1st Place: D3051: Insect pests & natural enemies associated with outdoor cannabis production in Ontario, Canada

Insect Pests & Natural Enemies Associated with Outdoor Cannabis Production in Ontario, Canada

Lillian Auty, Jason Lemay and Cynthia Scott-Dupree


School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON



Following the 2018 legalization of recreational drug-type Cannabis sativa L. in Canada, the licensed area for outdoor cultivation has rapidly increased to meet growing demands. Cannabis grown outdoors, like most outdoor crops, is threatened by economically damaging arthropod pests and pathogens that we know very little about. There is increased concerned amongst growers that research needs to be done to properly identify and subsequently manage arthropod pests in the field using effective integrated pest management (IPM) practices. This project involves the first Canadian survey of economically relevant insect pests and natural enemies associated with outdoor Cannabis production at two different licensed operations in Ontario. Scouting observations at these operations were used to formulate a comprehensive list of economically important pests and natural enemies identified during the 2021 and 2022 outdoor cannabis growing season (June to September). Within this list, the three most common insect pests include: Cannabis aphid (Phorodon cannabis), Two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae), and Western flower thrip (Frankliniella occidentalis). The four most common associated natural enemies include: Minute Pirate Bug (Orius insidiosus), Convergent Lady Beetle (Hippodamia convergens), Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis), and Green Lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). These results provide insight to dynamic relationships between cannabis and insects, both pest and beneficial, in this specialized agro-ecosystem.