Journal of Entomological Science (1996) 31, 240-251

R.M. Giblin-Davis, J.E. Peña and R.E. Duncan (1996)
Evaluation of an entomopathogenic nematode and chemical insecticides for control of Metamasius hemipterus sericeus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
Journal of Entomological Science 31 (3), 240-251
Abstract: Several chemical insecticides and the entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema carpocapsae (Weiser) (All strain), were evaluated for efficacy against the West Indian sugarcane weevil, Metamasius hemipterus sericeus (Olivier), in laboratory and field tests. Three different bioassays and a field study with sugarcane demonstrated that S. carpocapsae were efficacious against larvae but not adults of the weevil. These bioassays also demonstrated that adults of M. h. sericeus were killed by labelled rates of commercial formulations of acephate 75WP, carbofuran 2F, chlorpyrifos 4 EC, cyfluthrin 2 EC, disulfoton 15G, imidacloprid 2F, isofenphos 21, lindane 25WP, and Vydate L. In a field test with weevil-infested Canary Island date palms, Phoenix canariensis Hortorum ex Chabaud, lindane (25 WP, 1.5 g AI/palm), and imidacloprid (75 WP, 1.2 g AI/palm) had the greatest effect on the percentage mortality of total weevils present per palm (> 60%) followed by S. carpocapsae (8 X 10⁶ infective juveniles [IJs]/palm) (51%) and acephate (2.9 g AI/palm) (39%) which were statistically equal to the controls (14%). Control palms harbored over 200 M. h. sericeus per tree in the petioles and stem periphery. Because of the potential for high weevil production per palm and the cryptic habitat of the boring stages of this weevil, chemical insecticides and/or entomopathogenic nematodes will need to be applied frequently and over a long period of time for effective management.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Robin M. Giblin-Davis, Rita E. Duncan

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
control - general
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
evaluation - screening - selection

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Metamasius hemipterus	Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum)	U.S.A. (SE)
	Metamasius hemipterus	Phoenix (genus)	U.S.A. (SE)
Steinernema carpocapsae/Xenorhabdus nematophila (entomopathogen)	Metamasius hemipterus	Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum)	U.S.A. (SE)