ACORN workshop

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ACORN workshop
ACORN WORKSHOP
Cliff Sadof, Bob ONeil andFarah HerauxPurdue
UniversityDepartment of Entomology Rob
Wiedenmann Illinois Natural History Survey
Spring 2003
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Schedule
Schedule
000 Introduction to Workshop/ Biological
Control 015 Know the Natural Enemies 130
Break/Demonstrations 200 Why Plant
Flowers? 215 Alternative Pesticides 230
Using ACORN to Implement Biological Control in
Your Landscape 245 Discover Biological Control
at Home 300 Workshop Ends
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ACORN objectives
ACORN objectives

• Reduce pesticide usage.
• Design gardens to minimize pest problems.
• Use tactics that enhance and dont disrupt
• pest control.
• Learn by doing.

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What is ACORN?
What is ACORN?
www.entm.purdue.edu/acorn
ACORN is a growing network of Master Gardeners,
Extension Educators and University Researchers
interested in reducing pesticide use in home
gardens.
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Why should we look at alternatives to pesticides?
Why should we look at alternatives to
pesticides?

• Per acre pesticide use in home gardens exceeds
  that of many major agricultural commodities.
• Application, storage and disposal issues
  challenge many home gardeners.

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Section 1 outline
Section 1 Outline

• What Is Biological Control?
• Know the Natural Enemies
• Predators
• Parasites
• Pathogens

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What is biological control?
What is biological control?
The use of living organisms to control pest
insects, weeds or diseases. Typically involves
some human activity.

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What are natural enemies?
What Are Natural Enemies?

• Natural enemies are living organisms that
• Kill pests
• Decrease pest reproductive potential
• Compete with pest organisms for use of your
  plants.

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Biological control
Biological control
How Is It Implemented?

• Use what you have (Conservation).
• Add what you need (Augmentation).
• Who kills Pests?
• Predators
• Parasites
• Pathogens

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Predators
Predators

• Adults and immature stages kill and consume many
  prey.
• Generally larger and faster than prey.
• 200,000 species!
• Males, females, immatures and adults may be
  predatory.
• Remove the evidence.

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Praying mantis
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Soldier beetle
R. Wiedenman
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Minute pirate bug
J.R. Ruberson
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Lacewing
F. Heraux
B. Christine
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Yellow jacket wasp
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Spider
M. E. Bagley
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Lady beetle adult
B. ONeil
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Lady beetle larva
Who Am I?
D. Shetlar
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Ground beetle
Large grasping jaws!
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Hover fly
R. E. Berry
D. Shetlar
Oregon State University
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Hover fly versus yellow jacket wasp
R. E. Berry
E-92

• Number of wings
• Waist
• Shape of antenna
• Eyes

D. Sheltar
E-44
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Predatory mites versus spider mite
Predatory mite
Spider mite
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A parasite
A stinger or ovipositor???
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Parasites
Parasites

• Specialized in choice of host.
• Develop from eggs laid in or on a host (the
  original Alien).
• Certain kinds of wasps and flies.
• Could be up to 1 million species!
• Smaller than host (stealth pays).
• Only the female searches for host.
• Leave a trail.

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A parasite in action
Ovipositor
M. E. Bagley
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A parasitized tomato hornworm
Eggs or Pupae?
Eggs or Pupae???
J. L. Obermeyer
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Parasitized insect cut open
Parasitized insect was cut open to show the
parasites.
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Parasite lifecycle
Example of Parasite Lifecycle
Larva
Egg
Adult
Pupa
Statewide Integrated Pest Management Project U.
of California
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Aphid mummy
Holes where parasite escaped
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Pathogens
Pathogens

• Kill, reduce reproduction, slow growth, shorten
  life of pest.
• May take several days to provide control.
• Usually very specific.
• Leave a trail.

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Insect pathogens
Insect Pathogens

• Fungi, example Beauvaria bassiana
• Bacteria, example Bt.
• Nematodes
• Viruses and protozoans

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Insect covered with fungal spores
Insect Mummy covered with Fungal Spores
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Virus infected larva
Infected Larva
Viral fluid
D. Mc Cullough
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Virus infected larva
D. Harns
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Grub killed by a nematode
lthttp//www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/nematodes/gt
Infective Juveniles
Adults
Infected Host
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Nematode used to control different pests
Nematode Used to Control Different
Pests Ornamentals Root weevils, H. bacteriophora
and H. megidis Wood borers, S. carpocapsae and
H. bacteriophora Fungus gnats, S.
feltiae Turf Scarabs, H. bacteriophora Mole
crickets, S. riobravis and S. scapterisci Billbug
s-H. bacteriophora and S. carpocapsae Armyworm,
Cutworm,  Webworm- S. carpocapsae
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Lifecycle of a parasitic nematode
Southern Cooperative Series Bulletin 331, AK Ag.
Exp. Stn., Fayetteville, AK 72701
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Know the natural enemies
Know the Natural Enemies Take-home points

• Predators bigger, fewer, faster, big
  mouthparts.
• Parasites small size, not easily seen by
  gardeners.
• - many flies and wasps.
• Pathogens cause disease in insects, not harmful
  to other organisms.

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Where can you learn to identify more natural
enemies?
Where can you learn to identify more natural
enemies? http//entm29.entm.purdue.edu/acorn/acorn
search.aspx
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Break
Natural enemies collections
More collections
Live ones!
Please Visit our Demonstrations
Books
Alternative pesticides
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Section 2 outline
Section 2 Outline

• Why plant flowers in your landscape and garden
• Tips for purchasing natural enemies
• Alternative insecticides
• Using ACORN Alternative Control Guide to
• plan your vegetable garden
• find biological control agents in your backyard
• Discovering biological control at home

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Why plant flowers?
Why Plant Flowers?

• To attract natural enemies.
• To provide shelter/shade.
• To produce pollen and nectar.

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Euonymus scale in Indiana

• 2 generations/ year
• Scale sampling coincides with crawler emergence
  and estimates parasitism of the parent generation

C. Sadof
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Research plot
Euonymus
Flowering spurge
Coreopsis
Goldenrod
White clover
E. Rebek
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Density of live female euonymus scale
Mean Number of Live Female Scales per cm of Stem
per Plot S.E.M.
Means with the same letter are not significantly
different (Fishers Protected LSD, p lt 0.05).
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Encarsia citrina
Larva
A
Emergence Hole
C
B
D
Adult
Pupa
Photos by E. Rebek
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Natural enemy abundance in Euonymus
fortunei(Sticky Cards 2001)
Mean Number of Natural Enemies per Plot
S.E.M.
Means with the same letter are not significantly
different (Fishers Protected LSD, p lt 0.05).
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Where can you learn more about flowers that
attract natural enemies?

Where can you learn more about flowers that
attract natural enemies? http//entm29.entm.purdu
e.edu/acorn/acornsearch.aspx
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Add what you need
Add what you need

• Tips for Purchasing and Using Natural Enemies
• Identify the pest.
• Determine which natural enemy could work.
• Order from a reputable supplier.
• Check the quality.
• Follow directions.
• Evaluate. Did it work?
• Give the supplier Extension feedback.

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Where to purchase the good guys
Where to purchase the good guys
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Some pesticides kill more pests than natural
enemies
Some pesticides kill more pests than natural
enemies

• Use pesticides that are compatible with
  biological control
• Microbials
• Botanicals
• Insect growth regulators
• Others

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Microbial insecticides
Microbial insecticides

• Commercially prepared products that contain
  active insect-pathogenic microorganisms
• Usually specific

C. Sadof
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Botanical insecticides
Botanical insecticides
Naturally occurring toxic materials derived from
plants Usually non-specific, with short residual
activity
C. Sadof
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For more information
For more information on Neem visit
lthttp//entm29.entm.purdue.edu/acorn/anews5.htmgt
In Newsletter 5 on ACORN, you will obtain more
product knowledge about Neem. __________________
___________________ ____________________________
_________
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Other insecticides
Other insecticides

• Oils smother the insects.
• Nonspecific

• Insecticidal soaps pass through the insect
  cuticle and poison it.
• Nonspecific, but little residual activity.

C. Sadof
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For more information
For more information on insecticidal soaps,
visit the ACORN website at lthttp//entm29.entm.pur
due.edu/acorn/anews6.htmgt In Newsletter 6 on
ACORN, you will obtain more product knowledge
about Insecticidal soaps. ______________________
_______________ ________________________________
_____
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Other insecticides
Other insecticides
Spinosad kills caterpillars, leafminers and
thrips.

• Spares most natural enemies of spider mites and
  aphids
• Kills bees and wasps
• Does not kill borers

F. Heraux
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For more information
For more information on insecticidal soaps,
visit the ACORN website at lthttp//entm29.entm.pur
due.edu/acorn/anews7.htmgt In Newsletter 7 on
ACORN, you will obtain more product knowledge
about Spinosad. _______________________________
______ _____________________________________
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Using ACORN Alternative Control Guide (ACG)
Using ACORN Alternative Control Guide

• Use the ACG to
• Identify pest and their natural enemies (NE) on
  your landscape and garden plants.
• Find alternative control tactics you can try.
• Plan your vegetable garden.
• Find flowers to feed and protect NE in your
  garden.

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Organization of the Alternative Control Guide
Organization of the Alternative Control Guide
Natural Enemy Profile Type, Life Stage
Attacked Commercially Available Food and Shelter
Pest Profile NE List Photo, Name, Vulnerable
Stage of Pest, Effectiveness Alternative Controls
Suppliers of NE
Flowering Plant Profile Scientific Name, Bloom
Time Family Source of State Specific Information
Crop Profile Susceptibility to Insect
Pests, Pests, Photo, Active Months, Damage
Description, Generation/Year
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ACG- Search page
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ACG- Vegetable page with lists of potential pests
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ACG- Alternative controls
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ACG- A pest
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ACG- A natural enemy
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ACG- A flower
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Insect tendency to damage crops
Insect tendency to damage crops
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Discover biological control at home
Discover Biological Control at Home

• Be an insect detective, find NE at home.
• Need help identifying the NE?
• Use the ACORN Alternative Control Guide (ACG)
  
• - Picture
• - Hints about location (e.g., food and shelter)
• Monthly reminder via email.

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NE-slide



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NE-slide


Lady Beetle

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NE-slide
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NE-slide
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NE-slide
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NE-slide
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NE-slide
Flower or Hover or Syrphid Fly
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NE-slide
Predatory mite
Spider mite
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NE-slide
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NE-slide
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NE-slide
Eggs or Pupae???
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NE-slide
Insect Mummy covered with Fungal Spores
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NE-slide
Infected Larva
Viral fluid
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The End


To contact us Visit our web site at
www.entm.purdue.edu/acorn or Email
cliff_sadof_at_entm.purdue.edu