LIBRO-CONGRESO-CITRUS

S16P30
Composition and flight activity of Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) in citrus orchards
Adorno A. 1 , Biondi A. 2 , Zappalà L. 2 , Siscaro G. 2 , and Sabella G. 1
1 University of Catania (UNICT), Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, section of Animal Biology “M. La
Greca”, Italy; and 2 University of Catania (UNICT), Department of Agri-food and Environmental Systems Management, Italy.
antonio.biondi@unict.it
Staphylinid beetles are among the most important epigeic polyphagous arthropods living in various agroecosystems
and represent an important component of functional biodiversity. Their flight activity in citrus
orchards is still poorly investigated and, since most of them are insect predators, many species may play
important roles in pest control. The aim of this study was to gain knowledge of the flying staphylinid fauna and
its temporal distribution in citrus orchards. A survey was carried out, from December 2009 to August 2011,
in a 70ha citrus farm located in the typical orange production area of Sicily. Two types of flight interception
trap techniques were used: (i) 12 window traps maintained over one year and the trap content was serviced
fortnightly, and (ii) 21 samplings carried using a net-car trap. The sampled Staphylinidae belong to 150
species, with 30 representing more than 90% of the whole sampled material. The most abundant, presented
in decreasing order of collected number of specimens, were: Megarthrus bellevoyei, Anotylus nitidulus,
Gabronthus maritimus, Paraphloeostiba gayndahensis, Scopaeus debilis, A. speculifrons, Cordalia obscura,
Amarochara umbrosa, Proteinus atomarius, Carpelimus corticinus, Philonthus concinnus, Heterothops
minutus, S. mitratus, Tachyporus nitidulus, Aloconota gregaria, Atheta palustris. Peak of flight activity for
most species was typically in spring or spring-autumn, while species with strictly summer and winter peaks
were a minority. Only some of the sampled species have been reported as potential biocontrol agents of
citrus pests and further investigation is needed to assess the ecological services that they can provide in an
integrated pest management framework. The results proved that several predatory staphylinid species do
fly actively within a citrus orchard, suggesting the importance of increased knowledge on the dynamics of
movement from neighboring ecological infrastructures to citrus cultivations.
S16P31
Entomo-pathogenic nematodes to combat -infestations at ticofrut
Camacho H. 1 , Yglesias G. 2 , and Faerron P. 2
1Tico Frut Company. University of Costa Rica - Fabio Baudrit Agricultural Research Station, Costa Rica; and 2TicoFrut, Agricultural
Department, Costa Rica. hcamachov@hotmail.com
Tico Frut´s 15,000 hectares of orange groves in Costa Rica undergo frequent infestations of Phyllophaga
spp. beetle larvae (Coleoptera: Scarabedidae) and Nasutitermes spp. termites (Ispotera: Termitidae) both
of which cause major losses. In order to eliminate these pests by means of environmentally low-impact
strategies, a program was implemented to apply the nematode Heterorhabdites bacteriophora (Nematoda:
Heterorhabditidae). The nematodes are raised en masse in the larvae of Galleria mellonella. Each moth
produces an average of 517 eggs during its life cycle, and lays them on wax paper in jars. 0.5 grams of eggs
(approximately 1,100 ova) are placed on 100 grams of artificial food, where eclosion then occurs. Once they
hatch, the larvae develop on a simple diet, with a density of 11 larvae per gram of food, during 15 days. 50%
of the larvae survive. To complete their growth, the larvae are put into larger containers holding with 14,000
larvae apiece for 15 days. The Galleria larvae are then parasitized by the nematodes in containers: in each one
200 Galleria larvae are placed along with 100 infectious nematode. After thirteen days, the infectious juveniles
are collected in white traps. For this year´s planting of 500,000 orange tree seedlings, 1000 nematodes were
put into five liters of water per tree; this approach was needed due to the fact that the replanting had to be
carried out during the period prior to the start of the rainy season, when the soil was very dry. In order to
apply the nematodes to the termite mounds, an opening was made in the middle section of each one, and it
was then sprayed with the nematode-water solution with a backpack pump unit. Both the beetle larvae and
the termites were infected with the bacteria transmitted by the nematodes, and they died within a 24 to 28
hour period. This control method does not pollute the environment; it works quickly without damaging water
sources or harming humans, and is highly effective.
XII INTERNATIONAL CITRUS CONGRESS 2012 - 295
S16