Journal of Pest Science (2015) 88, 219-223

G.C. Cutler, T.D. Gariepy, E.C.A. De Silva and N.K. Hillier (2015)
High rates of parasitism of eberry spanwormLepidoptera: Geometridae) by Ichneumonidae and Tachinidae in commercial lowbush blueberry fields
Journal of Pest Science 88 (2), 219-223
Abstract: Blueberry spanworm, Itame (Macaria) argillacearia Packard, is an important defoliator of lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton), a major crop in eastern Canada. In the summer of 2012, we collected a large number of blueberry spanworm larvae from two managed blueberry fields in Colchester Co., Nova Scotia. Approximately 50–60 % of the field-collected larvae maintained in the laboratory were parasitized and killed. Identifications of parasitoids were based on morphological characters and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I sequencing. The majority of parasitism was by Phryxe pecosensis (Diptera: Tachinidae), and a wasp suspected to be a new species of Tranosemella or Tranosema (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). Our results demonstrate that parasitism of blueberry spanworm can be high in lowbush blueberry and that conservation or augmentative biological control should be considered in future development of management programs for this pest.
(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): N. Kirk Hillier, Tara Dawne Gariepy

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Itame argillacearia	Blueberry/cranberry (Vaccinium)	Canada (east)
Phryxe pecosensis (parasitoid)	Itame argillacearia	Blueberry/cranberry (Vaccinium)	Canada (east)