HIPPODAMIA CONVERGENS (COLEOPTERA, COCCINELLIDAE) DISSEMINATION OF DOGWOOD ANTHRACNOSE FUNGUS (MELANCONIALES, MELANCONEACAE)

The fungal pathogen, Discula destructiva Redlin, has been responsible for the decline or death, or both, of flowering dogwood, Cornus florida L., in the eastern United States. Our research addressed the role of a selected insect in transportation and dissemination of D. destructiva. Densities of conidia on adults of our model insect, the convergent lady beetle, Hippodamia convergens Guerin-Meneville, were quantified using scanning electron microscopy. Significantly more conidia were attached to the ventral body surface than to the dorsal surface. Also, conidia were deposited around trichomes of dogwood leaves exposed to infested convergent lady beetles. Our data demonstrate that our model, the convergent lady beetle, is capable of transporting conidia of D. destructiva. Because conidia may remain viable for 16 d, insects may play an important role in the epidemiology of dogwood anthracnose.