Efficacy of commercially available invertebrate predators against Drosophila suzukii

Abstract

Drosophila suzukii has been recorded in the UK since the end of 2012. To date, reports of serious damage have been rare. Previous research has demonstrated that there are chemicals available within the UK that are efficient in dealing with D. suzukii. However, few effective chemicals for use by the organic sector have been identified; equally the addition of “new” insecticides into previously stable ecosystems can have negative impacts upon natural enemies and so disrupt control strategies that have developed over a period of time. Therefore, there is a need also to screen for potential biological control agents for D. suzukii. The following commercially available predatory species were evaluated for their potential to act as control agents for D. suzukii: Orius majusculus, Orius laevigatus, Atheta coriaria, Hypoaspis miles and Anthocoris nemoralis. This set of natural enemies could potentially target several life stages of D. suzukii (larvae, pupae and adults). All species, except H. miles, fed on D. suzukii life stages to some extent. Hypoaspis miles displayed no impact upon D. suzukii populations. Anthocoris nemoralis displayed a tendency to feed upon more male than female adult D. suzukii and caused 45% mortality after five days. None of the natural enemies trialed were able to control D. suzukii individually. However, these and other non-commercially produced species will all play a role within a given ecosystem in controlling D. suzukii populations.