary results on attempts to extract and characterize the volatile secondary metabolites contained in needles of differentPinus species and to ascertain the role played by these substances on the behavior ofThaumetopoea pityocampa (Denis et Schiffermüller) females, which show a marked preference, during the oviposition period, for some indigenous and exotic species of host plants existing in mixed formation. Limonene is the most abundant monoterpene extracted fromP. pinea needles, the least favored species of pine processionary caterpillar (PPC) females, although it is present in only very low amounts in otherPinus species. An increase was observed in limonene production byP. pinea at the start of the flight period of the PPC adult, and subsequently at the beginning of the females’ oviposition period. Assays carried out in two pine stands in central Italy showed that limonene, emulsified with water and sprayed on foliage of four different pine species plants,P. sylvestris, P. nigra, P. pinaster andP. radiata, during the PPC oviposition period, provided a satisfactory degree of protection. In fact, the number of egg clusters collected from treated plants was often lower than the number of egg clusters collected from control plants and was comparable to the number of egg clusters laid onP. pinea plants. In particular (R)-(+)-limonene, although not produced in nature by pines, was the most effective deterrent. However, the effect of (S)-(-)-limonene, the enantiomer biosynthesized by pines, was also adequate.     

Pathogenicity of entomopathogenic fungi to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thaumetopoea pityocampa</Emphasis> (Schiff.) (Lepidoptera: Thaumatopoeidae) larvae in laboratory conditions

Pathogenicity of 13 strains of entomopathogenic fungi belonging to genera Paecilomyces, Tolypocladium, Beauveria, Metarhizium, and Lecanicillium (=Verticillium) was evaluated on fourth instar larvae of Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Schiff.) (Lep.: Thaumatopoeidae). Larvae were treated individually by dipping into conidial suspension with the concentration of 1.0 × 10⁵ conidia ml⁻¹. All the tested isolates resulted in various levels of mortality (16–100%), and eleven of them were able to grow and sporulate on dead larvae. Mortality caused by three isolates of P. fumosoroseus, one isolate of Beauveria bassiana and one isolate of Metarhizium anisopliae were significantly higher than that of the other treatments. Three isolates of P. fumosoroseus, one isolate of P. farinosus, and one isolate of M. anisopliae showed mycelial growth and sporulation on significantly more cadavers compared to other treatments. Dose–mortality test was conducted with P. fumosoroseus (isolate no: 2679), which appeared to be the most promising isolate among the tested fungi, by spraying five concentrations of its conidia (1.0 × 10⁶, 1.5 × 10⁶, 7.5 × 10⁶, 1.0 × 10⁷ and 1.5 × 10⁷ conidia ml⁻¹). The estimation of the LC₅₀ (95% confidence limits) was 3.4 × 10⁶ (9.3 × 10⁵ − 6.9 × 10⁶) conidia ml⁻¹. This study showed that P. fumosoroseus (isolate no: 2679) could be a good candidate as a microbial control agent against T. pityocampa in forest environment.     

Spatial distribution and sampling of Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Den. & Schiff.) (Lep. Thaumetopoeidea) populations on Pinus pinaster Ait. in Montesinho, N. Portugal

The pine processionary moth, Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Den. & Schiff.) is one of the most destructive pine pests in the Mediterranean countries. The first objective of this study was to analyse the spatial distribution of this insect on the tree on Pinus pinaster Ait., in northeast Portugal. The second objective was to develop two sampling plans: a sampling plan with fixed levels of precision for estimating T. pityocampa populations and a sequential sampling plan to classify the pest. Population estimates were made by registering the number of insect egg batches on 90 trees distributed over 3 stands during a 3-year study (1997–2000). Taylor's power law and Iwao regression were used to analyse the spatial distribution of the pest. Taylor's power law fitted the data better (r² = 0.775) than Iwao's regression model (r² = 0.704). The aggregation indices (b and β) were both significantly greater than one, indicating the aggregation of T. pityocampa egg batches. Optimal sample sizes for fixed precision levels of 0.10, 0.15 and 0.25 were estimated with Taylor's regression coefficients. Required sample sizes increased dramatically with increased levels of precision. The two sampling plans presented should be a tool for research on population dynamics and pest management decision.     

Differing susceptibility to<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus thuringiensis</Emphasis> formulations of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Thaumetopoea wilkinsoni</Emphasis> populations between forests with different<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bt</Emphasis> management in Israel

The susceptibility ofThaumetopoea wilkinsoni larvae toBacillus thuringiensis (Bt) formulations was screened in 2003 and 2004. Eggs and larvae were collected from pine forests in 11 geographical locations in Israel. Larval mortality bioassays were conducted with commercial formulations (Delfin WG, Dipel DF and Foray 48B) at concentrations ranging from 0.001% to 0.1%. Significant differences in susceptibility toBt were recorded among populations that were treated withBt intensively, frequently, or never. The mortality recorded in a population that was never treated withBt was twice that in an intensivelyBt-treated population. The correlation between susceptibility toBt and the possible resistance to the microbe is discussed. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Jan. 31, 2007.     

Potential effects of climate change on insect herbivores in European forests—General aspects and the pine processionary moth as specific example

The nature of “climate change” will differ with geographical regions and its final impact on ecosystems vary with the extent of temperature increase, changes in irradiance and levels of UVB, amount and patterns of precipitation and humidity, and alterations in the incidence and nature of abiotic disturbances. Despite many uncertainties, there is consensus in the fact that global warming already has and will have impact on the temporal and spatial dynamics of insect herbivores. Ectothermic organisms are affected by the changes in environmental conditions directly in dispersal, reproduction, development and mortality, and indirectly through altered plant nutritional quality, resistance and via community interactions. Ambiguous consequences are to be expected depending on the individual host plant and herbivore species, probably involving altered incidence and intensity of pest outbreaks and changes in distributional ranges. Regions that represent northern or upper limits of occurrence, such as the Alps or the boreal zone, are likely to be affected most by an increase in stability and population density of certain pest species, such as defoliating insects or bark beetles. At the same time, temperature increase and drought will render areas of distribution in southern and continental parts of Europe less suitable for heat susceptible species, which will probably not only result in northwards shifts, but range contractions. The review is based on chapters of the “Study on impacts of climate change on European forests and options for adaptation” led by the European Forest Institute (Efi) and on results of the EU project “PROMOTH - Global change and pine processionary moth: a new challenge for integrated pest management”. Thaumetopoea pityocampa serves as illustrative example for insect herbivores whose latitudinal and altitudinal distribution is mainly controlled by temperature and already modified by global warming.     

Is insecticide spraying a viable and cost-efficient management practice to control pine processionary moth in Mediterranean woodlands?

Insect pests are a major threat to many forests worldwide, from boreal to tropical forest ecosystems. Some pests exhibit periodical outbreaks, after which their populations often crash as a result of natural biological control. To offset such outbreaks, several management techniques are used, including aerial spraying of insecticides. The question remains whether pest decline following an outbreak is the result of management practices or a natural consequence of the insect's population cycle. In this study, we assessed the performance of aerial spraying of insecticides on pine woodland stands to control pine processionary moth Thaumetopoea pityocampa (PPM) outbreaks in southern Spain. To achieve this, we compared the degree to which a forest stand recovers from defoliation from one year of severe damage by PPM to the following year (infestation index) in stands that were treated (i.e. subjected to aerial spraying) and untreated using a 4-years database from the Regional Environmental Council. The results revealed a significant similar recovery from infestation after a PPM outbreak of both sprayed and non sprayed pine woodland stands, for the four most representative pine species (black, Aleppo, maritime, and stone pine). It is concluded that insecticide spraying cannot be considered a prevention for outbreaks if it is applied once the outbreak explodes. Management practices that can help control PPM outbreaks include promoting spatial heterogeneity at the landscape level, fostering biodiversity in pine plantations, and reinforcing parasitoid insect and predatory bird populations that negatively affect the PPM. This study illustrates how simple sampling designs and statistical tests can be useful decision-making tools and can help improve the environmental viability and cost-efficiency of forest management practices.     

Effectiveness of a naturally derived insecticide, spinosad, against the pine processionary moth Thaumetopoea wilkinsoni Tams (Lepidoptera: Thaumetopoeidae) under laboratory conditions

The pine processionary moth Thaumetopoea wilkinsoni Tams is a serious pest on pine trees in southwestern Turkey. The efficacy of a naturally derived insecticide, spinosad, on fourth-fifth instar larvae of T. wilkinsoni was studied under laboratory conditions. The product exhibited strong larvicidal activity and at doses above 5 mg litre(-1) caused > 90% mortality in the fourth-fifth larval stages of the species after 72 h. At 72 h the LD50 and LD90 values were 3.26 and 5.69 mg litre(-1) respectively. The results showed that spinosad is highly effective on T. wilkinsoni larvae.     

Size and dispersion of urticating setae in three species of processionary moths

Larvae of the processionary moths of the Palaearctic region bear urticating setae that are released against vertebrate predators, especially insectivorous birds. A few species are pests of forest and urban trees and, consequently, may threaten human and animal health during outbreaks, causing dermatitis, conjunctivitis and respiratory distress. Although some studies provide detailed information about the setae, particularly those of the pine processionary moth Thaumetopoea pityocampa, there is little knowledge on the morphological traits of the setae and their release by the larvae. In the present study we identify major traits of the setae of 3 species of processionary moth, T. pityocampa, T. pinivora and T. processionea, which are potentially helpful in the understanding of setae dynamics in the environment: (i) diameter and length of setae and (ii) analysis of dynamical properties of the setae in the airborne state. Setae are highly variable in size, with bimodal distribution in T. pityocampa and T. pinivora; in these 2 species, short and long setae are interspersed within the integument fields where they occur. The difference in the seta size has important consequences in dispersion, as smaller setae can spread 5 times further than their bigger counterparts. This information is relevant for a full understanding of the defensive importance of larval setae against natural enemies of the processionary moths, as well for elucidating the importance of the processionary setae as air pollutants, both close to the infested trees and at longer distances.     

Native entomopathogenic nematodes isolated from Turkey and their effectiveness on pine processionary moth,Thaumetopoea wilkinsoni Tams

Two native entomopathogenic nematodes were isolated from soil samples in Eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey and characterized based on 28S rDNA region. BLASTN homology and phylogenetic analysis of SK17 and SK-71 isolates indicated 98% and 99% identity to Steinernema affine and Steinernema feltiae, respectively. The results were constructed by neighbour-joining and bootstrap tree methods. Efficacy of S. affine (SK-17 strain) and S. feltiae (SK-71 strain) was tested against the larvae of pine processionary moth, Thaumetopoea wilkinsoni Tams, and remarkable mortality rates were obtained. Both strains caused complete mortality upon application of 500 IJs in foliar tests. However, the same strains caused 30% and 33% mortality at 80 IJs/cm² in soil applications. It was concluded that these native strains could be considered as potential biocontrol agents for reducing the damage caused by T. wilkinsoni larvae.