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AWAKE Lady Beetle/Fungal Interactions

The Asian Multicolored Lady Beetle, Harmonia axyridis, was introduced to California in the early 1900’s as a control agent of pest insects. Since then, the beetle has become common in most parts of the United States and has proven to be a voracious predator of aphids and other soft-bodied insect pests. In the later part of the 20th century, however, the beetle became a pest in its own right by invading homes (by the thousands) each fall. Entomologists also learned that H. axyridis preys upon and may be reducing the populations of lady beetle species that are native to the United States.

In the summer of 2004, Dr. John Obrycki and Dr. James Harwood (University of Kentucky, Department of Entomology) discovered fungal infections on a population of Asian lady beetles collected in Harrison Co., Kentucky. Since then, they have learned that the fungus, Hesperomyces virescens, has been discovered on Asian multicolored lady beetles in several parts of the eastern United States. And, thanks to the work of several hundred middle and high school students in 2005-06 and 06-07, it has been determined that H. virescens is commonly found on Asian lady beetles all across eastern and central Kentucky.

In 2007-08, many questions remain for students who are working on this project:

does the fungus H. virescens kill, or reduce the reproductive fitness of, Asian multicolored lady beetles?

can the fungus be spread from Asian lady beetles to native lady beetles?

can the Asian lady beetle rid itself of the fungus?

how quickly will the fungus spread over the body of an infected beetle?

can female beetles transmit the fungus to their progeny?

CURRICULUM

RESOURCES

PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS/TEACHERS 2007-08

Fayette County Public Schools

Edythe J. Hayes Middle School
260 Richardson Place
Lexington, KY 40509
Charles Buntyn

Great Scientists

Field Trip Photographs

Winburn Middle School
1060 Winburn Dr
Lexington, KY 40511
Susan Powers

CONTACTS

Dr. Carol Hanley
Director of Education and Communications
Tracy Farmer Center for the Environment
University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture
107 Dimock
Lexington, KY 40546-0076
Phone: 859-333-8248
chanley@uky.edu

Blake Newton
Extension Specialist in Entomology
S225R Agriculture Science Center North
Phone: 859-257-7453
blaken@uky.edu

Kandris Goodwin
Program Coordinator
Tracy Farmer Center for the Environment
University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture
107 Dimock
Lexington, KY 40546-0076
Phone: 859-519-8515
Kandris.wunderlich@uky.edu

Brian Radcliffe
Program Instructor
Tracy Farmer Center for the Environment
University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture
107 Dimock
Lexington, KY 40546-0076
Phone: 859-608-5258
Brian.radcliffe@uky.edu

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