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| Coleomegilla maculata |
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by: Tim Waring ca.2003 |
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During my junior year of college, I was awarded one of two Bryn Mawr College Wetland Invasive Species Research Grant Recipient Positions for the summer of 1998. This research was designed to address a multi-trophic level ecological system based on the invasive wetland plant Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife). Purple loosestrife is a very common and successful invasive wetland plant in the northern United States (esp. northeastern). The research was conducted with the aid of Dr. Bernd Blossey from the Cornell University Biological Control Facility. Dr. Blossey?s lab has spent many years and millions of dollars finding appropirate biological control agents for purple loosestrife, among other invasives. At that time the continued release of the biological control agents was underway, and our small summer research project was designed to evaluate the effects of some of these agents in the field (wetlands near Ithaca, NY).
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North American Native Beauty: Coleomegilla maculata |
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Lythrum salicaria system: Food Web Links |
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Great free pictures of beetles! |
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Lady Beetles |
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Galerucella |
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Cornell's BioControl Lab |
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Contact: |
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Name: |
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Timothy M. Waring (fake email) |
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Email: |
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twaring@nowhere.net |
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Name: |
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Katie S. Quirk (fake email) |
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Email: |
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kquirk@nowhere.net |
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Coccinela spetempunctata |
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The primary biocontrol agents in this system are Galerucella calmariensis and G. pusilla (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) which are native to western European wetlands, and are considered to be host-specific on L. salicaria. These beetle species share a North American native, G. nymphaeae, which is so named for its host plant, Nymphaea odorata, common water lilly. One of our research objectives was to collect data pertaining to the interaction of these congeneric beetles. Little was collected in this regard, other than a few of my own observations of G. nymphaeae feeding on L. salicaria. This should yeild further research.
Another research goal was to collect data on the predation of Galerucella spp. eggs and larvae by native and exotic lady bird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Three carnivorous coccinellids competed for this position, the invasive asian Harmonia axyridis, the invasive european Coccinella septempunctata and the native Coleomegilla maculata.
Galerucella spp protect their eggs by extreting a lines of frass (feceal excreation) over their eggs. However, the newly hatched young are softbodied, slow, and prone to predation. |
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Galerucella calmariensis |
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Harmonia axyridis |
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