US EPA

1767744 

Journal Article 

Effect of Pesticides on Adult Rove Beetle Atheta coriaria (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) Survival in Growing Medium 

Cloyd, RA; Timmons, NR; Goebel, JM; Kemp, KE 

2009 

Yes 

Journal of Economic Entomology
ISSN: 0022-0493
EISSN: 1938-291X 

102 

5 

1750-1758 

19886438 

WOS:000270605700004 

The rove beetle Atheta coriaria (Kraatz) (Coleoptera:
Staphylinidae) is a natural enemy (biological control agent) commercially available for control
of certain greenhouse insect pests, including fungus gnats, shore flies, and thrips. This study
assessed the compatibility of pesticides (insecticides and fungicides) used in greenhouses with
A. coriaria adults. Treatments were applied to 473-ml deli squat containers half-filled with a
growing medium. We evaluated the effects of the pesticides when releases of A. coriaria adults
were performed both before and after application of the designated pesticide solutions. All three
of the neonicotinoid-based insecticides (clothianidin, dinotefuran, and thiamethoxam) were
directly harmful to A. coriaria adults with <= 3.2 adults recovered (out of 20) among all three
treatments across all experiments. In addition, the organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos at
the low (0.25 fl oz/100 gal) and high (0.50 fl oz/100 gal) label rates; the plant-derived
essential oil product (Indoor Pharm) containing soybean and rosemary oil; and the
insecticide/miticide chlorfenpyr were directly harmful to A. coriaria adults with recovery rates
<= 8.6 (out of 20) among all the treatments. The fungicides (azoxystrobin, fosetyl-aluminum, and
mefenoxam) were not directly toxic to A. coriaria adults, with >= 17.7 adults recovered (out of
20) across all experiments. The insecticides (Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israeleensis,
flonicamid, Metarhizium anisopliae strain52, and spinosad) and insect growth regulator
azadirachtin were also not directly toxic to A. coriaria adults. Furthermore, many of these same
treatments did not inhibit the ability of adult A. coriaria to consume fungus gnat (Bradysia sp.
nr. coprophila) larvae in a feeding behavior experiment. Although the neonicotinoid-based
insecticides were directly harmful to adult A. coriaria, when adults were released 48, 72, or 96
h after application, survival increased dramatically over time. This study has quantitatively
demonstrated that certain pesticides (both insecticides and fungicides) are compatible with and
can be used along with A. coriaria in systems that use this natural enemy to manage fungus gnat
larvae. 

survival; insecticides; fungicides; compatibility; Dalotia