Beauty with Benefits by Dr. David James of WSU

Beauty with Benefits Naturescaping Vineyards for Biological Control of Pests and Pollinator Conservation

David G James, Washington State University

The opportunity now exists to link viticultural pest management with nature, wildlife and pollinator conservation

Washington viticulture is low-input and sustainable Conservation biological control & ‘soft’ pesticides are key features of IPM

Before vineyards, the hills and valleys of eastern Washington were alive with native flora and pollinators

Pollinator populations have suffered as habitats and native flora have been displaced…

Mylitta Crescent

Sagebrush Checkerspot

Boisduval’s Blues

The Monarch

Habitat Restoration for Vineyards using native plants 1.REFUGIA: to bring biocontrol agents (ie beneficials) closer to the grapevines

2. GROUND COVERS: to provide in-crop re-fueling zone for beneficials/pollinators

Native plants are hardy and climate adapted. They do not need special attention and survive on minimal nutrient and water resources

They are ‘home’ and provide food to all the natural enemies of grape pests that we rely on for biological control

Many serve as host and/or nectar plants for butterflies and other pollinators

But which local native plants are ‘best’ in terms of ‘pulling’ and retaining beneficial insects ?

Information was not available

Beneficial Insects for Vineyards *Lacewings

*Ladybeetles *Predatory Bugs *Beneficial Flies *Predatory Thrips *Parasitic Wasps *Native Bees

*~ 120 species of flowering plants *9-24 traps for each species/season *Total of > 3000 traps/season

600

500

All Beneficials

400 300

Mean Number/trap

Mean Number per Trap

600

500 400

“The bottom ten”

300 200 100 0

200 100 0

“THE TOP TEN” Sagebrush Gray Rabbitbrush Oregon Sunshine Western Clematis Northern Buckwheat Showy Milkweed Slender Hawksbeard Tall Buckwheat Yarrow Snow Buckwheat

Carey’s balsamroot Blazing star Prairie clover Grays desert parsley Triteleia Dandelion Gold stars Large-fruited desert parsley Hairy balsamroot Giant-head clover

1. Sagebrush 2. Spreading Dogbane 3. Slender Hawksbeard 4. Sunflower 5. Oregon Sunshine 6. Yarrow 7. Gray Rabbitbrush 8. Goldenrod 9. Pearly Everlasting 10. Ocean Spray 11. Green Rabbitbrush 12. Tall Buckwheat 13. Narrow-leaved Milkweed 14. Threadleaf fleabane 15. Northern Buckwheat 16. Wyeths Lupine 17. Western Clematis 18. Showy Milkweed

19. Mock Orange 20. Shaggy Daisy 21. Russian Olive 22. Coyote Willow 23. Whitestem Frasera 24. Parsnip Buckwheat 25. Western Hyssop 26. Coyote Mint 27. Blue Elderberry 28. Alfalfa 29. Strict Buckwheat 30. Blanket Flower 31. Columbia Cutleaf 32. Snow Buckwheat 33. Dusty Maidens 34. Western Wallflower 35. Silverleaf Phacelia 36. Chokecherry

Mean Number/trap

7 6

LADYBEETLES

5 4 3 2 1 0 NORTHERN BUCKWHEAT STRICT BUCKWHEAT NETTLE TEASEL GOLDEN CURRANT

Mean Number/trap

35 30 25

PREDATORY BUGS

20 15 10 5 0 TALL BUCKWHEAT SAGEBRUSH WESTERN CLEMATIS WESTERN GOLDENROD TEASEL NETTLE GRAY RABBITBRUSH

Mean Number/trap

350 300

BENEFICIAL FLIES

250 200 150 100 50 0 OREGON SUNSHINE SLENDER HAWKSBEARD WESTERN CLEMATIS YARROW THREADLEAF FLEABANE DUSTY MAIDENS SHOWY MILKWEED WOODS ROSE NORTHERN BUCKWHEAT LUPINE

#1 Big Sagebrush Attracts the greatest number of beneficials (in terms of numbers of individuals)

Fall flowering However, only 5 of the 10 groups of beneficials represented in large numbers (parasitic wasps and predatory bugs) Refugia plant

Plants with benefits for biological control agents and butterflies

Rabbitbrush

Attracts large numbers of beneficial insects important autumn nectar source for butterflies and larval host for sagebrush checkerspot

Buckwheats Attract large numbers of beneficial insects

10 species: Spring-summer-flowering

Buckwheats are caterpillar hosts for a dozen or more species of blues, coppers and hairstreaks in Washington

Blue Copper Lycaena heteronea

Milkweeds (2 species)

Attract large numbers of beneficial insects

Many butterflies use it as nectar source

Monarch host

Milkweed in a WSU vineyard at Prosser hosting caterpillars of the Monarch (June 2014)

Lupines

Attractive to beneficials

Larval host for at least 3 species of butterflies

Attract many beneficial insects

Willows Viceroy

Tiger Swallowtail

Larval host to four butterflies

Lorquins

Admiral

Mourning

Cloak

Twelve of the top 20 ranked plants for beneficial insect attraction are also host plants for ~ 16 butterfly species

Eighteen of the 20 are important nectar providers for butterflies

A great opportunity exists to combine vineyard habitat restoration for pest control with butterfly conservation!

Ruddy Copper Lycaena rubidus

Comparing Native Habitat-Enhanced and Conventional Vineyards Pest and beneficial insect and mite fauna and butterflies evaluated and monitored 2011-2013

8 cooperating commercial vineyards

*4 Habitat-Enhanced *4 Conventional

Quincy Columbia Gorge Red Mountain Walla Walla

Habitat-Enhanced: 30-50 flowering native plant species in or close to vineyard (< 50m)

Conventional: 50 butterfly species that could be encouraged to occupy Washington vineyards with cultivation of host plants

We’ve already seen half of these in the habitat-enhanced vineyards we monitor

Stinging Nettle: Good for parasitic wasps, flies and predatory bugs Mean number per trap

16

c

14

2011

12

c

10

6

c

c

8

b b

4 2

a

a

a

a

a

0

Mean number per trap

70

b

60

2012

b

50

b

40 30

c

20 10

c

a

a

a

a

a

a

0

Mean number per trap

35

b

2013

30 25

b b

20 15

c

10 5

a

a

a

a

c

a

a

0 LW

LB

PB

PT

CF

IB

PW

AN

CM

NB

HB

Also hosts 5 butterflies In Washington…….

Pest Management and Nature Conservation

will increasingly be entwined as pesticide inputs decrease and the need for species conservation increases

Incarcerated Citizen Science at Walla Walla Penitentiary:

Mass rearing endemic butterfly species in eastern Washington for introduction to habitat-enhanced vineyards

Butterflies could become a symbol of the Washington wine industry’s Commitment to sustainability and local biodiversity

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