Augmentation of European Earwigs (Dermaptera: Forficulidae) for Biological Control of Apple Aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae) in an Apple Orchard

Carroll, Devin P.; Hoyt, S. C.

doi:10.1093/jee/77.3.738

Cited by 69 publications

(56 citation statements)

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“…Consequently, the use of sticky barriers on the tree trunks to keep ants away from the canopies in organic citrus groves is not a recommended method to reduce aphid infestation. (2) Our results add support to what is already known of the role of earwigs as important aphid predators in fruit orchards in temperate regions of Europe (Solomon et al 2000), United States (Carroll and Hoyt 1984), Australia (Nicholas et al 2005), and New Zealand (Suckling et al 2006). Our findings further emphasize the importance of earwigs as aphid control agents in citrus orchards of the Mediterranean region.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

“…However, the exclusion of earwigs can certainly have an effect. Earwigs are known to consume aphids (Carroll and Hoyt 1984;Blommers 1994;Solomon et al 2000;Nicholas et al 2005) and we confirmed the presence of aphids in their diet in this particular grove (Fig. 3).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…Like ants, earwigs are ground-dwelling, crawling insects (despite having wings they rarely use them), so the exclusion of ants from the canopies using a sticky barrier on the trunks, also excludes earwigs. This species is omnivorous, and its diet includes plant material and both dead and live animals, including aphids (Carroll and Hoyt 1984;Blommers 1994;Solomon et al 2000). Thus, the concurrent exclusion of ants and earwigs from canopies can potentially have a distorting effect on experimental studies of the ant-aphid mutualism.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of the concurrent exclusion of ants and earwigs on aphid abundance in an organic citrus grove

Piñol

Espadaler

Cañellas³

et al. 2008

BioControl

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Based on the well-known mutualism between ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae), we conducted a five-year experiment of ant-exclusion from the canopies of citrus trees as a possible method of biological control of aphids. However, our results showed that the exclusion of ants from the canopies increased, instead of reducing, aphid abundance. To explain this unexpected result, we reasoned that the exclusion of ants from the canopies might also have excluded crawling insects that prey on aphids, such as the European earwig (Forficula auricularia L., Dermaptera: Forficulidae). Such a possibility is supported by the negative relationship between aphid density and the abundance of earwigs, consistent with a top-down control of aphids by earwigs. In contrast, the abundance of other aphid predators (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae, and Heteroptera) had no such negative effect on aphid density but a positive one, suggesting a bottom-up control, and showed no differences between control and ant-excluded trees. Thus, the most likely explanation for the increase in aphid abundance in the ant-excluded trees is the absence of earwigs from the canopies of the experimental trees, providing further evidence of the major role that earwigs play as control agents of aphids in cultivated trees.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of the concurrent exclusion of ants and earwigs on aphid abundance in an organic citrus grove

Piñol

Espadaler

Cañellas³

et al. 2008

BioControl

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“…For instance, it has been reported to predate on pear psylla Cacopsylla pyri Linnaeus (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) Sauphanor et al, 1994;Höhn et al, 2007), codling moth Cydia pomonella Linnaeus (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) (Glenn, 1977;Jones et al, 2012;Sauphanor et al, 2012), apple leafcurling midge Dasineura mali Kieffer (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) (He et al, 2008), diaspidid scale insects (Hill et al, 2005;Logan et al, 2007), the leafroller Epiphyas postvittana Walker (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) (Suckling et al, 2006;Frank et al, 2007), and aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) such as the woolly apple aphid (WAA) Eriosoma lanigerum Hausmann (Mueller et al, 1988;Asante, 1995;Nicholas et al, 2005), the rosy apple aphid (RAA) Dysaphis plantaginea Passerini (Brown & Mathews, 2007;Dib et al, 2010) and the green apple aphid Aphis pomi DeGeer (Carroll & Hoyt, 1984;Hagley & Allen, 1990). Therefore the promotion of F. auricularia populations in pip fruit crops seems to be an effective biocontrol strategy.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phenology and interspecific association of Forficula auricularia and Forficula pubescens in apple orchards

Lordan¹,

Alegre²,

Moerkens

et al. 2015

Span. j. agric. res.

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The European earwig Forficula auricularia L. (Dermaptera: Forficulidae) has been widely studied as a key predator of pests in temperate regions, but its phenology and behavior may differ in warmer areas such as the Mediterranean. Here we assessed the phenology, aggregation, and interspecific association of F. auricularia and Forficula pubescens Gené, the only two species found consistently in both ground and canopy shelters in Mediterranean apple orchards. In addition to F. auricularia and F. pubescens, three other earwig species, namely Labidura riparia Pallas, Nala lividipes Dufour and Euborellia moesta Gené, were found occasionally. The mature stages of F. auricularia were observed mainly from May to November in tree shelters and immature ones from October to June in ground shelters. Adult individuals of F. pubescens were observed year-round and nymph instars were detected from April to June in ground as well as in tree shelters. The suitability of the current degree-days models for temperate regions was evaluated for the prediction of European earwig phenology in a Mediterranean climate. Regarding interspecific association, F. auricularia and F. pubescens co-occurred in canopies without apparent competition. This study provides useful weekly data about the phenology of the two earwig species throughout the year that can be used to detect the key periods during which to enhance their populations in pip fruit orchards or to control them in stone fruit crops. Furthermore, our results are of relevance for the development of new phenological models of earwigs in Mediterranean areas where nymphs hibernate, a feature that makes current models inaccurate. Additional key words: biological control; Dermaptera; earwig; Forficulidae; Mediterranean; pest

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“…While it is recognized as a pest of numerous flower, market garden or fruit crops (especially peach and apricot trees), it is considered as a beneficial insect in apple orchards (Carrol & Hoyt, 1984 ;Noppert et al, 1987) and pear orchards (Woets & Beeke, 1986), on hops (Buxton & Madge, 1976) and cereals (Sunderland, 1975;Sunderland & u 1980;Carillo, 1985), where its population control effect on aphids is the only sign of its presence. In northern Europe, outbreaks of woolly aphids have been reported to be the result of using diflubenzuron for the integrated control of the codling moth, Cydia pomonella L. This is because diflubenzuron kills F. auricularia, considered as a main woolly aphid predator (Ravensberg, 1981;Glen & Phillips, 1984).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Side effects of diflubenzuron on a pear psylla predator:Forficula auricularia

Sauphanor¹,

Chabrol²,

d'Arcier³

et al. 1993

Entomophaga

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A series of laboratory, semi-field and field tests showed the high toxicity of diflubenzuron to Forficula auricularia L. nymphs, at concentrations of 15 and 20 g a.i./hl registered in various European countries and the United States to control Cydia pomonella L. Diflubenzuron proved more selective using the 10g/hi concentration registered in France, but several sublethal effects have been observed: morphological abnormalities, reduced weight increase and mobility. Unexpectedly for a chitin-deposit inhibitor, intake was reduced, which became apparent from the beginning of exposure to the insecticide, before the onset of the moulting process. In the semi-field tests, and despite diflubenzuron's slowing down effect on psylla nymphs, the earwig's reduced predatory activity due to the product resulted in greater growth of the psylla populations than without treatment. The field-test confirmed the efficacy of F. auricularia as a psylla predator, and the relative selectivity of diflubenzuron at the lowest concentration.

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Augmentation of European Earwigs (Dermaptera: Forficulidae) for Biological Control of Apple Aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae) in an Apple Orchard

Cited by 69 publications

References 0 publications

Effects of the concurrent exclusion of ants and earwigs on aphid abundance in an organic citrus grove

Effects of the concurrent exclusion of ants and earwigs on aphid abundance in an organic citrus grove

Phenology and interspecific association of Forficula auricularia and Forficula pubescens in apple orchards

Side effects of diflubenzuron on a pear psylla predator:Forficula auricularia

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