Susceptibility of adult hymenopteran parasitoids of the Nantucket pine tip moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) to broad-spectrum and biorational insecticides in a laboratory study.

Currently, there is an elevated interest in reducing feeding damage caused by the Nantucket pine tip moth, Rhyacionia frustrana (Comstock), a common regeneration pest of loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L. The toxicity of several insecticides was tested in a laboratory against four common R. frustrana parasitoids. There were no differences in parasitoid mortality between the control and indoxacarb treatments. However, the pyrethroids, permethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin, caused significantly more mortality initially (up to 240 min exposure time) than other insecticides. Spinosad was less toxic than the pyrethroids initially, but the spinosad related mortality increased with time until it reached a level similar to the pyrethroids. For the most part, spinosad and the pyrethroids caused more mortality than the control and indoxacarb treatmtents within the 1-d sample period. These results may have important implications for decisions concerning which insecticides are best suited for reducing pest damage while conserving natural enemies in timber and agricultural systems. Large-scale field trials are required to further define the impacts of these insecticides on natural enemies.

Effects of a broad spectrum and biorational insecticides on parasitoids of the Nantucket pine tip moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae).

We examined effects of aerial application of acephate (Orthene), Bacillus thuringiensis variety kurstaki Berliner (Foray), and tebufenozide (Mimic) on larval/pupal parasitoids of the Nantucket pine tip moth, Rhyacionia frustrana (Comstock), in the southwestern Georgia coastal plain. Parasitism of tip moths in acephate-treated plots was significantly lower than in untreated plots. Bacillus thuringiensis and tebufenozide showed no significant effects on parasitism. A tachinid, Lixophaga mediocris Aldrich, comprised a significantly greater proportion of emerging parasitoids in acephate-treated than in untreated control plots, whereas a chalcidid, Haltichella rhyacioniae Gahan, was less abundant in the acephate-treated plots. Acephate has a negative, but somewhat species-specific, impact on tip moth parasitism.

Efficacy tests and determination of optimal spray timing values to control nantucket pine tip moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) infestations.

The Nantucket pine tip moth, Rhyaciona frustrana (Comstock), a common regeneration pest of loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., has been shown to reduce tree volume yields through larval feeding. Chemical applications can be effective in protecting trees from the growth losses associated with this feeding, and optimum spray timing values are commonly used to reduce the number of necessary applications and to increase insecticide efficacy. Optimal spray timing values for the Georgia Piedmont were obtained for the following four insecticides available for use in loblolly pine plantations: permethrin (Pounce), lambda-cyhalothrin (Warrior T), spinosad (SpinTor 2 SC), and Bacillus thuringiensis variety kurstaki Berliner (Foray 48B). Optimal timing values were similar between the first and second generations for each of these compounds. All of the insecticides used in this study significantly reduced tip moth damage below the control treatment levels. Lambda-cyhalothrin was the most efficacious and had the longest spray timing window. B. thuringiensis was the least effective and had the shortest timing window. Spinosad and permethrin were similar in efficacy and spray timing values. This information is applicable to regions where there are three tip moth generations per year, as found in the southern Piedmont region and the coastal plain of Virginia and most of North Carolina.