REDIA (2021) 104, 147-154

Giuseppe Mazza, Francesco Binazzi, Daniele Marraccini, Luca Boncompagni, Giuseppino Sabbatini Peverieri, Pio Federico Roversi and Elisabetta Gargani (2021)
Evaluation of Chrysoperla carnea complex and Coccinellid predators as biocontrol agents of Ricania speculum (Walker, 1851) (Hemiptera Ricaniidae)
REDIA 104, 147-154
Abstract: Ricania speculum is an alien insect feeding on several host plants belonging to several families, including important vegetables, crops, ornamental plants, wild plants as well as trees. For the first time, recently, Chrysoperla sp. and coccinellid beetles have been observed preying on this species in the field on Citrus sp. and Laurus nobilis plants. The main purposes of this work were to evaluate the possible predation capability of these groups of insects and determine their prey preference in laboratory trials. In the choice trials, R. speculum nymphs were paired in a confined space and exposed for 24h to single predators: Ch. carnea complex and to the coccinellids Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, Adalia bipunctata, Coccinella septempunctata, and Propylea quatuordecimpunctata. Specimens of Aphis rumicis, an aphid frequently found on herbaceous plants, were used as a control prey. In the cage trials, a single Ch. carnea complex second-instar larva was placed into a jar containing a tomato plant with ten R. speculum nymphs. In the choice trials, a high mortality percentage of both preys was observed with the Ch. carnea complex, while in those with Coccinellids only high A. rumicis mortality was reported. In the cage trials, 13% mortality of R. speculm was recorded after 24h while after 72h and 168h prey mortalities reached 18% and 25%, respectively. The results of the study showed that larvae of the Ch. carnea complex could be potential predators of R. speculum, while coccinellids do not seem promising predators of this alien species.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Giuseppe Mazza, Pio Federico Roversi

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Ricania speculum	Citrus (genus)	Italy
	Ricania speculum	Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)	Italy
	Ricania speculum	Laurel (Laurus nobilis)	Italy
Chrysoperla carnea (predator)	Ricania speculum		Italy