This document summarizes the work of Professor Max Suckling on insect surveillance and eradication. It discusses how he brought new tools like SPLAT and CMB pheromones to Australia and brought rigor to mass trapping. It outlines his capacity building efforts and over 20 peer-reviewed publications. Key benefits are new technologies for pest suppression and knowledge about eradication tactics. Challenges include onerous legislation and operating in urban environments.

1. biosecurity built on science
Insect Surveillance and Eradication
Professor Max Suckling FRSNZ
Science Group Leader, Biosecurity,
Plant and Food Research &
School of Biological Sciences,
University of Auckland
Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre
1. Brought
SPLAT to
Australia
Including surveillance of horticultural pests

2. biosecurity built on science
Insect Surveillance and Eradication
Professor Max Suckling FRSNZ
Science Group Leader, Biosecurity,
Plant and Food Research &
School of Biological Sciences,
University of Auckland
Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre
2. Brought
CMB
pheromone

3. biosecurity built on science
Insect Surveillance and Eradication
Professor Max Suckling FRSNZ
Science Group Leader, Biosecurity,
Plant and Food Research &
School of Biological Sciences,
University of Auckland
Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre
3. Brought
rigour to
mass
trapping

4. biosecurity built on science
Insect Surveillance and Eradication
Professor Max Suckling FRSNZ
Science Group Leader, Biosecurity,
Plant and Food Research &
School of Biological Sciences,
University of Auckland
Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre
4. Capacity building

5. biosecurity built on science
Insect Surveillance and Eradication
Professor Max Suckling FRSNZ
Science Group Leader, Biosecurity,
Plant and Food Research &
School of Biological Sciences,
University of Auckland
Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre
5. Peer reviewed
articles as a body of
work from the
PBCRC

6. biosecurity built on science
What is the problem?
Arthropod eradications are going up globally, pest fauna rising
Detection and response to invasive species is difficult
Rare and initially hidden on landscape
Lack of tools for early detection
Lack of tools for eradication (especially urban scenario)
Lack of theoretical framework for integrating tactics
Failure leads to ongoing costs (e.g. TPP $25M/y, 90% drop # growers)
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7. biosecurity built on science
What have we done about it?
 New theoretical framework for mass trapping
 Development of commercially useful formulations in pest
management to ensure access to generic formulations
 Workshop on Registration of Semiochemicals in Australia
 New lures and trapping systems for mealybugs in citrus
and other insects at low pest density
 New socially acceptable eradication tools for key pests
Failures:
XX Ruled out feasibility of lure and kill for BMSB
XX New Medfly lures were not any better, so far
XX APVMA legislation (EU guidance ?)

8. biosecurity built on science
How was this research delivered?
Industry contacts since workshop with APVMA regulators etc.
New tools for citrus industry – citrophilous mealybug pheromone
traps
20 published records for researchers in peer reviewed journals up to
Impact Factor 13 (Annual Review of Entomology) (CRC+B3)
Extension material explaining a published framework
Science delivery - Sometimes we used syringes !
Travel and mentoring for younger researchers, Soopaya et al. x 2
Data for commercial registration of SPLAT

9. biosecurity built on science
Who will benefit from this research?
 Citrus industry – mealybug phenology and density using
sex pheromone traps for the first time in IPM
 All horticultural sectors affected by LBAM (citrus, apples,
grapes)
 International communities dealing with urban situations
 International communities interested in eradication
 International scientists with new attractants where mass
trapping is claimed as a future option (overly optimistic?)
 Societies wanting pesticide risk reduction
 Regulators encouraging green alternatives to pesticides
.

10. biosecurity built on science
Benefit for our horticultural industries
Short term
 New technologies for pest surveillance & suppression
 New knowledge of tactical interactions
 New knowledge of urban response options and
limitations
 New experience and capacity on semiochemicals
 New networks of NZers and Aussies, many involved
Long term
 Reduced reliance on broadcast insecticides
 Increased interest in mass trapping and alternatives

11. biosecurity built on science
End-User Advocate’s Perspective
EUA 1 (Gary Leeson of OCR, Aust licensee for SPLATTM).
“Keen to get some feedback on the trial in New Caledonia when you have
something. I can put this to the APVMA to argue the case for a Commercial
trial permit here for 2016-17 season.”
EUA 2 (Rory McLellan, NZ MPI)
This is very interesting work, it seems like it is a fairly quick and effective way of
determining the optimal spacing not only for mass trapping for eradication but
would also be very applicable to lures used in delimiting surveys during a
biosecurity response to an exotic plant pest insect with a known effective lure
such as Queensland fruit fly. I also see value in expanding this work to determine
the optimum spacing of traps for surveillance monitoring purposes to give more
creditability to the efficacy of a detection surveillance program in a pest free area.
EUA 3 (Dr Gary Judd, AAFC, Summerland, BC)
just wanted to say I just read your recent mass trapping paper and thought it
was quite useful. Hope to apply some of its principles to mass trapping work
I’m doing on a clearwing moth …...

12. Tools based on pheromones
1. PLoS ONE 7: e43767.
2. Crop Protection 42: 327-333.
3. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 3(17): 1-7. doi:10.3389/fevo.2015.00017.
4. Acta Horticulturae 1105: 275-281. doi:10.17660/ActaHortic.2015.1105.39.
5. Journal of Economic Entomology 105: 1694-1701. doi:10.1603/ec12130.
6. Pest Management Science 67: 1004-1014. doi:10.1002/ps.2150.
7. Journal of Economic Entomology DOI: 10.1093/jee/tov142.
Eradication
8. Annual Review of Entomology 61. doi:doi: 10.1146/annurev-ento-010715-023809.
9. Pest Management Science: n/a-n/a. doi:10.1002/ps.3905.
10. Pest Management Science 70: 179-189. doi:Doi 10.1002/Ps.3670.
11. Journal of Economic Entomology 105: 1-13. doi:10.1603/ec11293.
Sterile Insect Technique for moths
12. Florida Entomologist inpress.
13. Journal of Economic Entomology 105: 54-61. doi:DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/EC11135.
14. Journal of Economic Entomology 104: 1462-1475.
15. Journal of Economic Entomology 104: 1999-2008. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/EC11049.
16. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 148: 203-212. doi:Doi 10.1111/Eea.12096.
17. Australian Journal of Entomology 50: 269-275. doi:DOI 10.1111/j.1440-6055.2011.00815.x.
Surveillance
18. Biological Invasions 16: 1851-1864. doi:DOI 10.1007/s10530-013-0631-8.
Mass trapping
19. Pest Management Science 71: 1452-1461. doi:10.1002/ps.3950.
Accessible body of work from CRC & B3 projects (+1)

13. Accessible body of work from CRC & B3 projects (+1)
Tools based on pheromones
1. PLoS ONE 7: e43767.
2. Crop Protection 42: 327-333.
3. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 3(17): 1-7. doi:10.3389/fevo.2015.00017.
4. Acta Horticulturae 1105: 275-281. doi:10.17660/ActaHortic.2015.1105.39.
5. Journal of Economic Entomology 105: 1694-1701. doi:10.1603/ec12130.
6. Pest Management Science 67: 1004-1014. doi:10.1002/ps.2150.
7. Journal of Economic Entomology DOI: 10.1093/jee/tov142.
Eradication
8. Annual Review of Entomology 61. doi:doi: 10.1146/annurev-ento-010715-023809.
9. Pest Management Science: n/a-n/a. doi:10.1002/ps.3905.
10. Pest Management Science 70: 179-189. doi:Doi 10.1002/Ps.3670.
11. Journal of Economic Entomology 105: 1-13. doi:10.1603/ec11293.
Sterile Insect Technique for moths
12. Florida Entomologist in press.
13. Journal of Economic Entomology 105: 54-61. doi:DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/EC11135.
14. Journal of Economic Entomology 104: 1462-1475.
15. Journal of Economic Entomology 104: 1999-2008. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/EC11049.
16. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 148: 203-212. doi:Doi 10.1111/Eea.12096.
17. Australian Journal of Entomology 50: 269-275. doi:DOI 10.1111/j.1440-6055.2011.00815.x.
Surveillance
18. Biological Invasions 16: 1851-1864. doi:DOI 10.1007/s10530-013-0631-8.
Mass trapping
19. Pest Management Science 71: 1452-1461. doi:10.1002/ps.3950.
Optimum spacing per
species/crop
Corner to middle ratio changes
with grid spacing

14. biosecurity built on science

15. biosecurity built on science
Future
Challenges
Australian legislation onerous so semiochemicals are
delivering below potential
Operating responses in urban environments
Impact of globalisation on pest burdens for industry
Future research
SIT for stink bugs – testing for inherited sterility
New attractants and surveillance methods, electronics
New control and eradication tools and tactics

16. biosecurity built on science
It’s been fun, thank you Aussies !
 “My heroes will always be Hawaiians”
- Bill Woods (DAFWA) and Perth team
- Greg Baker and Adelaide team (SARDI)
- Lloyd Stringer and PFR Biosecurity Group
PBCRC is established and supported under
the Australian Government Cooperative
Research Centres Programme
SPLAT Sharp
Shooters at
Penfolds (front
row only
compliant)