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Impacts of biological control and invasive species on a non-target native Hawaiian insect

  • Population Ecology
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Abstract

The potential for classical biological control to cause unintended harm to native species was evaluated in the case of the endemic Hawaiian koa bug, Coleotichus blackburniae White (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae), and parasitoids introduced to Hawaii for control of an agricultural pest, the southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula (L.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Parasitism of C. blackburniae eggs, nymphs and adults by biocontrol agents was quantified across a wide range of habitats and compared to other sources of mortality. Egg mortality due to the biocontrol agent Trissolcus basalis Wollaston (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) was low (maximum 26%) and confined to elevations below 500 m on a single host plant. Predation, mainly by alien spiders and ants, was the greatest source of egg mortality (maximum 87%). Parasitism of adult C. blackburniae by the biocontrol agent Trichopoda pilipes (F.) (Diptera: Tachinidae) was near zero at 21 of 24 sites surveyed. Three sites with high bug density had higher levels of T. pilipes parasitism, reaching maxima of 70% among adult female bugs, 100% among males and 50% among fifth instars. Male-biased parasitism indicated that T. pilipes is adapted to using male aggregation pheromone for finding C. blackburniae hosts. The relative impacts of biocontrol agents and other sources of mortality were compared using life tables. Invasive species, particularly generalist egg predators, had the greatest impacts on C. blackburniae populations. Effects of intentionally introduced parasitoids were relatively minor, although the tachinid T. pilipes showed potential for large impacts at individual sites. In retrospect, non-target attacks by biological control agents on C. blackburniae were predictable, but the environmental range and magnitude of impacts would have been difficult to foresee.

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Acknowledgements

For technical assistance we thank Jan Wolff, Jing Zhang, Michelle Hanano, Kelly Funes, Annie Tran, Marcus Hayden, Wendy Kunimitsu, Vanessa Johnson, Garett Chang, Jeremy Kaneshiro, Denis Krot, Marisa Heath, Maria Aihara-Sasaki and Donna Ohora. Gary Gibson of Agriculture Canada identified our egg parasitoids. Jim Baldwin assisted with statistical analyses. Julie Denslow, Roger Vargas and anonymous reviewers helped improve the manuscript. The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park granted us collecting permits. This work was supported with funding from the USDA National Research Initiative and the University of Hawaii Research Council.

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Author notes

  1. M. Tracy Johnson

    Present address: Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, Pacific Southwest Research Station, USDA Forest Service, PO Box 236, Volcano, HI, 96785, USA

  2. Vincent P. Jones

    Present address: Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, Washington State University, Wenatchee, WA, 98801, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, USDA-ARS, Hilo, HI, 96720, USA

    Peter A. Follett

  2. Department of Zoology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA

    Andrew D. Taylor

  3. Department of Entomology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA

    M. Tracy Johnson & Vincent P. Jones

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  1. M. Tracy Johnson
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  2. Peter A. Follett
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  4. Vincent P. Jones
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Correspondence to M. Tracy Johnson.

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Johnson, M.T., Follett, P.A., Taylor, A.D. et al. Impacts of biological control and invasive species on a non-target native Hawaiian insect. Oecologia 142, 529–540 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-004-1754-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-004-1754-5

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