Abstract
There are few regulations for the release of parasitoids and predators, compared to herbivorous arthropods and pathogens, used as classical biological control agents in the United States. The types of tests conducted prior to release of the predator or parasitoid into the environment are often up to the individual wishing to introduce the new agent. Ethical researchers understand the importance of host range testing to examine non-target impacts before releasing exotic arthropods into the environment. We use classical biological control of the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA),
Adelges tsugae, and host range testing of natural enemies for control of HWA as an example. The hemlock woolly adelgid is an exotic pest native to Asia that can cause severe damage to hemlocks in the eastern United States. Several natural enemies have been imported, and two agents with good potential are the coccinellids,
Pseudoscymnus tsugae from Japan and
Scymnus ningshanensis from China.
Keywords
Adelges tsugae,
Pseudoscymnus tsugae,
Scymnus ningshanensis,
Harmonia axyridis,
host range testing
Citation
205Butin, Elizabeth; Montgomery, Montgomery; Havill, Nathan; Elkinton, Joseph. 2002. Pre-release host range assessment for classical biological controls: experience with predators for the hemlock woolly adelgid. In: Onken, B.; Reardon, R.; Lashomb, J., eds. The hemlock woolly adelgid in the eastern United States symposium; 2002 February 5-7; East Brunswick, NJ. East Brunswick, NJ: New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station and Rutgers University: 205-214.
