Pyrethroid resistance monitoring in European populations of pollen beetle ( Meligethes spp.): a coordinated approach through the Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC)

BACKGROUND: Pollen beetle (Meligethes spp.) is a major pest of European oilseed rape crops. Its resistance to pyrethroid insecticides has been recorded in samples of beetles collected in Europe since at least 1999, and problems with the control of the beetle in the field have been widely reported. In 2007, a Pollen Beetle Working Group was formed through the Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC) in order to coordinate efforts for surveying pyrethroid resistance development. RESULTS: The results of the first 3 years of the pollen beetle pyrethroid susceptibility survey using a laboratory test are presented in this paper. Resistant beetle samples were collected from 20 of the 21 countries surveyed, with a general trend of increasing frequency and spread of resistant samples in European oilseed-rape-growing regions. CONCLUSION: Pyrethroid-resistant beetles dominate in Western and Central Europe and are becoming established in the North and East, the main oilseed-rape-growing areas of Europe. The development and spread of pyrethroid-resistant pollen beetles highlights the need for effective management strategies for oilseed rape insect pests.