The effect of Cry proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis on the green lacewing (Chrysoperla carnea) was studied by using a holistic approach which consisted of independent, complementary experimental strategies. Tritrophic experiments were performed, in which lacewing larvae were fed Helicoverpa armigera larvae reared on Cry1Ac, Cry1Ab, or Cry2Ab toxins. In complementary experiments, a predetermined amount of purified Cry1Ac was directly fed to lacewing larvae. In both experiments no effects on prey utilization or fitness parameters were found. Since binding to the midgut is an indispensable step for toxicity of Cry proteins to known target insects, we hypothesized that specific binding of the Cry1A proteins should be found if the proteins were toxic to the green lacewing. In control experiments, Cry1Ac was detected bound to the midgut epithelium of intoxicated H. armigera larvae, and cell damage was observed. However, no binding or histopathological effects of the toxin were found in tissue sections of lacewing larvae. Similarly, Cry1Ab or Cry1Ac bound in a specific manner to brush border membrane vesicles from Spodoptera exigua but not to similar fractions from green lacewing larvae. The in vivo and in vitro binding results strongly suggest that the lacewing larval midgut lacks specific receptors for Cry1Ab or Cry1Ac. These results agree with those obtained in bioassays, and we concluded that the Cry toxins tested, even at concentrations higher than those expected in real-life situations, do not have a detrimental effect on the green lacewing when they are ingested either directly or through the prey.

Toxicity and larval growth inhibition of eleven insecticidal proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis were evaluated against neonate larvae of Helicoverpa armigera, a major pest of important crops in Spain and other countries, by a whole-diet contamination method. The most active toxins were Cry1Ac4 and Cry2Aa1, with LC 50 values of 3.5 and 6.3 µg/ml, respectively. At the concentrations tested, Cry1Ac4, Cry2Aa1, Cry9Ca, Cry1Fa1, Cry1Ab3, Cry2Ab2, Cry1Da, and Cry1Ja1, produced a significant growth inhibition, whereas Cry1Aa3, Cry1Ca2, and Cry1Ea had no effect.

Methods for sampling western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysan., Thripidae) in strawberry flowers were evaluated in three commercial plots by monitoring the population densities of adult and immature thrips throughout the growing season. Three types of flowers were sampled: open, senescent and petal fall, and three procedures were compared: a visual examination of flowers, a turpentine-funnel method and a shake method. Open flowers showed higher population densities of adults, whereas senescent or petal fall flowers had a higher number of eggs and more damage symptoms. Seasonal changes in population density were similar for the three sampling procedures, although the turpentine method recovered more insects, especially larvae, than the other two methods. The turpentine procedure was the most efficient as it extracted almost 100% of adults and, in plots with no chemical sprays, nearly 100% of second instars and 50% of first instars. Regular control of thrips with pesticides reduced the percentage of larvae recovered with this procedure. The visual method spotted 80% of adults and 33% of larvae. The shake method extracted nearly 80% of adults but only 18% of larvae. The visual method is recommended for routine field samplings, especially for sampling adults and in plots regularly sprayed with pesticides, as it constitutes a cost-effective method when time and efficiency are considered.

23Two different experiments were carried out to evaluate three insecticides. In the 24 first one, the effect of two insecticides, methomyl and indoxacarb, on pupae and 25 adults of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) parasitoid Eretmocerus mundus 26Mercet was evaluated under laboratory and greenhouse conditions, using sweet 27 pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) plants. In the second experiment, oxamyl was 28 tested to study its effect on the ability of E. mundus to parasitize and control B. 29 tabaci in sweet pepper plants, using a greenhouse cage evaluation. Methomyl and 30 indoxacarb caused low mortality of E. mundus pupae (17.6 and 7.8% 31 respectively), although methomyl mortality was significantly higher. Methomyl 32 produced 100% mortality on E. mundus adults with fresh and 24 hour-old 33 residues on leaves, significantly higher than the mortality produced by indoxacarb 34 (values ranged from 43.9 to 34.4%). The harmful effect of methomyl persisted for 35 a long time (up to 60 days). The results of the experiment with oxamyl showed 36 that E. mundus controlled whitefly population, without significant interaction 37 between the presence of the parasitoid and insecticide on whitefly mortality. 38Whitefly mortality in the presence of the parasitoid was 87.8%, significantly higher 39 than the mortality in the absence of E. mundus (59.3%). Oxamyl did not produce 40 a significant effect on the emergence of E. mundus adults. Application of the 41 products in IPM programs is discussed. 42 43

The effects of Cry toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Berliner) (Bt) on the anthocorid Orius albidipennis Reuter were studied under laboratory conditions. Tritrophic experiments were performed, in which Orius nymphs were fed Helicoverpa armigera (Hü bner) larvae reared on a diet with Cry1Ac, Cry1Ab, or Cry2Ab toxins at different concentrations (0, 1, and 10 g/ml), when supplemented with Ephestia kuehniella Zeller eggs. In complementary experiments, the Bt Cry1Ac toxin was directly fed to Orius nymphs at a very high concentration (1 mg/ml). No effects on prey consumption, developmental time, nymph survival, fecundity, and egg hatching of O. albidipennis were found in either experiment. It can be concluded that the toxins tested do not seem to pose a risk for the anthocorid O. albidipennis, especially when it is exposed through the prey.