[Syrphidae] Mating syrphids

Chris Bergh cbergh at vt.edu
Tue Jun 16 13:15:23 BST 2009


Hi Karsten,

The folks from Pipfuit New Zealand are very 
interested in the potential to import Heringia 
calcarata (a specialized predator of woolly apple 
aphid in apple orchards here in the mid-Atlantic 
of the USA) to NZ for supplemental biological 
control of the aphid. I have a sabbatical pending 
toward that end from January through April of 
2010 and need to address a number of fundamental 
questions pertaining to that goal in advance of 
the visit. Perhaps the most important of those is 
whether or not we can have Heringia mate in 
captivity. So, the details any of your 
experimental approaches that have or have not 
worked would be of great interest.

Thanks so much for your help.

Cheers - Chris

At 05:53 PM 6/15/2009, you wrote:
>Hi Chris,
>
>I've been working for a number of years with two 
>Microdon species (M. mutabilis & M myrmicae). I 
>guess they might be somewhat unusual, but we can mate them quite reliably.
>
>Maybe you could let me know what kind of information you are after?
>
>Cheers
>
>Karsten
>
>
>Karsten  Schönrogge
>
>Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
>Associate Editor: Insect Conservation & Diversity
>(http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=1752-458X&site=1)
>CEH Wallingford,
>Maclean Building,
>Benson Lane,
>Crowmarsh Gifford,
>Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB
>
>T: +44 (0)1491 692410
>M: +44 (0)7951 881468
>F: +44 (0)1491 692424
>Skype: karsten schonrogge, Wallingford, UK
>
> >>> cbergh at vt.edu 06/15/09 8:21 PM >>>
>Bill,
>
>Thanks for that. Any pertinent information and details would be
>greatly appreciated. When you refer to mating, did you actually
>achieve mating in the buckets or were the females mated prior to
>placing them in the buckets?
>
>Thanks - Chris
>
>At 03:03 PM 6/15/2009, you wrote:
> >Chris,
> >
> >I had success mating and rearing a few of the important aphid
> >feeding species in Salinas a few years ago.  Sphaerophoria spp. and
> >Toxomerus spp.were easy.  I used 5 gallon plastic buckets with
> >ventilation in the sides as well as a sleeve opening and a clear
> >plastic top. I used flowering alyssum plants for pollen and streaked
> >honey on the sides.  I then placed aphid infested lettuce plants
> >into the cage and the females would readily oviposit on them.  I
> >changed them daily and hatched the eggs in a growth chamber.
> >
> >I can provide more details if you would like.
> >
> >Bill Chaney
> >Entomology Farm Advisor, retired
> >University of California
> >
> >On Jun 15, 2009, at 5:55 AM, Chris Bergh wrote:
> >
> >>Greetings,
> >>
> >>I am in need of any information or advice regarding mating syrphids
> >>in captivity (any species would be fine, although I work with a
> >>Pipizine). This information could be from cage studies or (ideally)
> >>under quarantine conditions. As well, if any of you have any
> >>information or records regarding parasitism of any Pipizine syrphid
> >>by any Diplazon species, that would be most useful, too.
> >>
> >>Thanks very much for your help. - Chris
> >>
> >>J. Christopher Bergh
> >>Associate Professor of Entomology
> >>Virginia Tech AHS-AREC
> >>595 Laurel Grove Road
> >>Winchester, VA 22602
> >>Tel (540) 869-2560 xt.32
> >>Fax (540) 869-0862
> >>
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> >
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>
>J. Christopher Bergh
>Associate Professor of Entomology
>Virginia Tech AHS-AREC
>595 Laurel Grove Road
>Winchester, VA 22602
>Tel (540) 869-2560 xt.32
>Fax (540) 869-0862
>
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J. Christopher Bergh
Associate Professor of Entomology
Virginia Tech AHS-AREC
595 Laurel Grove Road
Winchester, VA 22602
Tel (540) 869-2560 xt.32
Fax (540) 869-0862 




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