RELEASE OF CHRYSOPERLA CARNEA STEPHENS (NEUROPTERA: CHRYSOPIDAE) FOR CONTROL OF THE GREEN APPLE APHID, APHIS POMI DEGEER (HOMOPTERA: APHIDIDAE)

Abstract

AbstractRelease of the chrysopid, Chrysoperla cornea Stephens, at a rate of ca. 335 000 eggs per hectare, reduced significantly the numbers of apterous adults and nymphs of the green apple aphid, Aphis pomi DeGeer, on dwarf apple trees. Greater reduction in aphid numbers occurred in 1984 than in 1985, and the efficiency of the predator might have been influenced by the predator:prey ratios (1:10 and 1:19) used and by the mean daily temperature that occurred during the test periods. Application of azinphosmethyl (Guthion 50% wp, 0.105 and 0.075 kg AI/100 L) did not adversely affect predation of apterous A. pomi by larvae of C. carnea.