Journal article
Beneficial Insect Attraction to Milkweeds (Asclepias speciosa, Asclepias fascicularis) in Washington State, USA
Insects (Basel, Switzerland), Vol.7(3), pp.30-30
06/29/2016
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/106755
PMCID: PMC5039543
PMID: 27367733
Abstract
Native plant and beneficial insect associations are relatively unstudied yet are important in native habitat restoration programs for improving and sustaining conservation biological control of arthropod pests in agricultural crops. Milkweeds (Asclepias spp.) are currently the focus of restoration programs in the USA aimed at reversing a decline in populations of the milkweed-dependent monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus); however, little is known of the benefits of these plants to other beneficial insects. Beneficial insects (predators, parasitoids, pollinators) attracted to two milkweed species (Asclepias speciosa, Asclepias fascicularis) in central Washington State, WA, USA were identified and counted on transparent sticky traps attached to blooms over five seasons. Combining all categories of beneficial insects, means of 128 and 126 insects per trap were recorded for A. speciosa and A. fascicularis, respectively. Predatory and parasitic flies dominated trap catches for A. speciosa while parasitic wasps were the most commonly trapped beneficial insects on A. fascicularis. Bees were trapped commonly on both species, especially A. speciosa with native bees trapped in significantly greater numbers than honey bees. Beneficial insect attraction to A. speciosa and A. fascicularis was substantial. Therefore, these plants are ideal candidates for habitat restoration, intended to enhance conservation biological control, and for pollinator conservation. In central Washington, milkweed restoration programs for enhancement of D. plexippus populations should also provide benefits for pest suppression and pollinator conservation.
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Details
- Title
- Beneficial Insect Attraction to Milkweeds (Asclepias speciosa, Asclepias fascicularis) in Washington State, USA
- Creators
- David G James - Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Prosser, WA 99350, USA. david_james@wsu.eduLorraine Seymour - Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Prosser, WA 99350, USA. lseymour@wsu.eduGerry Lauby - Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Prosser, WA 99350, USA. gerry@lauby.comKatie Buckley - Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Prosser, WA 99350, USA. katie.buckley@email.wsu.edu
- Publication Details
- Insects (Basel, Switzerland), Vol.7(3), pp.30-30
- Academic Unit
- Entomology, Department of
- Publisher
- Switzerland
- Identifiers
- 99900547075201842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article