Effect of Pesticides on Adult Rove Beetle <I>Atheta coriaria</I> (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) Survival in Growing Medium

Abstract

The rove beetle Atheta coriaria (Kraatz) (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) is a natural enemy (biological control agent) commercially available for control of certain greenhouse insect pests, including fungus gnats, shore flies, and thrips. This study assessed the compatibility of pesticides (insecticides and fungicides) used in greenhouses with A. coriaria adults. Treatments were applied to 473-ml deli squat containers half-filled with a growing medium. We evaluated the effects of the pesticides when releases of A. coriaria adults were performed both before and after application of the designated pesticide solutions. All three of the neonicotinoid-based insecticides (clothianidin, dinotefuran, and thiamethoxam) were directly harmful to A. coriaria adults with < or = 3.2 adults recovered (out of 20) among all three treatments across all experiments. In addition, the organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos at the low (0.25 fl oz/100 gal) and high (0.50 fl oz/100 gal) label rates; the plant-derived essential oil product (Indoor Pharm) containing soybean and rosemary oil; and the insecticide/miticide chlorfenpyr were directly harmful to A. coriaria adults with recovery rates -8.6 (out of 20) among all the treatments. The fungicides (azoxystrobin, fosetyl-aluminum, and mefenoxam) were not directly toxic to A. coriaria adults, with < or = 17.7 adults recovered (out of 20) across all experiments. The insecticides (Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis, flonicamid, Metarhizium anisopliae strain52, and spinosad) and insect growth regulator azadirachtin were also not directly toxic to A. coriaria adults. Furthermore, many of these same treatments did not inhibit the ability of adult A. coriaria to consume fungus gnat (Bradysia sp. nr. coprophila) larvae in a feeding behavior experiment. Although the neonicotinoid-based insecticides were directly harmful to adult A. coriaria, when adults were released 48, 72, or 96 h after application, survival increased dramatically over time. This study has quantitatively demonstrated that certain pesticides (both insecticides and fungicides) are compatible with and can be used along with A. coriaria in systems that use this natural enemy to manage fungus gnat larvae.

Ecology and Role of the Rove Beetle, &lt;i&gt;Dalotia coriaria&lt;/i&gt;, and Insidious Flower Bug, &lt;i&gt;Orius insidiosus&lt;/i&gt;, in Greenhouse Biological Control Programs

“…israelensis, flonicamid, Metarhizium anisopliae, azadirachtin, and spinosad [77]. Furthermore, none of the pesticides impeded predation of rove beetle adults on fungus gnat (Bradysia sp.…”

Indirect Effects of Pesticides on Natural Enemies

“…Reproduction of the aphid predator, Aphidoletes aphidimyza was not indirectly affected after exposure to azadirachtin [119], and azadirachtin did not indirectly affect the fecundity of the parasitoid, Aphidius colemani [120]; longevity and foraging ability of the parasitoids, Cotesia plutellae and Diadromus collaris and sex ratio of progeny [6]; nor reproduction of the predatory mite, Neoseiulus californicus [121]. Cloyd et al (2009) [122] found, under laboratory conditions, that exposure to azadirachtin did not inhibit prey consumption (fungus gnat larvae) of rove beetle, Atheta coriaria adults. However, it was reported by [123] that first instar larvae of Harmonia axyridis, when exposed to azadirachtin, exhibited increased development time whereas there was no indirect affect on adult female fecundity.…”

“…Moreover, exposure to B. bassiana reduced the fecundity of N. californicus females [121] whereas the fungus Cephalosporium lecanii exhibited no indirect effects on longevity of the leafminer parasitoid, Diglyphus begini [137]. In another study, conducted under laboratory conditions, [122] reported that exposure to Metarhizium anisopliae had no indirect effect on prey consumption (fungus gnat larvae) of rove beetle, A. coriaria adults. It was shown by [132] that exposure to Isaria (=Paecilomyces) fumosoroseus at a low relative humidity (55%) resulted in no indirect effects on foraging behavior and longevity of the aphid parasitoid, Aphelinus asychis whereas both parameters were significantly reduced when exposed to a high (≥95%) relative humidity, which could impact the ability of the parasitoid to regulate aphid populations.…”

“…It was determined that the 'newer' fungicides, azoxystrobin and fosetyl-aluminum did not inhibit prey consumption (fungus gnat larvae) of rove beetle, A. coriaria adults under laboratory conditions [122]. Bostanian et al (2009) [154] reported that none of the fungicides evaluated including myclobutanil, propiconazole, fenhexamid, and pyraclostrobin, had any indirect effects on the fecundity of the predatory mite, G. occidentalis, and the fungicides captan, mancozeb, and myclobutanil did not indirectly affect longevity and fecundity of A. fallacis females [155].…”

Compatibility of organic farming treatments against Monosteira unicostata with non-target arthropod fauna of almond trees canopy

“…However, in others, negative effects of soaps applications were found on some groups of natural enemies (Oetting & Latimer, 1995;Smith & Krischik, 2000;Stansly et al, 2002;Kraiss & Cullen, 2008;Raudonis et al, 2010;Hall & Richardson, 2013;Smaili et al, 2014). In the case of essential oils, again some studies reported no negative effect on natural enemies (Echegaray & Cloyd, 2012;González et al, 2013), but some detrimental effects have been also reported (Momen & Amer, 1999;Amer & Momen, 2002;Choi et al, 2004;Bostanian et al, 2005;Huignard et al, 2008;Cloyd et al, 2009).…”