Long-lasting insecticide-treated nets: A new integrated pest management approach for Popillia japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

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Abstract
The Japanese beetle Popillia japonica Newman is a US and EU quarantine insect pest that recently has invaded Northern Italy. Its ability to rapidly spread in new areas make this insect a threat to agriculture. In the last decades, several trials on biological control of the Japanese beetle by entomopathogenic nematodes and fungi have been carried out with variable efficacy. However, the necessity of an integrated pest management to improve the control has arisen. Long‐Lasting Insecticide‐treated Nets (LLINs) have been used to control other agricultural pests using an attract‐and‐kill strategy. Here we present results from laboratory evaluation of two LLINs, Storanet® (BASF™) and ZeroFly® (Vestergaard™), against P. japonica adults. Both of them were effective in killing the beetles; however, some differences emerged if compared with different exposure times: ZeroFly® always gave 100% mortality in tests from 5 s to 30 min exposure; Storanet® showed 100% mortality only with 30 min exposure, down to 89–99% mortality for 5 s to 15 min exposure. A description of the paralysis process occurring at 5 s exposure is given. Possible field application of LLINs within programs of integrated pest management is discussed. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

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