Effects of a biological control introduction on three nontarget native species of saturniid moths

Damage to nontarget (native) invertebrates from biological control introductions is rarely documented. We examined the nontarget effects of a generalist parasitoid fly, Compsilura concinnata (Diptera: Tachinidae), that has been introduced repeatedly to North America from 1906 to 1986 as a biological...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Conservation biology 2000-12, Vol.14 (6), p.1798-1806
Main Authors: Boettner, G.H, Elkinton, J.S, Boettner, C.J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
adverse effects
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Applied ecology
Biological and medical sciences
Biological control
biological control agents
Callosamia promethea
Compsilura concinnata
Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife
Control
Entomology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Hyalophora cecropia
Insect larvae
Instars
introduction
Larval development
Mortality
Moths
nontarget effects
nontarget organisms
Parasite hosts
Parasitism
Parasitoids
Parks, reserves, wildlife conservation. Endangered species: population survey and restocking
Pests
Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection
population
Protozoa. Invertebrates
Saturniidae
Tachinidae
USA
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Summary:Damage to nontarget (native) invertebrates from biological control introductions is rarely documented. We examined the nontarget effects of a generalist parasitoid fly, Compsilura concinnata (Diptera: Tachinidae), that has been introduced repeatedly to North America from 1906 to 1986 as a biological control agent against 13 pest species. We tested the effect of previously established populations of this fly on two native, nontarget species of moths (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), Hyalophora cecropia and Callosamia promethea, in Massachusetts forests. We estimated survivorship curves for newly hatched H. cecropia larvae (n = 500), placed five per tree in the field and found no survival beyond the fifth instar. We simultaneously deployed cohorts (n = 100) of each of the first three instars to measure the effect of parasitoids during each stage of development. C. concinnata was responsible for 81% of H. cecropia mortality in the first three instars. We deployed semigregarious C. promethea in aggregations of 1-100 larvae in the field and recorded high rates of parasitism by C. concinnata among C. promethea larvae exposed for 6 days (69.8%) and 8 days (65.6%). We discovered a wild population of a third species of silk moth, the state-listed (threatened) saturniid Hemileuca maia maia, and found that C. concinnata was responsible for 36% (n = 50) mortality in the third instar. Our results suggest that reported declines of silk moth populations in New England may be caused by the importation and introduction of C. concinnata.
ISSN:0888-8892
1523-1739
DOI:10.1046/j.1523-1739.2000.99193.x