Suppression of the Colorado Potato Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) with Augmentative Releases of Predaceous Stinkbugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

Abstract

Field cage tests in 1987 established that releases of 5-10 Perillus bioculatus (F.) and Podisus maculiventris (Say) per plant were able to reduce high density populations (≈450 per plant) of Colorado potato beetle by ≈50%. P. bioculatus provided greater foliage protection than P. maculiventris . In 1988, in similar cage tests, P. bioculatus released at rates of 2-8 per plant reduced Colorado potato beetle densities of ≈100 per plant by ≈8.5% per predator released. Field plot tests in 1988 confirmed cage results with P. bioculatus and demonstrated that 1 and 3 predators per plant suppressed populations of Colorado potato beetle by 30 and 62%, respectively. Three P. bioculatus per plant significantly reduced defoliation and increased yield 65% over the untreated control. Progeny production of a laboratory colony of P. bioculatus maintained on Trichoplusia ni (Hübner) larvae was equivalent to that for a colony maintained on Colorado potato beetle larvae. Our data indicate that inoculative releases of stinkbug predators for suppression of Colorado potato beetle populations could be an important component of an integrated management program.