Abstract
Blueberry scorch virus, a commercially important Carlavirus in highbush blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum L., is vectored by aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae). We surveyed the aphids, primary parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae, Braconidae), and associated secondary parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Charipidae, Megaspilidae, Pteromalidae) on highbush blueberry and other Vaccinium in the Pacific Northwest from 1995 to 2006, with samples concentrated in 2005 and 2006, to lay the groundwork for augmentative biological control. Ericaphis fimbriata (Richards) was the principal aphid. The dominant parasitoid species were Praon unicum Smith, Aphidius n. sp., A. sp., and Aphidius ervi Haliday. Their frequency in relation to the other primary parasitoids varied significantly with geographical area; P. unicum dominated the frequency distribution in southwestern British Columbia, A. n. sp., west of the Cascades, and A. sp. and A. ervi east of the Cascades. Among the secondary parasitoids, pteromalids dominated, and their frequency in relation to the other secondary parasitoids was lowest in southwestern British Columbia. The parasitization rate for P. unicum and A. n. sp. in southwestern British Columbia increased from May or June to a maximum of 0.080 ± 0.024 and 0.090 ± 0.084 (SD), respectively, in late July or early August. P. unicum emerged in the spring 4 wk before A. n. sp. The parasitization rate for P. unicum was lower in conventional than organic fields. Whereas aphid density increased monotonically, P. unicum had two spring peaks. A simulation model showed that these peaks could reflect discrete generations. Releases of insectary-reared P. unicum at 150 or 450 DD above 5.6 °C, summing from 1 January, may effectively augment the natural spring populations by creating overlapping generations.
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Claims 16
Claim · model-written summary
Ericaphis fimbriata was the principal aphid.
- Taxon
- Blueberryt0
- Interactor
- Ericaphis fimbriataEricaphis fimbriatae0pest
- Outcome
- principal aphide0
Verbatim
t0“Blueberry and OtherVacciniumin”
e0“Ericaphis fimbriata (Richards) was the principal aphid”
Claim · model-written summary
Praon unicum, Aphidius n. sp., A. sp. and Aphidius ervi were dominant parasitoids.
- Taxon
- Blueberryt0
- Interactor
- Praon unicum SmithPraon unicume0biocontrol_agent
- Outcome
- dominant parasitoid speciese0
- Qualifier
- Aphidius n. sp., A. sp., and Aphidius ervi Halidaye0
Verbatim
t0“Blueberry”
e0“The dominant parasitoid species were Praon unicum Smith, Aphidius n. sp., A. sp., and Aphidius ervi Haliday”
Claim · model-written summary
Primary parasitoid frequencies varied significantly by geographical area.
Verbatim
t0“Blueberry”
e0“Their frequency in relation to the other primary parasitoids varied significantly with geographical area”
Claim · model-written summary
Praon unicum dominated in southwestern British Columbia.
Verbatim
t0“Blueberry”
e0“P. unicum dominated the frequency distribution in southwestern British Columbia”
Claim · model-written summary
Aphidius n. sp. dominated west of the Cascades.
Verbatim
t0“Blueberry”
e0“A. n. sp., west of the Cascades”
Claim · model-written summary
A. sp. and A. ervi dominated east of the Cascades.
- Taxon
- Blueberryt0
- Interactor
- A. sp.e0biocontrol_agent
- Second interactor
- A. ervi
Aphidius ervie0biocontrol_agent - Outcome
- A. sp. and A. ervie0
- Setting
- east of the Cascadese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
t0“Blueberry”
e0“A. sp. and A. ervi east of the Cascades”
Claim · model-written summary
Pteromalids dominated secondary parasitoids.
Verbatim
t0“Blueberry”
e0“Among the secondary parasitoids, pteromalids dominated”
Claim · model-written summary
Relative pteromalid frequency was lowest in southwestern British Columbia.
Verbatim
t0“Blueberry”
e0“their frequency in relation to the other secondary parasitoids was lowest in southwestern British Columbia”
Claim · model-written summary
Praon unicum parasitization increased to 0.080 ± 0.024 in late July or early August.
Verbatim
t0“Blueberry”
e0“The parasitization rate for P. unicum and A. n. sp. in southwestern British Columbia increased from May or June to a maximum of 0.080 ± 0.024 and 0.090 ± 0.084 (SD), respectively, in late July or early August”
Claim · model-written summary
A. n. sp. parasitization increased to 0.090 ± 0.084 in late July or early August.
Verbatim
t0“Blueberry”
e0“The parasitization rate for P. unicum and A. n. sp. in southwestern British Columbia increased from May or June to a maximum of 0.080 ± 0.024 and 0.090 ± 0.084 (SD), respectively, in late July or early August”
Claim · model-written summary
Praon unicum emerged four weeks before A. n. sp.
Verbatim
t0“Blueberry”
e0“P. unicum emerged in the spring 4 wk before A. n. sp.”
Claim · model-written summary
Praon unicum parasitization was lower in conventional than organic fields.
Verbatim
t0“Blueberry”
e0“The parasitization rate for P. unicum was lower in conventional than organic fields”
Claim · model-written summary
Aphid density rose monotonically.
Verbatim
t0“Blueberry”
e0“aphid density increased monotonically”
Claim · model-written summary
Praon unicum had two spring peaks.
- Taxon
- Blueberryt0
- Interactor
- P. unicumPraon unicume0biocontrol_agent
- Outcome
- spring peakse0
- Value
- twoe0
Verbatim
t0“Blueberry”
e0“P. unicum had two spring peaks”
Claim · model-written summary
A simulation indicated the two spring peaks could reflect discrete generations.
Verbatim
t0“Blueberry”
e0“A simulation model showed that these peaks could reflect discrete generations”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors suggested releasing P. unicum at 150 or 450 DD above 5.6 °C to augment spring populations.
- Taxon
- Blueberryt0
- Interactor
- P. unicumPraon unicume0biocontrol_agent
- Outcome
- Releases of insectary-reared P. unicum at 150 or 450 DD above 5.6 °Ce0
- Qualifier
- may effectively augment the natural spring populationse0
Verbatim
t0“Blueberry”
e0“Releases of insectary-reared P. unicum at 150 or 450 DD above 5.6 °C, summing from 1 January, may effectively augment the natural spring populations by creating overlapping generations”