Do Balsam Twig Aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae) Lower Tree Susceptibility to Spruce Budworm?
Problem Addressed: The balsam twig aphid and the spruce budworm have similar phrenologies and host requirements in eastern North America.
Goal(s)/Objective(s): Report on the negative effects of high twig aphid levels on the survival and developmental rates of spruce budworm on balsam fir.
Key Findings: Spruce budworm per branch clearly decreased as aphid levels increased.
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- Mattson, William J.
Michigan State University - Haack, Robert A.
Michigan State University - Lawrence, Robert K.
Michigan State University - Herms, Daniel A.
Michigan State University
The balsam twig aphid, Mindarus abietinus Koch, infested nearly all trees in a range-wide provenance plantation of balsam fir, Abies balsamea (L.) Mill., in Michigan. Infestation levels were highest on eastern and lowest on western seed sources of fir. Large populations of the aphid were correlated with low survival and reduced developmental rates of the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens). We propose that chronic, high susceptibility of trees to aphids could reduce concomitant susceptibility to budworm through direct (competition) and indirect (host and community-level) effects.
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