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Identification and ecological characterisation of Choristoneura occidentalis (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) populations in southwestern Alberta, Canada

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 August 2013

Bryan M.T. Brunet ,
Anina E. Hundsdoerfer  and
Felix A.H. Sperling
Bryan M.T. Brunet*
Affiliation:
CW405 Biosciences Centre, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E9
Anina E. Hundsdoerfer
Affiliation:
Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, 8 Floor, 9920 108 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5K 2M4
Felix A.H. Sperling
Affiliation:
CW405 Biosciences Centre, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E9
*
1Corresponding author (e-mail: bbrunet@ualberta.ca).
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Abstract

The western spruce budworm, Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is an important pest of western North American coniferous forests, where its principal larval host is Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii subspecies glauca (Beissner) Murray (Pinaceae). In southwestern Alberta, Canada, populations were recently discovered feeding on an unconventional host, an Engelmann spruce, Picea engelmannii Parry ex. Engelmann × white spruce, Picea glauca (Moench) Voss hybrid (Pinaceae), in a transition zone between the two major forest types characterised by these conifer species. We use molecular evidence to verify the species identity of outbreaking Choristoneura populations collected from Douglas-fir and hybrid spruces in southwestern Alberta in 2009, and characterise the larval and male moth phenology. Both mitochondrial and microsatellite markers confirmed these populations as C. occidentalis, but admixture with Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) was detected in some individuals. Few differences associated with separate host trees were evident in the phenology of larvae and the flight period of male moths.

Résumé

La tordeuse occidentale de l’épinette, Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) est un ravageur important des forêts de conifères de l'Ouest de l'Amérique du Nord, où son hôte larvaire principal est le sapin bleu de Douglas, Pseudotsuga menziesii sous-espèce glauca (Beissner) Murray (Pinaceae). Dans le sud-ouest de l'Alberta, Canada, des populations ont récemment été observées en train de se nourrir sur un hôte inusité, un hybride de l’épinette d'Engelmann, Picea engelmannii Parry ex. Engelmann, x épinette blanche, Picea glauca (Moench) Voss (Pinaceae), dans une zone de transition entre les deux types majeurs de forêt caractérisés par ces espèces de conifères. Des données moléculaires nous ont servi à vérifier l'identité des espèces épidémiques de Choristoneura récoltées sur les sapins de Douglas et les épinettes hybrides dans le sud-ouest de l'Alberta en 2009 et à décrire la phénologie des larves et des papillons adultes mâles. Tant les marqueurs mitochondriaux que microsatellites confirment que ces populations sont des C. occidentalis, mais un mélange avec Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) a été décelé chez certains individus. Il y a peu de différences dans la phénologie des larves et la période de vol des adultes en fonction des différents arbres-hôtes.

Type
Physiology, Biochemistry, Development, & Genetics
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 145 , Issue 5 , October 2013 , pp. 521 - 528
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 2013 

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Footnotes

Subject editor: Jon Sweeney

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