Symposium Abstracts: Alien Invertebrate Species in B.C

2007·2.8 MB·English

by  [Various Authors]

J.Entomol. Soc.Brit.Columbia 104,December2007 93
Symposium Abstracts: Alien Invertebrate Species in B.C.
Entomological Society ofBritish Columbia
Annual General Meeting,
Pacific Forestry Centre, Victoria, BC, Oct. 20, 2007
Back from the brink: pests, packaging R.A. Cannings. Royal British Columbia
and pathways Museum, 675 Belleville Street, Victoria,
L.M. Humble and E.A. Allen. Natural Re- B.C., Canada V8W 9W2, Phone: (250)
sources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, 356-8242, Fax: [phone], E-mail:
Victoria, BC, Canada, Ihum- [email protected].
[email protected]. Members of the public constantly ap-
Trade in wood and wood products has proach museum entomologists when an
long been acknowledged as a pathway for unfamiliar insect or other arthropod attracts
the transport ofbark- and wood-boring ar- their attention. The popularity of digital
thropods. Some ofthe species inadvertently photography and the Internet has signifi-
moved have been able to successfully es- cantly increased these contacts. Although
tablish and breed well beyond their native dealing with public inquiries is time con-
ranges. In the last two decades, multiple suming, the Royal BC Museum (RBCM)
non-indigenous Coleoptera, including encourages them as an importantpart ofthe
Agrilus planipennis (Buprestidae), Tetro- museum's work.
piumfuscum andAnoplophoraglabripennis Unusual records regularly arrive at the
RBCM
(Cerambycidae) and Tomicus piniperda or are posted on Internet sites and
(Curculionidae: Scolytinae) and one hy- may initiate or support museum research,
menopteran, Sirex noctilio (Siricidae) have collections development and public pro-
established in Canada. The primary path- gramming. Inquiries aboutPolistes dominu-
way for most recent introductions is wood lus (Christ) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), Noc-
packaging and dunnage associated with the tuapronuba (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Noc-
commercial transport of commodities. Ex- tuidae), Meconema thalassinum (De Geer)
amples are given of recent interceptions in (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) and Exaireta
British Columbia on wood packaging from spinigera (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Stratio-
Europe and Asia. To address the global myidae) stimulated the gathering of speci-
movement of pests with wood-packaging, mens for our collection and data for publi-
the global community under the auspices of cations documenting the arrival orspread of
the International Plant Protection Conven- these species in BC.
tion recently adopted an international stan- Frequently we enlist the public to help
dard that requires treatment of wood- record the changing distribution and status
packaging used in international trade to of species (including invasive ones), espe-
prevent future introductions associated with cially if they are easily identified. A good
this pathway. The development and imple- example is Mantis religiosa, originally in-
mentation of this standard (ISPM-15) as troduced to BC in the 1930s, but whose
well as the research supporting the treat- range has rapidly expanded in the Interior
ments employed are reviewed. This stan- since the late 1990s. Light-producing 1am-
dard should significantly reduce the global pyrid beetles have been documented in BC
movement ofnon-indigenous species asso- mainly with the help ofnaturalists; it is still
ciatedwithwoodpackaging. unclear if one widespread species ofPhot-
inus is introducedornative.
From all over the map: museums and the As for other arthropods, the RBCM re-
public's role in documenting new or ex- ceives dozens of inquiries annually about
panding populations spiders. Most spiders reported around
94 J.Entomol. Soc.Brit.Columbia 104,December2007
homes, especially some species of Tege-
naria, Xysticus, Pholcus, Aranea and Dys- Challenges in mitigatingthe riskofintro-
dera, are alien introductions. Dysdera cro- duction ofinvasive alien species
cata, one of these introduced spiders, is GabriellaZilahi-Balogh. CanadianFood
almost cosmopolitan and specializes in InspectionAgency, 1905KentRd, Kelowna,
feeding on terrestrial crustaceans of the BC, V1Y7S6, Canada, tel./tel: 250-470-
Order Isopoda. These isopods (Porcellio 5176,fax/telec: 250-470-4899, zilahiba-
scaber, Armadillidium vulgare, Oniscus [email protected].
asellus and others), so abundant in our gar- The Canadian Food Inspection Agency
dens, are also aliens. (CFIA) has a long history of preventing
pest introductions resulting from interna-
When forest management and climate tional trade. However, with increasing
change collide: the eruption and spread trade andmovement ofplantproducts inter-
of mountain pine beetle populations in nationally, invasive alien species are an
western North America immediate and growing threat to Canada's
Allan L. Carroll. Canadian Forest Service, environment and economy. CFIA has the
PacificForestry Centre, 506 WestBurnside legal authority under the Plant Protection
Road, Victoria, BC, Canada, V8Z1M5, Tel: Act to prevent importation and exportation,
250.363.0639, Fax: [phone], Email: reduce spread, and control plant pests. The
[email protected]. Plant Health Division of CFIA prevents
The mountain pinebeetle is native to the new pest introductions through science-
pine forests of western North America based regulation and enforcement. The
where it normally exists at very low densi- programs branch is responsible for devel-
ties, infesting only weakened or damaged oping import and domestic policies for
trees. Under conditions conducive to sur- movement of plants or plant products to
vival, populations may temporarily increase prevent unintentional pest introduction or
allowing beetles to infest healthy trees. On distribution. These policies are developed
rare occasions, these increases are rapid and based on pest risk analysis ofa commodity
widespread, leading to landscape-level out- or pest. The operations branch implements
breaks and the mortality of large numbers policies through inspection, surveillance,
of trees. Although there have been four control and eradication activities. Some of
outbreaks during the past century in west- the challenges and solutions in mitigating
emNorth America, the ongoing epidemic is the risk ofintroduction ofinvasives species
unprecedented in its size and severity, caus- are addressedusing examples.
ing the mortality ofmature pine in over 13
million hectares in British Columbia alone. Non-indigenous inter-tidal species in
In recent years, the mountain pine beetle British Columbia
has successfully breached the northern Graham Gillespie. Shellfish Research Bi-
Rocky Mountains. Small populations are ologist Marine Ecosystems and Aquacul-
now scattered over the Alberta Plateau ture Division, Fisheries and Oceans Can-
where lodgepole pine hybridizes with jack ada, Pacific Biological Station, 3190
pine forming a corridor ofsusceptible hosts Hammond Bay Road, Nanaimo, B.C.
extending to the boreal forest. Given pre- Canada, V9T6N7, Phone: [phone],
dictions ofincreasingly suitable climate for Fax: [phone], Email: gilles-
MPB across Canada, invasion ofthe boreal [email protected].
forest is a plausible threat. This paper will British Columbia (BC) has a long his-
examine the independent and interacting tory of introduction of intertidal non-
influences of forest management practices indigenous species (NIS) beginning with
and climate change on the mountain pine oysters and their fellow travellers deliber-
beetle and its potential for invasion of the ately introduced forculture, but also includ-
boreal forest. ing species that arrived unintentionally
J.Entomol. Soc.Brit.Columbia 104,December2007 95
through shipping and live trade vectors, as 1960s but declined in the 1970s and 1980s
well as northward dispersal from the US. in association with the occurrence ofproto-
The list of intertidal NIS is dominated by zoan disease. Eradication of introduced
molluscs (25 species), followed by crusta- species is difficult and nearly impossible
ceans (8), algae and plants (5), polychaetes after they have become well established.
(4), anemones and flatworms (1 of each). Goals ofarea-wide suppression andslowing
Invasive species diversity is highest in the the spread are more attainable; changes to
Strait ofGeorgia (34 species) and decreases terminology could sometimes help with
in outside waters (west Vancouver Island public relations. Finally, recent biological
17) and with increasing latitude (Johnstone control of weed programs such as that for
Strait 5, North Coast 4, Queen Charlotte purple loosestrife and diffuse knapweed
Islands 2). Twenty-two of42 intertidal NIS show that if an effective agent can be
recorded from BC were Atlantic in origin, found, the reduction of weed densities can
19 were fromtheNorthwestPacific andone be dramatic.
from the South Pacific. Likely vectors of
introduction include aquaculture (deliberate Aliens atyour fingertips
and unintentional; 30), shipping (hull foul- Vince Nealis. Canadian Forest Service,
ing, ballast water or recreational vessels; PacificForestry Centre, 506 WestBurnside
13), trade in live plants or food (4) and dis- Road, Victoria, BC, Canada, V8Z1M5, Tel:
persal north from southern introductions 250.363.0639, Fax: [phone], Email:
(3). Although aquaculture was the predomi- [email protected]
nant historical introduction vector, ballast A meta-database on forest alien insects
water and hull fouling are currently of and diseases is being developed from his-
greater concern. Some species' distribu- torical Canadian Forest Service survey data.
tions are limitedby temperature; theirrange Mapping and query applications are in-
within and beyond BC will increase if cli- cluded as well as links to source data and
matic projections are accurate. Although biological information. This project is de-
most discussion of the impacts of non in- scribed briefly and its capability illustrated
digenous species is justifiably focussed on with analysis ofthe invasion of Canada by
the negative, the establishment of Pacific gypsy moth and future potential range un-
oysters and Manila clams have led to the der climate change. It appears that gypsy
development ofeconomically valuable cul- mothreachedthe climatic limits ofits range
ture and fishery industries. in eastern Canada by 1990 and the range
then remained relatively static. This will
Challenging invasive species change little with climate-change projec-
Judith H. Myers. Departments ofZoology tions over the next 50 yrs. The potential
andAgroecology, University ofBritish Co- climatically-suitable range in west of the
lumbia, Room 3358 Biosciences Bldg., Great Lakes, however, will increase mark-
6270 University Blvd., Vancouver, B.C. edly over that same time period and overlap
V6T 1Z4, Phone [phone], Fax 604 with suitable host plant ranges. Thus, the
822-2416, Email: [email protected]. susceptibility and risk of gypsy moth to
Three approaches to invasive species are western Canada in increasing.
(1) to do nothing, (2) to attempt eradication
and (3) to initiate a biological control pro- Vector control pest management
gram. History has shown that sometimes Christy MacDougall. J737 Broadway
introduced species go through an initial Street, Port Coquitlam BC V3C 2M9, Tel
phase of outbreak and spread, but that (voice mail) 604.927.5447 Fax
,
populations eventually decline to lower and 604.927.5448, Email: macdou-
less problematic densities. An example of [email protected]
this is the European cranefly that was a The Tri-Cities Vector Control Depart-
serious pest of pastures and lawns in the ment is a municipal agency that serves the
96 J.Entomol.Soc.Brit.Columbia 104,December2007
cities of Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam and come into close contact with wild animals
Port Moody. We provide pest management and insects directly and indirectly, which
information, education, advice and inter- favours the transmission of vector-borne
vention programs for residents and munici- diseases.
pal staff so that public health and commu- BCCDC has engaged in identifying
nity liveability is improved andprotected. high-risk areas for ticks and tick-borne dis-
The primary goal ofour Northeast Sec- ease in B.C. since 1991. The data obtained
tor West Nile Virus Mosquito Management from field studies and clinical samples
Programis to reduce the human risk ofcon- showed that both hard ticks and soft ticks
tracting WNV by limiting populations of are present in BC. Among hard ticks,
mosquito species implicated in transmitting Ixodes pacificus and Darmacentor ander-
the virus and thereby reducing the size of soni are the two predominant species found
the infected bird reservoir. Program activi- in BC. /.pacificus is found mostly in Fraser
ties include mapping catch basins and sur- Valley and Vancouver Island andD. ander-
face water locations, sampling for mosquito soni is found mostly in the Interior ofBC.
larvae, species identification of larval and Other hard ticks found in BC are /. angus-
adult samples, applying larvicides, pre- and tus, I. soricis, L auritulus, D. variabilis,
post treatment sampling, adult trapping, Rhipicephalussanguineus, etc.
determining larvicide efficacy and GPS/ One of the most common tick borne
GIS data management. Culex pipiens, a diseases in BC is Lyme disease. A total of
species introduced to North America in the 68 cases was reported in BC from 1997 to
late 1800's, is ofgreat concern because it is 2006 and almost half of them are travel
found in high numbers in catch basins and related. The causal organism for Lyme dis-
WNV
poses a high risk for transmitting to ease, Borrelia burgdorferi, is found in /.
birds and humans. Culex tarsalis is another pacificus and /. angustus ticks (in very low
important species in transmitting the virus, numbers). In BC, B. burgdoreferi positive
however, we do not find this species in high ticks are mostly found in the lower
numbers in the local area. mainland and the south-east part of Van-
couverIsland
Ticks and tick-borne diseases in BC The next common tick-borne disease in
Muhammad G. Morshed. Zoonotic Dis- BC is Relapsing fever caused by a soft tick
eases & Emerging Pathogens, Laboratory Ornithodoros hermsi. This tick species has
Services, BC Centre for Disease Control; been mostly reported from the Interior of
Clinical Professor, Department ofPathol- BC. It is very difficult to collect this tick
ogy & Laboratory Medicine, University of because ofits nocturnal nature. The causal
British Columbia, Vancouver, British Co- pathogen for relapsing fever is Borrelia
lumbia. hermsii. A total of32 cases was reported in
In North America, there has been a sub- BC from 1993 to 2005; all themwere either
stantial interest in ticks and tick-borne dis- residents ortravelledto theInteriorofBC.
eases, such as Lyme, Relapsing fever, In BC we have also found sporadic sero-
Anaplamosis/Ehrlichiosis, Babesiosis, Q positive cases ofAnaplasmosis/Ehrlichiois,
fever. Rocky Mountain spotted fever Q fever and RMSF. Detection ofantibodies
(RMSF), tick-borne viral encephalitis, etc. against new and re-emerging tick-bome
Recently, there has been dramatically in- diseases will provide evidence of the pres-
creased awareness of the role of human ence ofemerging pathogens in British Co-
animal interaction, which is generating lumbia. The result ofthis investigation will
emerging infectious disease risk among also help to create public awareness about
B.C. residents. A variety offactors, such as the possiblepresence ofdifferent tick-bome
the growth ofwildlife populations, outdoor diseases.
workers, outdoor recreational activities and
wildlife rehabilitation, allow people to
J.Entomol. Soc.Brit.Columbia 104,December2007 97
Exotic terrestrial gastropods in south- access, including Gwaii Haanas National
western British Columbia Park, had a very low incidence of intro-
Kristiina Ovaska and Lennart Sopuck. Bio- duced gastropods. In contrast, Garry oak
linx Environmental Research Ltd., 1759 ecosystems on Vancouver Island and sand
Colburne Place, Sidney, BC V8L 5A2; e- dune habitats on Graham Island, Haida
mail: [email protected]; [email protected] Gwaii, supported high densities of intro-
Over 20 species ofintroduced slugs and duced species. These habitats are vulner-
land snails are known from British Colum- able to invasion by introduced gastropods
bia, and many species are ubiquitous in due to their semi-open nature and high hu-
disturbed areas. Since 1999, we have sur- man use and/or their location near popula-
veyed hundreds of sites for terrestrial gas- tion centres. Adverse effects on native spe-
tropods on Vancouver Island, Haida Gwaii cies and ecosystems could occur through
(Queen Charlotte Islands), and southern competition, predation, disease, and dam-
mainland BC. Forests with limited public age toplantsbutremaintobe investigated.
J.Entomol. Soc.Brit.Columbia 104,December2007