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1 J.Entomol.Soc.Brit.Columbia108,December201 41 Symposium Abstracts: INVASION BIOLOGY! Entomological Society ofBritish Columbia Annual General Meeting, Douglas College, New Westminster, BC, Oct. 15, 2011 M Climate change and invasion potential its release, crucifer has frequently been David R. Gillespie.Agriculture &Agri-Food successful in suppressing houndstongue, but it Canada, Agassiz, BC also has been observed attacking native, Climate change and invasive alien species nontarget Boraginaceae inwestern Canada. M are two of the very large themes in In 2009, groups of 300 crucifer were contemporary biology. Climate change will released at nine rangeland sites containing the clearly have impacts on the biology of native nontarget borage, blue stickseed invasive species. How those impacts will (Hackelia micrantha), either growing without change the threats from invasive species is a houndstongue or interspersed with the weed. real concern. Will we cope with more invasive Release sites were revisited fouMr to seven species, and will those species already present weeks later and indications of crucifer cause more injury? Some ofthe major trends attack were observed on both plant species and ideas surrounding these questions will be within a 5 m radius ofrelease. When plants presented. from three sites were harvested and dissected 10 weeks afterrelease, M. cruciferlarvae were Interpretingthe effects ofa biocontrol found in both species, but were significantly weevil released to control houndstongue more abundant in houndstongue (Wilcoxon {Cynoglossum officinale) on its targetweed Rank Sum test, p=0.0425). Release sites were and a native nontargetplant. revisited in 2010, when attack on HaleyA. Catton^, RosemarieA. De Clerck- houndstongue continued, but indications of Floate^ andRobert G. Lalondel nontarget attack were rare. To determine ÛnitofBiologyandPhysical Geography, whether nontarget attack observed in 2009 UniversityofBritish Columbia Okanagan, was temporary spillover, or the initial 3333 University Way, Kelowna, British establishment ofweevils on nontargets, plants Columbia, Canada, VIV1V7Âgricultureand on the 2009 release sites were harvested and Agri-FoodCanada, LethbridgeResearch dissected in 2011 to quantify the level of Centre, 5403 AveSouth, Lethbridge, target and nontarget attack two years post Alberta, Canada TIJ4B1 release. Preliminary results will bepresented. Biological control can be a very effective way ofreducing the impact ofinvasive plants, Recent introductions ofnon-indigenous and like any form of pest control includes a species in British Columbia risk factor. Non-target attack by a biological LM Humble^, MKNoseworthyi, JR control agent is undesirable, but can vary in deWaard^'^ andT. Hueppelsheuser^ severity and not always outweigh the damage ^NaturalResources Canada, CanadianForest the invasive hostplantwould inflict on an area Service, VictoriaBC^BiodiversityInstitute of ifleftuncontrolled. Ontario, Guelph ON^RoyalBritish Columbia Approval for release of a weed biocontrol Museum, Victoria, BC"^British Columbia insect is contingent on strong host-specificity. MinistryofAgriculture, Abbotsford, BC However, feeding and oviposition on related Recent establishments of invasive insect plant species may still occur, and interpreting pests such as the emerald ash borer, Asian and predicting this nontarget attack is an long-homedbeetle andbrown spruce longhom important step in assessing potential risks in beetle in Canada have highlighted the threat weed biocontrol. Mogulones crucifer that such incursions pose to the urban and (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a root-feeding natural forests ofthe country. The impacts of weevil that was approved for release in non-indigenous introductions generally first Canada in 1997 to control houndstongue occur in urban environs, as a direct {Cynoglossum officinale, Boraginaceae). Since consequence of the importation of a wide 1 42 J.Entomol.Soc.Brit.Columbia108,December201 range ofcommodities. Once established in the The European fire ant{Myrmicarubra) in urban environments, pest populations can British Columbia expand into the adjacent natural forests. We Robert Higgins Thompson Rivers University, provide a brief introduction to two pathways Kamloops, BC for the introduction ofnon-indigenous species The identification ofthe European fire ant of significance to forestry. The generic {Myrmica rubra) in North Vancouver in the composition of the urban trees planted in fall of 2010 marks the first determination of Vancouver is reviewed and results of various this pest ant west of southern Ontario, in surveys ofthe insect fauna associatedwith the Canada, and above 49°N latitude in North urbanforests arepresented. America. Since this first identification, this ant More than twenty-five non-indigenous has also been confirmed in Burnaby, herbivores have been discovered in British Vancouver, and Victoria. The European fire Columbia during inventories of the fauna of ant is anthropogenic, most likely being urban parks and street trees or during the introduced in landscaping plants and then DNA construction of reference libraries for spreading densely through lawns, raised species identification. They include: eight garden beds, small homeowner cold-frames species of Lepidoptera; seven sawflies and greenhouses. This ant swarms rapidly (Hymenoptera: Symphyta); ten beetles when disturbed (e.g., lawn mowing) and, (Coleoptera: Cuculionidae and Cerambycidae) unlike most ant species in BC, readily and and one gall midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). noticeably stings. In this presentation, the The hosts and the feeding guilds, introduction ofthis species to North America overwintering biology, life histories, and will be reviewed. The natural history of this native and introduced ranges of these ant will be discussed, especially where this introductions are examined and a preliminary differs from that ofits native range, and helps analysis of the probable pathways for their to explain the manner in which colonies introduction is presented. Evidence for the spread once established. Further, management expansion into natural forest habitats are strategies will be considered, particularly in presented for some species. Canadian and the contextofurbanneighbourhoods. international strategies to prevent the influx of alieninvasive species are discussed. Spotted wing Drosophila {Drosophila suzukii): Update forcoastal British Policy, regulation and invasives: role of Columbia, Oct 15, 2011. CFIA Tracy HueppelsheuserBritish Columbia Gabriella Zilahi-Balogh Canadian Food MinistryofAgriculture InspectionAgency, Kelowna, BC Spotted wing Drosophila {Drosophila The Canadian Food Inspection Agency suzukii, SWD) has been present in British (CFIA) has a long history of mitigating pest Columbia fruit growing areas and the Western introductions resulting from international United States since 2009. SWD is a temperate trade. With increasing trade and increasing fruit fly, which infests ripening fruit before movement of plant products internationally, harvest. Infested fruit is not unmarketable. SWD invasive alien species are an immediate and infests awide range ofthin-skinnedfruit growing threat to Canada's environment and including blueberries, strawberries, economy. The mandate of the plant health raspberries, blackberries, cherries andgrapes. program within CFIAis to protect plant health There are several non-crop hosts of SWD and production in Canada by preventing the in BC; the primary concern in coastal BC is introduction and spread of quarantine pests HimalayanblackberryRubusdiscolor. that threaten Canada's agriculture, forestry and 2011 EraserValley trappingresults indicate horticultural resources through science based that the SWD population was lower and later regulation and enforcement. Examples of than in 2010. In 2011, presence of larvae in measures usedto mitigate the introduction and harvested fruit was not detected until mid spread ofregulated pests into Canada will be August, comparedto late July in2010. provided using the grape industry as an Harvested raspberry and blueberry fruit example. can be evaluated for larval infestation by submerging a known amount of fruit in a 1 J.Entomol.Soc.Brit.Columbia108,December201 43 solution of sugar or salt of adequate BC, CanadaÔkanagan TreeFruit concentration. Cooperative, Vernon, BC, Canada ^Farmquest SWD flies were caught throughout the ConsultingLtd., Creston, BC, Canada winter of2010/11, with the highest catches in Spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila hedgerows - unmanaged mixed vegetation suzukii, was first detected in the interior of adjacent to commercial fields. The lowest British Columbia in September 2009. Adult catches were at building sites. Trap catches populations were monitored with extensive dropped considerably after January, and networks ofapple cider vinegar-baited traps in remained low to nil through the spring. Flies 2010 and 2011. In 2010, D. suzukii was caught fi"om January onward were mostly widespread in the Okanagan and Similkameen female. valleys, present in the Creston Valley, and damage was reported in cherry, peach, Spotted wingDrosophilain the southern nectarine, apricot and berry crops as well as interiorvalleys ofBritish Columbia, domestic small fruit. In 2011, lower 2010-2011 population levels were recorded in the Acheampong, S.^' Thistlewood, H.^, Leaming, Okanagan and Similkameen valleys than in C.3, Thurston, M.4, Krahn, G.5, & Holder, D.6 2010, none was found in the Creston valley ^MinistryofAgriculture, Kelowna, BC, andthere were no reports ofeconomic damage CanadaÂgricultureandAgri-FoodCanada, in commercial fruit. New hosts recorded in the PacificAgri-FoodResearch Centre, southern interior valleys of B. C. to date are Summerland, BC, CanadaÔkanagan Tree Oregon grape, blue elderberry, northern black Fruit Cooperative, Penticton, BC, Canada currant, honey suckle, Mahaleb cherry and "Ôkanagan TreeFruit Cooperative, Kelowna, ornamental elderberry. Presentation Abstracts Entomological Society ofBritish Columbia Annual General Meeting, University ofthe Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC, Oct. 14, 2011 Olfactory responses ofMicromus variegatus of M. persicae and A. solani in BC pepper (Neuroptera: Hemerobiidae) to pepper greenhouses. leaves infested withMyzuspersicae and Aulacorthum solani(Homoptera: Cryptic diversity ofa candidate weed Aphididae). biological control agent Rob McGregor& Chloe HemsworthInstitute Chandra E. Moffat, RobertG. Lalonde & ofUrbanEcology, Douglas College JasonPitherDepartmentofBiology, Micromus variegatus (Neuroptera: UniversityofBritish Columbia, KelownaBC Hemerobiidae) is being evaluated for We surveyed host plant use ofa candidate biological control of pest aphids on weed bio-control agent (a gall wasp), for greenhouse-grown peppers in BC. Responses invasive hawkweeds, in its native range of ofadult females to the odours ofpepper leaves Central Europe. Despite gall occurrence on infested with Myzus persicae and multiple host species, when suitable species Aulacorthum solani (Homoptera: Aphididae) co-occurred we found that host use was were conducted using y-tube olfactometers. significantly non-random, with only the most M. variegatus females show a slight abundant species beingutilized. preference for the odour of M. persicae- infested leaves vs. clean plant odours. No Update on Balsam woolly adelgid in BC similar preference was recorded for the odour Gabriella Zilahi-Balog Canadian Food of A. solani-'miQsiQd leaves vs. clean plant InspectionAgency, Kelowna, BC odours. Results are discussed as they relate to The balsam woolly adelgid was the use ofM. variegatus for biological control accidentally introduced into North America