1 Beneficial Insects PJ Liesch UW-Madison: pliesch@wisc.edu Twitter: @WiBugGuy
What are Beneficial Insects? 2! Insects that provide ecosystem services to humans! Benefits provided to humans by nature! Pollination! Biological control! Decomposition, nutrient recycling! Etc.
Pollinators 3! Bees, wasps, beetles, moths, butterflies! Honey bees, bumble bees, solitary bees
Pollinator Decline 4! Pollinators, especially bees and butterflies in decline! Reasons:! Habitat loss! Diseases: protozoans, viruses, etc.! Parasitic mites! Interactions with pesticides
What Can YOU Do? 5! Use pesticides only when needed! Read the pesticide label; follow all directions! Apply insecticides early in the morning or in the evening! Minimize drift! Avoid applying pesticides to flowering plants! Be aware of your surroundings! Weeds can be food to pollinators!! Choose products that are less toxic to bees
What Does the Label Say? 6 This product is highly toxic to honeybees and other bees exposed to direct treatment or residues on crops or weeds in bloom. Do not apply this product to target crops or weeds in bloom.
What Can We Do? 7! Use insecticides only when appropriate! Explicitly follow allow label directions! Make your yard and landscape pollinator friendly! Diversity of flowers = diversity of insects! Seasonal blooming patterns! Provide nesting habitat! Google Bee Hotel! Educate yourself
X-Series Factsheet A-Series Publication 8
Biological Control in the Landscape 9! Predatory insects can be very common in the landscape Predators! Beetles! True bugs! Flies! Lacewings and kin! Yellowjackets and wasps! Spiders Parasites! Wasps! Flies! Roundworms (nematodes) Pathogens! Bacteria! Fungi! Viruses
Predators: Beetles 10 Ground beetles Firefly Larva (w/slug) Rove beetles
Predators: Lady Beetles 11 Multicolored Asian Lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis)
Predators: True Bugs 12 Minute Pirate Bug Damsel Bug Assassin Bug Big Eyed Bug Spined Soldier Bug
Predators: Flies 13 Hover Fly (Diptera: Syrphidae) Robber Flies
Predators: Lacewings & Kin 14 Lacewings Dustywing
Predators: Wasps 15 Yellow Jacket (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) Bald Faced Hornet (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)
Predators: Mites and Spiders 16 Predatory Mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) Grass Spider (Above) Wolf Spider (Below)
Parasites 17! Usually specialists (only kill one or a few hosts)! Can be ecto- or endo- parasites (external vs. internal)! Same size or smaller than prey! Examples:! Wasps! Flies
Parasitic Wasps 18! Many species known! Tend to attack only a single specific host! Some have been purposely released for biocontrol
Parasitic Wasps 19 Mummies parasitized aphid shell http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rltuk-w5gpk
Parasites: Flies 20 Pyrgotid Fly and May/June Beetle Tachinid Flies
Parasites: Roundworms (Nematodes) 21! Many species known, some commercially available! Can usually infest many different hosts! Can be very sensitive to environmental factors! UV light, moisture
Pathogens 22! Some can be highly specific, others can infect many hosts! Can be significantly influenced by weather! Wet, cool weather: more disease! Examples:! Fungi! Bacteria! Viruses
Pathogens: Fungi 23! Spread through spores! Most require high humidity! Some commercially available
Pathogens: Bacteria 24! Some are commercially available! Milky spore (Bacillus popilliae)! Bacillus thuringiensis Milky Spore Infected Non-Infected
! Are highly specific Pathogens: Viruses 25! Viruses exist for many insects, including pests such as armyworms, black cutworm, and gypsy moth
Common Decomposers 26 Dung Beetles (Aphodius sp. and others) Sexton or Burying Beetle (Nicrophorus sp.) American Carrion Beetle (Nicrophilus americana)
Flies: In logs Crane Fly Fungus Gnat Larvae 27 Small whitish worms w/ black dot for a head Only ¼ inch long In fungi and in rotting logs Xylophagid Fly Larva Larvae 1 inch long, plump, grayish worms Love moisture Adults look like gigantic mosquitoes (but can t bite!) Dark, pointy head Just beneath bark
Common Beetles: In Logs Roundheaded Borers (Longhorned Beetles) Flatheaded Borers (Jewel Beetles) 28 Only see mandibles sticking out of head Often have a chunky appearance Similar to roundheaded borers Usually with wider head
Questions? 29 PJ Liesch UW-Madison: labs.russell.wisc.edu/insectlab/ pliesch@wisc.edu Twitter: @WiBugGuy