Hairy Chinch Bug Biology and Hairy Chinch Bug Biology and Parasitoids in OhioParasitoids in Ohio

Mrs. Jennifer AndonMrs. Jennifer Andon

Department of Department of EntomologyEntomology

The Ohio State UniversityThe Ohio State University

Columbus, OH Columbus, OH

2004-20062004-2006

Objectives• Survey and document the annual populations

of hairy chinch bugs and their egg parasitoid in Ohio lawn-type turf.

• Determine if HCB populations obtained from lawns being maintained at different levels of management vary in susceptibility to Beauveria bassiana infection.

Why?

Recent observations of hairy chinch bug populations appears to conflict with earlier studies.

We have found HCB in irrigated lawns which were thought to be at low risk for infestation.

The Culprit

Blissus leucopterus hirtus Montandon

Family: Blissidae

Formerly: Lygaeidae

Population Sampling Methods

• Standard golf course cup cutter

• U.S.A. standard sieve series

• Berlese funnel

EVALUATION OF BEAUVERIA SUSCEPTIBILITY

Reared HCB colonies obtained from irrigated and non-irrigated lawns on sorghum in the greenhouse.

• Butyrate and Plexiglas cylinders

• Pro-mix

• Peat Moss

• 16 hrs day light

• 75° F day temp

• 70° F night temp

Biology of Hairy Chinch Bug in Ohio

2004 & 2005 Data

• Two generations per year

• Adults overwintered in lawns

• Oviposition began in early May

• 1st generation nymphs peaked in mid-June

• 1st generation adults began egg lay by mid-July

• 2nd generation adults observed in early September

• Reproductive diapause commenced in October, chinch bugs descend into thatch and debris

Hairy Chinch Bug Populations in Ohio

Ex: Niemczyk & Shetlar 2000

Index

# H

CB/Sq F

t

NovOctSeptAugustJulyJuneMayApril

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

VariableTA /.099/6TN /.099/6TE /.099/6

Hairy Chinch Bug Populations 2004

# H

CB/Sq F

t

OctSeptAugustJulyJuneMayApril

4000

3000

2000

1000

0

Variable

Total Eggs/sq ft

Total Adults/sq. ftTotal Nymphs/sq ft

Hairy Chinch Bug Populations 2005

BiologicalBiological

Pathogens, Parasites, Predators

• Conserve Parasitoids and Predators – Homeowner agreed not to use insecticides during study.

Scelionidae

Eumicrosoma beneficum

Parasitized and normal egg

Scelionid adult inside HCB egg

Scelionid Egg Parasitoid

Other Natural EnemiesBigeyed Bugs

GeocoridaePredators

Beauveria bassiana

Hairy Chinch Bug cadaver with B. bassiana.

Beauveria bassiana

• Deuteromycetes

• “White Muscardine”

• Ubiquitous, soil-borne fungus

• Requires moist, warm conditions to sporulate

• Hyphae penetrate insect cuticle

• Toxin (beauvericin) relaeased to kill insect

• Mycelium proliferates inside insect

• Insect dies in 3-4 days

Beauveria bassiana Study

Except• High maintenance lawns, i.e., regular

fertilization and irrigation, have been observed with HCB infestations

• Therefore, have populations of HCB become less susceptible to Beauveria infection?

• I will evaluate Botanigard ES, a commercial formulation of Beauveria bassiana and determine if varying susceptibility to B.b. has developed.

Beauveria, and other microbes

from infected cadaver

Isolated culture of Beauveria

bassiana

Dilution Series

Botanigard™ ES Enumeration

10-1 10-2 10-3 10-4 10 -5 10-6

16 billion CFUs per ml of Botanigard ES

What’s Next…

• Challenge different HCB populations (recovered from different lawns) with fungal spores.

• Repeat another field season of monitoring chinch bug populations.

Acknowledgements – Thanks

• OSU/OARDC

• OTF

• Bayer, FMC, The Scotts Co.

• Mark Grunkemeyer, Buckeye Ecocare

• Scott Jones, One Call

• Gary Chatriand, Laverlam Int’l

• Columbus Area Master Gardeners

• Dr. Dave Shetlar, Dan Digman

• Dr. Mike Boehm, Amy Niver