Emerald Ash Borer Biocontrol: Release, Recovery, and Impact

Ben Slager

Supervisory Entomologist

EAB Biocontrol Facility

USDA-APHIS-PPQ

1

Objectives

I. Brief history of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)

II. Rearing and Release of EAB Parasitoids

III. Releases to Date

IV. Recovery & Establishment of EAB Parasitoids

V. Parasitoid Impact – Michigan Case Study

2

EAB Invasion

3

Biocontrol Agents

USDA-APHIS-PPQ

USDA-APHIS-PPQ

A

USDA-APHIS-PPQ

B

USDA-APHIS-PPQ

A

J. Duan

C

Bauer et al. 2015

A

B

C

4

Constant Source of EAB Eggs

USDA-APHIS-PPQ

Leah Bauer

USDA-APHIS-PPQ

USDA-APHIS-PPQUSDA-APHIS-PPQ

USDA-APHIS-PPQ

Oobius Adults EAB Eggs

Parasitized EAB Eggs

EAB Eggs

EAB Eggs

Adult Emergence

Exposure

AdultEmergence

Exposure

Cold Storage

Non-Post-Diapause Generation

Short Day Conditions

Post-Diapause Generation

Long Day Conditions

Oobinator

Oobinator

Rearing Oobius agrili

D. Miller

D. Bopp

J. Duan

6

USDA-APHIS-PPQ

Rearing EAB larvae for larval parasitoids

USDA-APHIS-PPQ

USDA-APHIS-PPQ

USDA-APHIS-PPQ

7

Rearing Larval Parasitoids

Emergence Exposures

Cold Storage

EAB Bolts

Adults Shipped

Ship Bolts

Adults Parasitized BoltsEAB Bolts

Adults Shipped

H. Liu

USDA-APHIS-PPQ

Z-q Yang

J. Duan

Z-q Yang

J. Lelito

8

How many parasitoids have been released?

0

100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

700000

800000

900000

1000000

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Nu

mb

er

of

Par

asit

oid

s R

ele

ase

d

Year

Parasitoid Species Released by Year

Oobius agrili

Tetrastichus planipennisi

Spathius agrili

Spathius galinae

0

200000

400000

600000

800000

1000000

1200000

1400000

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Nu

mb

er

of

Par

asit

oid

s R

ele

ase

d

Year

Total Parasitoids Released by Year

9

Where have parasitoid releases occurred?

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Nu

mb

er

of

Stat

es

Re

leas

ing

Par

asit

oid

s

Year

Number of States Releasing Parasitoids by Year

*Canada °Washington D.C.

*

*

* °

*

10

Where have parasitoid releases occurred?

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

0

200000

400000

600000

800000

1000000

1200000

1400000

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Nu

mb

er

of

Re

leas

e S

ite

s an

d C

oo

pe

rato

rs

Re

leas

ing

Par

asit

oid

s

Nu

mb

er

of

Par

asit

oid

s R

ele

ase

d

Year

Total Number of Parasitoids Released and Cooperators Releasing by Year

# Parasitoids Released

# Release Sites

# Cooperators

Cooperating with Non-traditional Partners

Shipping permits

11

Spathius agrili recoveries

Recovery Spats

Number of States 4

Number of Counties 14

USDA-APHIS-PPQ

Oobius agrili recoveries

Recovery Oobs

Number of States 8

Number of Counties 25

Jian Duan - ARS

Tetrastichus planipennisi recoveries

Recovery Tets

Number of States 11

Number of Counties 35

Jian Duan - ARS

Parasitoid establishment

Spring 2014 – Sites w/ 2+ years Spats Oobs Tets

Number of States 6 6 8

Number of sites sampled 20 15 19

Established (2+ years) 1 8 12

% sites with confirmed establishment

5% 53% 63%

Data provided by Juli Gould – USDA APHIS

A Case Study for EAB Biocontrol in Michigan (2008 – 2014):Impact Evaluation

Pictures provided by Jian Duan – USDA ARS

Duan, Bauer, Abell, Ulyshen, Van Driesche. 2015. J. Appl. Ecol. 52: 1246-1254

Recovery, establishment, & dispersal of Oobius agrili

Pictures provided by Jian Duan – USDA ARS, Figure provided by Leah Bauer – USDA FS

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Egg

par

asit

ism

(%

)

Sample Year

Control Plot - Visual Egg Search

Release Plot - Visual Egg Search

Control Plot - Bark Sieving

Release Plot - Bark Sieving

Abell, Bauer, Duan, Van Driesche. 2014. Biol. Cont. 79: 36-42

*Releases occurred from 2007 to 2010.

Recovery, establishment, & dispersal of Tetrastichus planipennisi

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

% l

arv

al p

ara

sit

ism

by T

. p

lan

ipe

nn

isi

Sample Year

Release plots

Control plots

Pictures provided by Jian Duan – USDA ARS, Figure provided by Leah Bauer – USDA FS

USDA-APHIS-PPQ

Duan, Bauer, Abell, Ulyshen, Van Driesche. 2015. J. Appl. Ecol. 52: 1246-1254

*Releases occurred from 2007 to 2010.

Similar Case Study Results from Maryland

USDA-APHIS-PPQ

Jennings, Duan, Bean, Gould, Rice, Shrewsbury. 2016. Biol. Control 101: 138-144

Duan, Bauer, Abell, Ulyshen, Van Driesche. 2015. J. Appl. Ecol. 52: 1246-1254

Pictures provided by Jian Duan – USDA ARS

Number of Live EAB Larvae

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Mean +

SE

(m

-2 P

hlo

em

)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Control

Release

Year of Sampling

EAB Density Adjusted for Available Resource

Impact: mechanism for EAB decline?

Impact: Native and introduced parasitoids are important

USDA-APHIS-PPQ

Duan, Bauer, Abell, Ulyshen, Van Driesche. 2015. J. Appl. Ecol. 52: 1246-1254

Atanycolus spp.

Tetrastichus planipennisi

Jian Duan - ARS

Take home…….

22

Mass rearing EAB parasitoids has been successful

Oobius and Tetrastichus appear to be establishing and impacting EAB

Looking to increase release footprint with non-traditional partnersEAB.Biocontrol.Program@aphis.usda.gov