Interactions among convergent lady beetle (Hippodamia convergens) releases, aphid populations, and rose cultivar

Population genetics of the predatory lady beetle Hippodamia convergens

“…Augmentative releases of overwintering adult H. convergens collected from the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California have been conducted for over a century (see description of practices in Hagen (1962)). Although many releases initially targeted pest species in California and Arizona agricultural systems (Hagen, 1962;Dreistadt and Flint, 1996;Flint and Dreistadt, 2005; Hagler and Table 11 Estimates of population sizes (ancestral and current) under a panmictic model across 7 polymorphic microsatellite loci using MSVAR v.1.3.…”

“…Adult H. convergens are collected from overwintering sites in the western USA, stored at low temperatures, and sold for release throughout the USA (commercial sources listed in White and Johnson (2010). These releases may be appropriate for pest suppression (particularly aphids and whiteflies) in the western USA (e.g., Dreistadt and Flint, 1996;Flint and Dreistadt, 2005;Hagler and Naranjo, 2004;Hagler, 2009), but releases may create several non-target issues for Eastern populations of H. convergens. For example, previous studies have documented the presence of pathogens and parasitoids in field-collected adult H. convergens in the western USA that are then released in the eastern USA (e.g., Lipa and Steinhaus, 1959;O'Neil et al, 1998;Bjornson, 2008).…”

Coccinellids in Biological Control

“…Dreistadt and Flint (1996) provided overwintered H. convergens with an opportunity to fl y in screen cages as a pre -release conditioning treatment, but retention of the beetles on aphid -infested chrysanthemums was only marginally improved. Flint and Dreistadt (2005) calculated that effective control of rose aphids, Macrosiphum rosae , could be obtained with a release rate of about 2300 adult Hip. convergens per metre -squared of shrub -covered surface, a rate corresponding to double that normally recommended by commercial suppliers.…”

Feeding Efficiency of Six Beetle Species against Mustard Aphid, Lipaphis erysimi (Kalt.) in Uttarakhand

“…First instar larvae consumed maximum aphids on 3 rd day, 2 nd instar larvae consumed on 4 th day, 3 rd instar larvae consumed maximum on 3 rd day and 4 th instar larvae consumed maximum of 3 rd day and adult consumed maximum aphids on 3 rd day (Table 1). Flint and Steve (2005) reported that a single release of 100 lady beetles control 66-88% aphid control during 1994 and 1995. High controlling rate may be because of highe feeding rate (100 aphids per day) of H. convergens (Dreistadt and Flint, 1996).…”