Eastern Five-Spined Ips, southern pine engraver Biological Control

Ips grandicollis (Eichhoff)
Scolytidae

From: Frank, J. Howard and John L. Foltz, 1997, Classical Biological Control of Pest Insects of Trees in the Southern United States: A Review and Recommendations, USDA, FS, FHTET-96-20.

Native: AL, AR, FL, GA, MS, NC, OK, SC, TX, VA, WV, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Cuba.

Resident natural enemies: Braconidae: Dendroster sulcatus Muesebeck -- Fl, TX, and North; Coeloides pissodes (Ashmead) -- GA, TX, and North; Spathius pallidus Ashmead -- GA, TX and North. Torymidae: Roptrocerus xylophagorum (Ratzeburg) -- GA, LA, MS, NC, TX, VA, WV and North and West. Pteromalidae: Dinotiscus dendroctoni (Ashmead) -- GA, NC, TX, VA, WV, and West; Tomicobia tibialis Ashmead -- not in South.

Biological control attempts: Ips grandicollis was detected in Australia in 1934 and became the target of a biological control program in 1981 using parasitoids and predators from GA and California; of these R. xylophagorum has been established, and Thanasimus dubius may be established (Berisford and Dahlsten 1989). Knowledge to be gained from this project in Australia will add much to what is already known about the natural enemies of Ips grandicollis in the South.

Biological control possibilities: See comments under Dendroctonus frontalis and Ips calligraphus.

[ Back ]