Journal of Applied Entomology - Zeitschrift für angewandte Entomologie (1996) 120, 529-536

S.R. Leather and A. Owuor (1996)
The influence of natural enemies and migration on spring populations of the green spruce aphid, Elatobium abietinum Walker (Hom., Aphididae)
Journal of Applied Entomology - Zeitschrift für angewandte Entomologie 120 (9), 529-536
Abstract: The importance of predators in the decline of the spring population of the green spruce aphid Elatobium abietinum was investigated. Natural enemies were slow in responding to changes, in the numbers of the green spruce aphid and did not appear to be very effective. Although a voracious predator both in the adult and the larval stage, the two spot lady bird beetle Adalia bipunctata, the most common predator, failed to make an appreciable impact due to the slow numerical response. The primary factor that led to the crash in the population was the production of alate emigrants. Natural enemies do not seem to play an important role in the eventual reduction of the spring population of E. abietinum. Host quality deterioration, which may or may not be accompanied by needle loss, was also an important factor in causing the aphid population collapse, but should be considered as a secondary factor occurring in conjunction with the production of alatae due to changes in photoperiod.
(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): Simon R. Leather

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
surveys/sampling/distribution
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
population dynamics/epizootiology

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Elatobium abietinum	Spruce (Picea)
Adalia bipunctata (predator)	Elatobium abietinum	Spruce (Picea)