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Cold tolerance and overwintering survival of Aphelinus certus (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), a parasitoid of the soybean aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in North America

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 June 2023

Carl M. Stenoien Open the ORCID record for Carl M. Stenoien [Opens in a new window] ,
Lindsey Christianson ,
Kelton Welch ,
Jonathan Dregni ,
Keith R. Hopper  and
George E. Heimpel
Carl M. Stenoien*
Affiliation:
Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108, USA
Lindsey Christianson
Affiliation:
Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108, USA
Kelton Welch
Affiliation:
Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108, USA
Jonathan Dregni
Affiliation:
Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108, USA
Keith R. Hopper
Affiliation:
USDA, ARS, Beneficial Insect Introductions Research Unit, Newark, DE 19713D, USA
George E. Heimpel
Affiliation:
Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108, USA
*
Corresponding author: Carl M. Stenoien; Email: sten0364@umn.edu
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Abstract

Broad-spectrum insecticides are the main control measure of the invasive and economically damaging soybean aphid (Aphis glycines) in North America, although biological control by resident natural enemies can also greatly diminish population levels. One such natural enemy is the accidentally introduced Eurasian parasitoid Aphelinus certus (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), though its impact appears to be limited by low rates of parasitism early in the growing season. We tested the hypothesis that A. certus might experience high overwintering mortality. In the laboratory, we used thermocouple thermometry to measure the supercooling points of diapausing parasitoids and assessed parasitoid survival after exposure to ecologically relevant durations of low temperature. We found A. certus to be freeze-intolerant with a median supercooling point of −28°C. When exposed to temperatures of 0°C for up to 7 months, adults emerged only after exposures of at least 60 days and survival decreased with durations beyond 150 days. We also conducted in-field studies at sites from northern Minnesota to southern Iowa to determine if diapausing A. certus could overwinter above and below the snowpack. Survival was negatively correlated with increasing latitude and was greater for parasitoids placed on the ground than 1 meter off the ground, likely due to the warmer and stabler temperatures of the subnivean microclimate. Our results suggest that A. certus is capable of overwintering in the region inhabited by soybean aphid but may experience substantial mortality even under ideal conditions. Climate change is predicted to bring warmer, drier winters to the North American Midwest, with decreased depth and duration of snow cover, which may further reduce overwintering survival.

Keywords

Aphis glycinescold hardinesslower lethal temperaturesupercooling pointtemperate
Type
Research Paper
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 113 , Issue 4 , August 2023 , pp. 516 - 528
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Creative Commons
This is a work of the US Government and is not subject to copyright protection within the United States. Published by Cambridge University Press.
Copyright
Copyright © United States Department of Agriculture, 2023

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