Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

1) Officers. The business meeting was moderated by Judy Hough-Goldstein, current Chair of NE1332. Because Judy is retiring, Scott Salom will take over as Chair this year, and serve for the next two years. Lisa Tewksbury will serve as “Incoming Chair” and will serve as Chair following Scott’s appointment. Ann Hajek will serve as Secretary for two years, rotating into “Incoming Chair” and “Chair” positions in sequence.

2) Venue for next meeting. The next meeting of NE1332 will be held in conjunction with the 27^th USDA Interagency Research Forum on Invasive Species, Lowes Annapolis Hotel, Annapolis, MD, in January 2017. NE1332 is planning to sponsor a symposium at that meeting, honoring Dick Reardon.

3) USDA APHIS biocontrol permitting process. Concern continues regarding delays in approvals of TAG-recommended release petitions for weed biological control, although a breakthrough may have occurred, as noted in Dick Casagrande’s talk. Anwar Rizvi, of USDA APHIS, offered help with applications concerning pathogens.

4) New Administrative Advisor. Jan Nyrop, of Cornell University, will act as the group’s new academic advisor. Jan was present and made some remarks.

5) Funding opportunities for biological control. Bob Nowierski, National Program Leader for Bio-Based Pest Management, USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), updated the group on funding opportunities that impact biological control at the national and regional levels.

Symposium Program

As part of the Northeastern Plant, Pest, and Soils Conference in Philadelphia, PA, the regional project ran a symposium on Biological Control of Weeds, on 1/4/16 from 8:45 – 11:20 AM, followed by the business meeting. Seven presentations were given by NE1332 members and other invited speakers:

1. Weed biological control - dead in the water? R. Casagrande, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
2. What is really a risk and what is not? T. McAvoy and S. Salom, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
3. Demographic modeling in weed biocontrol. L. Milbrath, A.S. Davis, and J. Biazzo, USDA-ARS, Ithaca, NY
4. Weed biocontrol in landscape restoration. E.C. Lake and J.A. Hough-Goldstein, USDA-ARS, Fort Lauderdale, FL, and University of Delaware, Newark, DE
5. The consequences of photoperiodism for newly introduced insects. F. Grevstad and L. Coop, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

6. Transferring West Coast successes to East Coast problems. L. Tewksbury and H. Faubert, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
7. Pathogens in weed biocontrol: Opportunities and limitations with the use of biopesticides. J.C. Neal, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC

Goal 1 (Conservation of existing natural enemies)

Objective 1. To conserve natural enemies in blueberry production (F. Drummond, U. Maine)

Update: Focus has been on spotted wing drosophila (SWD) for the last two years.

Main findings:

1. survey of native parasitoids of SWD larvae and pupae in 32 blueberry fields (2014 and 2015): no parasitoids found.
2. Predation of SWD pupae: in both 2014 & 2015 predation was high, at 70-95%. Using different mesh size cages, we hypothesize that most of the predation is by arthropod predators and not small mammals or birds. Of the arthropods, by using remote field cameras and lab experiments, carabids and field crickets appear to be the dominant predators. I will continue to assess these two groups and try to better quantify natural predation under field conditions.

Objective 2. To determine distribution and impact of Cotesia rubecula (R. Van Driesche, UMASS)

No longer an active objective

Objective 3. To examine the effects of exotic plants on ecosystem function (P. Shrewsbury and M. Raupp, University of Maryland)

No longer an active objective

Goal 2 (Augmentation programs)

Objective 4. To release and evaluate augmentative biological control agents and educate the public about their role in pest management. (Mark Mayer, NJ Dept of Agriculture; M. Hoffmann, Cornell University)

Phillip Alampi Beneficial Insect Laboratory (PABIL)

A total of 39,700 Rhinoncomimus latipes weevils were shipped to cooperators in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Virginia, and North Carolina under the terms of a USDA/APHIS/PPQ rearing agreement. In addition, 22,700 were purchased by private property owners and 10,500 adults were released on mile-a-minute in New Jersey to augment existing populations.

Mexican bean beetle populations were low but there were some problems on organic farms and in community gardens. A total of 488,000 Pediobius foveolatus adults were released during the 2015 field season in soybean fields, in community gardens and on organic farms.  

Overall this season, a total of 10,000 Cybocephalus nipponicus (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) have been released on elongate hemlock scale and 4,500 beetles were released on euonymus scale.

Surveys for Laricobius nigrinus beetles on hemlock woolly adelgid have shown that they have dispersed 33 miles into Pennsylvania, are throughout the Delaware Water Gap NRA, a length of 34 miles, wherever there are adelgids present.   The beetles have been recovered twelve miles into NJ and were recovered in seven new sites in 2015. L. nigrinus has been recovered in a total of 188 sites in New Jersey and Northwestern Pennsylvania as of 2015.

PABIL reared and supplied federal and state investigators with Halyomorpha halys adults, nymphs, and egg masses for ongoing laboratory and field studies.

Goal 3 (Classical Biological Control)

Objective 5. To develop a biological control program for exotic Phragmites australis (R. Casagrande, URI; B. Blossey, Cornell Univ.)

Phragmites australis Biocontrol: We have roughed-out a release petition for releasing two potential biological control agents against P. australis in the USA. The completion of this permit awaits confirmation of favorable preliminary results with Type I (Gulf Coast) plants and the resolution of the regulatory bottleneck in weed biocontrol. We conducted experiments in quarantine with host preferences of Type I and exotic P. australis and experimented with rearing techniques in the past 12 months. 

Objective 6. To develop a biological control program for swallowworts in North America (R. Casagrande, URI)

We continued to provide specimens and expertise to colleagues in Canada and at Cornell University for rearing and release (in Canada). A total of 360 Hypena opulenta were sent to Lindsey Milbrath at Cornell and 600 to Rob Bourchier in Canada.  In preparation for eventual release in the USA, we reared 4 generations of H. opulenta in our quarantine laboratory while experimenting with optimizing rearing conditions.  We have worked hard to encourage and assist both USDA-APHIS and USFWS in the evaluation of H. opulenta for USA release.  To this end, we prepared and distributed a Letter-of-Concern about a 5-year regulatory bottleneck to USDA and APHIS. This letter was endorsed by the three USA regional projects on biological control and the International Organization on Biological Control with signatures of 41 individual scientists (USDA employees could not sign.)  In apparent response to this and several other encouragements, the regulatory agencies seem to now be moving on evaluation, if not approval of pending release permits. 

Objective 7. To establish and evaluate herbivores released against mile-a-minute weed (J. Hough-Goldstein, University of Delaware).

• Outputs (events, publications). New publications include two key papers that relate laboratory studies on effects of moisture levels (Berg et al. 2015) and temperature (Hough-Goldstein et al. 2016) on field populations of both the mile-a-minute weevil, Rhinoncomimus latipes, and mile-a-minute weed. Results suggest that the weevil will be most effective under warm, dry conditions, whereas other control methods might be required when the spring and summer are wet and cool. In addition, the USDA Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team booklet, Biology and Biological Control of Mile-a-Minute Weed was extensively revised to reflect research conducted since 2008 (Hough-Goldstein et al. 2015).

• Outcomes (change in status of system). During 2015, weevils continued to be shipped from the Phillip Alampi Beneficial Insects Laboratory, Trenton, NJ, free to USDA/APHIS/PPQ cooperators and for a charge of $1.00 per weevil to cooperators not affiliated with USDA/APHIS/PPQ.

• Impacts (benefits). The weevil continues to flourish and spread in North America. New research helps to explain why it is extremely effective in some places and in some years, and less so in other places and years.

Objective 8. To develop an effective biological control program for the emerald ash borer (R. Van Driesche, UMASS, with K. Abell and federal cooperators J. Duan, L. Bauer, J. Gould)

• Outputs (events, publications) A key paper (Duan et al., 2015a) analyzes seven years of life table data (2008-2014) on the interaction between introduced natural enemies, other mortality factors, and emerald ash borer (EAB) population growth rates. This analysis showed that the number of live EAB larvae per unit of phloem (bark surface area) had dropped between 2009 and 2014 in our Michigan plots by over 90%, driven by a rise in levels of parasitism, especially of the introduced species, especially Tetrastichus planipennisi (25-30%). A second paper (Abell et al., 2014) compared a new method to measure the impact of the egg parasitoid Oobius agrili to a previous method and found that levels of parasitism in our Michigan release plots is now relatively high (ca 20%) and appears to be rising. In addition, a new EAB larval parasitoid, Spathius galinae has been approved by the US regulatory agency for field releases in 2016 (Duan et al. 2015b).

• Outcomes (change in status of system) Tetrastichus planipennisi is now widespread and abundant in study areas in MI and is causing significant (ca 25-30%) levels of host larval mortality (Duan et al. 2015a).

• Impacts (benefits) Emerald ash borer population growth rates in our study plots has now fallen nearer to the level of replacement (about 1.5), and the large (>90%) decline in live larval density shows that the population is now collapsing in that area. This is due to both reduction in the ash resource due to EAB-caused tree mortality and to increased mortality from natural enemies suffered by remaining EAB attacking remaining ash trees in plots.

Objective 9. To establish and evaluate natural enemies of the hemlock woolly adelgid       (S. Salom, Virginia Tech.; J. Elkinton, UMass; M. Mayer, New Jersey)

Virginia Tech:

• Outputs:   Mass Rearing and Releases of HWA predators

Laricobius nigrinus is a key predator species being released operationally for biological control of the hemlock woolly adelgid in the eastern U.S. An interior strain that is more cold hardy is now a focal point with our lab. Attempts to rear this strain have not been as successful as with the coastal strain.

Starting adults: 387; Larvae produced: 7,769 ; Adult emergence from aestivation: 1,750 (22%); Early emergence 1400 adults before HWA broke diapause (35% mortality).

L. osakensis has also become a priority of our rearing group. In 2010, USDA/APHIS approved its release from quarantine. Releases began in 2012. L. osakensis (F3 Generation from 2012 Japan Collections); Starting adults: 100; Larvae produced: 3,044; Adult emergence from aestivation: 1,495 (52%) Early emergence 158 adults before HWA broke diapause ~5% mortality; L. osakensis - (F5) Starting adults: 242; Larvae produced: 9,122; Adult emergence post-aestivation: 5,510 (60%); Early emergence 482 adults before HWA broke diapause (~16% mortality).

• Outcomes:

1. L. nigrinus Releases: 1 release – 500 beetles – Mark Whitmore (NY) – 10/28/15
2. L. osakensis (F3 & F5) Releases: – 2015 Releases: 6,065 beetles released at 11 locations in PA, OH, MD, VA

2015 Japan Collecting Trip for L. osakensis
October 25 – November 7, 2015; 6 sites visited, 4 yielded beetles; Nyukasa, Shiga Kogen

Objective 10. To establish and evaluate natural enemies of the winter moth (J. Elkinton, UMASS)

The tachinid fly Cyzenis albicans was released at 40 locations from coastal Maine to southeastern Connecticut, and established at 17 of those locations. The spread of the fly was documented along transects from the release site in Wellesley, MA, up to 8 km away. Winter moth densities in Wellesley have declined markedly now that there is substantial parasitism all across town.

Objective 11. To distribute and evaluate Peristenus relictus, a parasitoid of the tarnished plant bug.

No longer an active objective

Objective 12. To establish and evaluate biological control agents for garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) (B. Blossey, Cornell University)

No longer an active objective

Objective 13. To investigate potential new biological control projects for the northeast.

Knotweed Biological Control. Application to APHIS for a permit to release knotweed psyllid (TAG approval obtained) continued to be unresolved. Cooperators Fritzi Grevstad (Oregon) continued to develop and provide additional data and information to reviewing bodies.

Additional projects at URI (R. Casagrande). We released Rhinoncomimus latipes weevils for mile-a-minute vine at two additional sites in RI during the past season, bringing our total to 11 sites and 60,000 weevils released.  We continue to monitor these sites for control of this invasive plant.  In 2015 we released Larinus obtusus at four sites in RI and began monitoring these sites and one control site for establishment and impact.  We conducted preliminary experiments with Lilioceris cheni, the agent released against air potato in Florida to determine the possible impact of parasitoids released against L. lilii in the Northeast. Preliminary tests with Tetrastichus setifer showed no attack of L. cheni, but this needs to be repeated with larger sample sizes. 

Determination of the causes and consequences of native coccinellid decline (J. Losey, Cornell University)

• Outputs:

Working in conjunction with the citizen science program, the Lost Ladybug Project (www.lostladybug.org), substantial progress has been made in determining the causes and consequences of the decline of several native coccinellid species in North America. In Brandt et al (2015) we document comparative development rates and survival of a focal native species, Coccinella novemnotata reared on a range of aphid prey. In Turnipseed et al. (2015) we examine the interactions between C. novemnotata and C. septempunctata, an introduced species suspected of having played a role in the demise of the native species. Subsequent to the period covered in this report we have continued to investigate the biology of native coccinellid species and the potential for interaction with introduced species including Harmonia axyridis. As we have gained a fuller understanding of why C. novemnotata decline we have begun to consider the potential for reestablishment and conservation of this species in areas where it formerly flourished.

• Outcomes:

Based primarily on data from the Lost Ladybug Project, several native coccinellid species were listed as “species of greatest conservation need” in New York and they are being considered for protection at a national scale in Canada. In addition, the development of a proposal to provide international protection for these species (through the IUCN) was initiated.

Goal 4 (Evaluation and Education)

Objective 14. To distribute information on the successful biological control of the birch leafminer throughout the northeastern states (R. Casagrande, URI)

           No longer an active objective

Objective 15. To provide web-based information for growers, landscape managers, educators, and students on biological control programs (J. Losey, Cornell University)

• Outputs

Educational outreach includes our successful Lost Ladybug Project citizen science program, the public can gather information and participate via our project website (www.lostladybug.org), Facebook page activities, and other social media. The public also receives notices and information surrounding educational offerings through public events and programming with school, youth and community groups.

A wide range of individuals have been trained and are developing their skills through participation in Lost Ladybug Project web-based outreach: undergraduate students, extension and teaching specialists, 4H youth educators, parents, classroom teachers, environmental educators, graduate students, and faculty members.

• Outcomes

This year, we have reached 200,000 people (with a total of over 1,200,000 since 2008) through our project website (www.lostladybug.org), Facebook page activities, and other social media. Over 1,000 people (total of 12,500 since 2008) have submitted ladybug images, as individuals or in families or other groups. An additional estimated 8,000 people (total of 58,000 since 2008) have participated in programs and event activities.

Over 34,000 images of ladybugs have been submitted to the Lost Ladybug database by citizen scientists from every state. Participation also includes email questions and requests for materials, Lost Ladybug Project Facebook “Likes” at 8,078 (up from 7,800 in 2014 and 6,700 in 2013, and 1,000 in 2012) and Facebook conversation/question activity.  Because this is a public project with free materials on the internet, some people and organizations interact with us while others use our materials but have little or no contact.

Berg, S. A., J. A. Hough-Goldstein, E. C. Lake, and V. D’Amico. 2015. Mile-a-minute weed (Persicaria perfoliata) and weevil (Rhinoncomimus latipes) response to varying moisture and temperature conditions. Biological Control 83: 68-74.

Brandt, D.M., Johnson, P.J., Losey, J.E., Catangui, M.A. and Hesler, L.S. 2015. Development and survivorship of a predatory lady beetle, Coccinella novemnotata, on various aphid diets. BioControl 60: 221-229.

Duan, J. J., L. S. Bauer, K. J. Abell, M. Ulyshen and R. G. Van Driesche. 2015a. Population dynamics of an invasive forest insect and associated natural enemies in the aftermath of invasion: implications for biological control. Journal of Applied Ecology 52: 1246-1253.

Duan, Jian J., J. Gould, and R. W. Fuester. 2015b. Evaluation of the host specificity of Spathius galinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a larval parasitoid of the emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in Northeast Asia. Biological Control 89: 91 – 97. 2015.

Fischer, Melissa J., Carlyle C. Brewster, Nathan P. Havill, Scott M. Salom, and Loke T. Kok. 2015. Assessment of the potential for hybridisation between Laricobius nigrinus (Coleoptera: Derodontidae) and Laricobius osakensis, predators of the hemlock woolly adelgid (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), Biocontrol Science and Technology, 25:12, 1467-1482, DOI:10.1080/09583157.2015.1061099

Fischer, Melissa J., Nathan P. Havill, Carlyle C. Brewster, Gina A. Davis, Scott M. Salom, and Loke T. Kok. 2015. Field assessment of hybridization between Laricobius nigrinus and L. rubidus, predators of Adelgidae. Biological Control 82: 1-6.

Hough-Goldstein, J., E. Lake, R. Reardon, and Y. Wu. 2015. Biology and Biological Control of Mile-a-Minute Weed. USDA Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, FHTET-2008-10. Revised July 2015. 75 pp.

Hough-Goldstein, J., E.C. Lake, K.J. Shropshire, R.E. Moore, and V. D’Amico. 2016. Laboratory and field-based temperature-dependent development of a monophagous weevil: implications for integrated weed management. Biological Control 92: 120-127.

Tumminello, G., Ugine, T.A. and Losey, J.E., 2015. Intraguild interactions of native and introduced Coccinellids: The decline of a flagship species. Environmental Entomology 44: 64-72.

Ugine, T.A. and Losey, J.E., 2014. Development times and age-specific life table parameters of the native lady beetle species Coccinella novemnotata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and its invasive congener Coccinella septempunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Environmental Entomology 43: 1067-1075.

Elkinton, J., G. Boettner, A. Liebhold and R. Gwiazdowski. 2015. Biology, spread and biological control of winter moth in the eastern United States. USDA Forest Service, FHTET-2014-07