Insect Science (2010) 17, 129-139

Stephen R. Clarke, Hai-Bin Yu, Mu-Rong Chen, Gary L. DeBarr and Jiang-Hua Sun (2010)
Classical biological control program for the mealybug Oracella acuta in Guangdong Province, China
Insect Science 17 (2), 129-139
Abstract: The mealybug Oracella acuta, native to the southeastern US, was accidentally introduced into slash pine plantations in Guangdong Province in China in 1988. A classical biological control program was initiated in 1995, and the parasitoids Allotropa oracellae, Acerophagus coccois, and Zarhopalus debarri were imported from the US. A total of 19 972 parasitized mealybugs were shipped to China from 1996-2004, from which 15 430 wasps emerged, 12 933 of which were the three target species. Efforts to establish a mass-rearing program for the parasitoids in China failed. Five field release sites were established, and 6 020 parasitoids were released. Only 118 individuals of the three imported species were collected during establishment checks, although several wasps were collected 1-2 years after the last parasitoid release. Over 2 000 Anagyrus dactylopii, a cosmopolitan parasitoid, emerged from the parasitized mealybugs collected, a majority from the Taishan area near the site of the original introduction of O. acuta. To date the imported parasitoids have failed to establish, and natural enemies have not noticeably reduced mealybug populations.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Stephen Clarke, Jiang-Hua Sun

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
classical biocontrol/new introduction
surveys/distribution/isolation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Oracella acuta	Pine (Pinus)	China (south)
Anagyrus dactylopii (parasitoid)	Oracella acuta	Pine (Pinus)	China (south)
Acerophagus coccois (parasitoid)	Oracella acuta	Pine (Pinus)
Zarhopalus debarri (parasitoid)	Oracella acuta	Pine (Pinus)
Allotropa oracellae (parasitoid)	Oracella acuta	Pine (Pinus)