Apple Maggot (Rhagoletis pomonella) & Balsam Woolly Adelgid (Adelges piceae)

Tracy Hueppelsheuser British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture

February 2016 EDRR Boot Camp

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Implications for British Columbia

• Regulated pest: – Reportable to CFIA,

• Trade,

• Jeopordizes ‘soft’ pest mngmt programs

• Adequate Management in infested areas decreases risk of spread to new areas!

• Public and grower awareness and education efforts continue

Prevent spread to Okanagan, Similkameen, Creston, B.C.’s southern

interior

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Picture wing flies Diptera: Tephritidae, (Rhagoletis spp):

• These are all ‘direct pests’; they infest the fruit/nuts; the marketable part of the plants

• Most are major pests in the crops they infest.

– Blueberry maggot (Rhagoletis mendax)

– Apple maggot (Rhagoletis pomonella)

These two are regulated pests in

Canada

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Native to parts of North America

• Identification can be tricky

– Several Rhagoletis flies in the area

• Look-a-like: wing pattern is the same for R. zephyria (Snowberry Maggot)

Identification of Apple Maggot flies

?

Photos: Naomi DeLury, Howard Thistlewood, Michael Wels, Jaqueline Sztepanaz, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

R. indifferens, western cherry fruit fly

R. fausta, black cherry fruit fly

R. completa, walnut husk fly

R. zephyria, snowberry maggot

R. pomonella

Need female ovipositor to tell the difference between the two

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Blueberry Maggot is NOT in B.C., but

looks identical to Apple maggot flies:

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• Most serious pest in blueberries (Vaccinium) in eastern North America

• CFIA monitors annually with sticky traps

• Quarantine pest, reportable to CFIA

“F” pattern on wings

Lifecycle of Apple Maggot

Emerge as adults

June/July

Lay eggs in apples

Larvae feed within the

apple

Burrow into ground to over

winter

Pupae stay in soil from 10-24

months

Photo credit: Stephen Luk

Photo credit: Tamara F bugguide.net/node/view/720683

One generation per year

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Damage from Apple Maggot larvae

‘Stings’ from females laying eggs Dimpling and bruising caused by feeding larvae

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‘Tracking’ and browning in fruit cortex from AM larvae

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Internal damage from larvae feeding: tunnelling allows rot to enter and then apple

will rot in storage

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Rhagoletis larvae can be confused with Drosophila larvae, particularly in Cherry and other stone fruit, and

Blueberry and other berries

• Rhagoletis larvae

– grow bigger,

– one generation per year,

– only 1-3 per fruit.

• Drosophila larvae

– are smaller,

– can be many (>40 per fruit in cane fruit),

– several overlapping generations per year

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/FIG/citrus-drosophila.html M. Hauser

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Codling moth (Cydia pomonella) damage is different!

• Hosts: apples and pears

• Lepidopteran: caterpillar (not dipteran, fly).

• Frass, webbing

• Boring into fruit center

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Establishment of a ‘pest free’ area in southern interior. USA is free from AM along the Canadian border (adjacent to B.C.’s southern interior). 13

BC’s Okanagan, Similkameen, and Creston valleys are free from Apple Maggot

History and Distribution of Apple Maggot in B.C.

Details in CFIA’s directive: D-00-07: Import and domestic phytosanitary requirements to prevent the introduction and spread of apple maggot (Rhagoletis pomonella spp.(Walsh))

• Areas considered free from apple maggot in the USA include counties in Washington, Oregon, and California, and Idaho.

• Several counties do have it in these states as well.

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September 2015….. • Single female apple maggot fly found on CFIA survey

trap in urban West Kelowna.

• Not anywhere near commercial orchards or nurseries.

• First detection ever in the Okanagan

• Further survey in fall: collect and examine fruit within 200m, all were negative for larvae or damage

• Prohibition of movement of all host plants, fruit, plant parts, or soil, within 800m of detection

• Survey in 2016 15

Monitoring in Fraser Valley 2013-2015 Used “Sticky sphere” traps +

Ammonium carbonate lures

4+ traps per site, field perimeters

Check traps once a week (June-Sept)

Sites: Commercial orchards, residential, and parks/public spaces

http://blogs.cornell.edu/jentsch/scouting-reports/

From: J. Brunner, WSU, http://jenny.tfrec.wsu.edu/opm/displaySpecies.php?pn=140.

BCAGRI 16

Trapping Results

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19-Jun 26-Jun 03-Jul 10-Jul 17-Jul 24-Jul 31-Jul 07-Aug 14-Aug 21-Aug 29-Aug 04-Sep 12-Sep 19-Sep 26-Sep 03-Oct 10-Oct

Fly Trap Catches in Commercial Sites in 2013 and 2014.

Commercial 2013

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35Commercial 2014

In Commercial fields, fly catches started in early July and peaked in late August.

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19-Jun 26-Jun 03-Jul 10-Jul 17-Jul 24-Jul 31-Jul 07-Aug 14-Aug 21-Aug 29-Aug 04-Sep 12-Sep 19-Sep 26-Sep 03-Oct 10-Oct

Fly population of 3 non-commercial sites 2013

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Fly population of 4 non-commercial sites 2014

Trapping Results In non-commercial sites, peak fly catches were during the first week of August

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Control Methods: timing is important!

• Chemical insecticide

– Sprays for other pests (i.e. codling moth) help control apple maggot (depends on timing of application)

• Non-chemical methods

– Tree-nets

– Apple bags/socks

• Perimeter/Mass Trapping

• Kaolin Clay Spray

• Prevention/Sanitation

– Wild host tree removal

– Windfall removal

www.ediblelandscaping.com 19

Bagged tree

Kaolin clay treated fruit

For more info on Apple Maggot: • B.C. Ministry of Agriculture

http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/agriculture-seafood/animals-and-crops/plant-health/insects-and-plant-diseases/tree-fruits/apple-maggot

• Canadian Food Inspection Agency http://www.inspection.gc.ca/plants/plant-pests-invasive-species/insects/apple-maggot/fact-sheet/eng/1330366145611/1330366375524

• Washington State University http://jenny.tfrec.wsu.edu/opm/displaySpecies.php?pn=140.

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Balsam Woolly Adelgid (BWA) Adelges piceae

Implications for British Columbia:

Regulated pest in BC

BC’s interior is still (relatively) free of BWA

Implications for

True fir (Abies) growers:

– tree nurseries,

– Christmas tree farms,

– Landscapes

And

• Natural areas, and high elevation ecosystems.

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Severe stem infestation on farmed Abies

BWA Life stages

Adults: females only, no males in North American populations. No wings. Female is not mobile. She generates white curly fibers (‘fluff’) and lays eggs under the fluff

Eggs: only a few up to over 100 can be laid under the fluff

Crawlers: this is the only mobile stage, and can be moved to new trees and sites by birds, mammals, wind, hitchhiking (workers, equipment), planting stock.

April onwards: Budbreak (May) onwards

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‘Source tree’: large Fraser fir (over 12-15 years old), surrounded by young A. lasiocarpa (10-12 years old). Some A. lasio have clear symptoms, while others still have straight leaders… its only a matter of time before others show symptoms…

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Nymphs: settled on new buds or base of needles, inserts feeding mouthparts into plant and sucks plant juices. Once settled and feeding this insect does not move elsewhere. Overwinters as settled first instar nymphs. Mortality occurs in cold winters.

September

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Pest Impacts

• BWA inhabits all species of Abies (true firs)

• Range of susceptibility

Least damaged

Most damaged

North American firs, particularly: • Fraser fir, A. fraseri • Subalpine fir, A.

lasiocarpa • Pacific fir, A.

amabalis • Grand fir, A. grandis

Asian firs European firs: • European silver fir,

A. alba

mid

Mitchell 1966, Haine 1988, Mitchell & Buffman 2001

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Gouting/swelling, distorted growth, May-Sept 2015

These ugly trees stop growing, and are not marketable 26

Lack of growth on branches and leaders, Stunting

What does BWA damage look like?

Drooping twigs Can be difficult to see unless advanced infestation. Any tree that ‘looks weird’ should be investigated

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Females at base of needles in late summer and fall

Clubbing/knobs on tips of branches; trees will not grow

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Severe stem infestation, Fraser fir, Sept 2015

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Really old landscape trees, planted, hiway3B, north of Rossland,

probably brought from coast 60+ years ago

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Look-a-likes: other adelgids and aphids; many species on various conifer hosts including true firs

Pineus abietinus

• Feeds on Abies

• Is a woolly adelgid, and looks very similar, but doesn’t cause swelling at feeding sites

Balsam Twig Aphids Mindarus abietinus

• Feed on Abies

• On new tissue, doesn’t cause swelling,

• Needle twisting,

• lots of honeydew

• Some winged

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Steven Katovich, USDA http://www.forestryimages.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=5369990#collapseseven

Balsam twig aphids

http://tidcf.nrcan.gc.ca/en/insects/factsheet/5549 32

BWA History in North America

• 1900 estimated time of arrival to northeastern USA and southeastern Canada

• 1929 west coast

Assumed pathway:

Infested Abies trees from Europe

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History in B.C.

• Spray used: Thiodan (endosulfan) and Sevin (carbaryl) • Tree removal; cut and burn • Survey done, no others found • Quarantines implemented at that time to limit spread from coast and

other regions of North America.

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B.C.’s regulation: Goal is to slow the spread of BWA

1. Do not import live true fir trees into B.C.

2. Do not move live true fir trees from the coast or cascade forest regions into B.C.’s interior regions

3. Cut true fir trees and boughs can be moved freely around the province November 2 through January 31 for holiday season.

4. Growers are required to apply for a permit annually

B.C. BWA regulation: http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/414_92

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Cascades FD added in 2014

Map from FLNRO

Prior to 2006, just south part of Vanc. Is. and Fr. V. in Q zone. Then, 2006, expanded zone to whole coastal FD

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Where no regulations or controls ever existed: there has been

Heavy Tree Mortality in natural forests

• Long term subalpine fir plots in Oregon: 40-79% tree kill over 35-45 years (Mitchell & Buffam 2001)

• Since detection in 1983 in Idaho, BWA has killed millions of acres of subalpine fir there (Livingston et al. 2000)

• Cascade Range: subalpine fir: lower elevation, moist sites, with stem infestation: higher tree mortality: 60% of trees dead within 8 years (Mitchell & Buffam 2001)

• Drier sites = less mortality

• Higher elevation = less mortality for subalpine fir

Some info from CFIA (RMD-13-7 consultation) 37

Range of Subalpine fir in BC

From: https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfp/silviculture/compendium/SubalpineFir.htm

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Detections in Okanagan and Rossland

Recent surveys in B.C.

• Next steps

– Rossland and area: BWA found in some wild trees, landscape (both in town and out)= eradication not feasible… looks like natural spread from USA

– Some Okanagan Christmas tree farms: Eradication is underway = tree removal, spray, shear/prune, monitor

– Survey continues in 2016, need info from natural stands in interior. So far none found in high elevation Okanagan areas

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For more information on Balsam Woolly Adelgid and look-a-likes:

• B.C. Ministry of Agriculture: Balsam Woolly Adelgid in B.C.

• Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service

• FID Leaflet 118, USDA Forest Service, Balsam Woolly Adelgid, Ragenovich and Mitchell, May 2006.

• Forestry UBC: Common woolly aphids and adelgids of

conifers:

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Report new/odd/interesting damage or insects to:

– Call or email. Send photos or actual samples of damage, and insect.

– B.C. Ministry of Agriculture Plant Health Lab or directly to Tracy H, or, in Kelowna, Susanna Acheampong.

– If it looks like a regulated pest, CFIA will be notified.

Tracy Hueppelsheuser

Entomologist, Plant and Animal Health Branch

British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture

1767 Angus Campbell Road, Abbotsford, British Columbia, V3G 2M3

Ph: 604-556-3031; Tracy.Hueppelsheuser@gov.bc.ca

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Big black beetle (with some white spots) with really long antennae emerging from my firewood, that I acquired from eastern Canada (Toronto area).

Example of a submission form with some info:

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