On the attack against aphids

CABl's International Institute of Biological Control (IIBC) reports good progress in the search or nature enemies of the three serious forest pests of Malawi's conifer plantations. Natural enemy complexes have been found for all three aphids, the cypress aphid, Cinara cupressi, (see report 'Cypress aphid devastation'' Spore 38 page 11), the pine needle aphid, Eulachnus rileyi, and the pine woolly aphid, Pineus sp. A possible biological control agent for the pine woolly aphid was found near CAB International's former headquarters. Because of the dramatic speed of progress and impact that the three aphids are having in Southern and Eastern Africa, IIBC has formulated a regional plan to extend research to cover another eight countries in Africa where forestry plantations are being affected by one or more of the aphids found to be causing so much damage in Malawi. The new venture, with funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), covers Kenya, Tanzania Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Zaire, Zimbabwe and Zambia. The aim is to establish biological control programmes in each of the countries. The cypress aphid is becoming such a major pest in Kenya's forests that the search for likely predators has moved as far as the Rocky Mountains in America. FAO is funding a survey coordinated by IIBC and is working in conjunction with consultants at the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service. At IIBC in the UK researchers are experimenting with ways of rearm' aphids so they can be used to test the effectiveness of natural enemies. They are also working on methods of rearing the natural enemies themselves so as to be able to provide a clean, healthy population for shipment to Africa later in the year. Dr Sean Murphy IIBC Silwood Park, Buckhurst Road Ascot, Berks SL5 7TA, UKCABl's International Institute of Biological Control (IIBC) reports good progress in the search or nature enemies of the three serious forest pests of Malawi's conifer plantations. Natural enemy complexes have been found for all three aphids, the..