Host suitability and thermal requirements of Lathromeris ovicida Risbec (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), an egg parasitoid of cereal stemborers in Africa

Factors affecting the bionomics of the trichogrammatid egg parasitoid Lathromeris ovicida and its association with the two sympatric scelionid egg parasitoids Telenomus busseolae and Telenomus isis were studied in the laboratory. The potential host species employed were the noctuids Sesamia calamistis and Sesamia botanephaga, and the pyralids Eldana saccharina and Mussidia nigrivenella. Using eggs of S. calamistis Hampson as hosts, the lower and upper thresholds for development were estimated at 14.8 and 34 °C, respectively. The percent parasitism, total progeny, and sex ratio decreased gradually from 42.0 to 10.2, from 56.4 to 10.8, and from 0.74 to 0.61, respectively, with host age. The intrinsic rate of increase and female fecundity was highest on the two noctuids, followed by E. saccharina and M. nigrivenella. Lathromeris ovicida preferentially attacked eggs already parasitised by either Telenomus busseolae or Telenomus isis. Thus, L. ovicida is probably a facultative hyperparasitoid.     

Parasitism of non-target lepidoptera by mass released Trichogramma brassicae and its implication for the larval parasitoid Lydella thompsoni

The release of high numbers of the eggparasitoid Trichogramma brassicae Bezd.(Hym. Trichogrammatidae) to control theEuropean corn borer (ECB), Ostrinianubilalis Hb. (Lep.: Crambidae) in maize hasraised concerns about potential negativeeffects on native natural enemies. The nativelarval parasitoid Lydella thompsoniHerting (Dipt.: Tachinidae) is the mostfrequent and important ECB parasitoid insouthern Switzerland and can achieve highparasitism rates. Its first generation emergestoo early to find ECB larvae and must rely onalternative hosts living in natural habitatsclose to maize fields. Inundative releases ofT. brassicae coincide with theoviposition period of the alternative hosts ofthe tachinid. T. brassicae moving out ofrelease fields may attack and diminish thepopulation of these hosts, creating abottleneck situation for L. thompsoni inthe subsequent spring. Laboratory hostspecificity tests showed that the tachinid'stwo most abundant spring hosts Archanarageminipuncta Haworth (1809) (Lep.: Noctuidae)and Chilo phragmitellus Hübner (1805)(Lep.: Crambidae) are successfully parasitisedby T. brassicae females in no-choicesituations. Our extensive field surveys,however, showed that the two tested springhosts escape parasitism since their eggs arewell hidden or not attractive. Negativeeffects of inundative releases of T.brassicae on the native tachinid fly L. thompsoni, such as population densityreduction, displacement, or local extinction,are very unlikely.     

广东省烟粉虱蚜小蜂种类及种群动态调查初报

通过调查采集和鉴定 ,初步获得了广东省内烟粉虱蚜小蜂 6种 ,其中隶属于恩蚜小蜂属EncarsiaFoerster的有 4种 ,隶属于桨角蚜小蜂属ErtmocerusHaldeman有 2种。调查发现 ,蚜小蜂在蔬菜和园林植物上的寄生动态有一定的规律 ,4月中旬至 6月下旬和 9月下旬至 1 1月下旬寄生率较高 ,6月下旬至 8月上旬和 1 1月下旬至翌年 2月下旬寄生率较低。初步确定双斑恩蚜小蜂Encarsiabimaculata和桨角蚜小蜂Eretmocerussp .为广东省内烟粉虱的寄生蜂优势种类。     

Mating Behavior of Cephalonomia tarsalis (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) and the Effect of Female Mating Frequency on Offspring Production

The courtship behavior of Cephalonomia tarsalis, a solitary semiectoparasitoid of Oryzaephilus surinamensis, was investigated in the laboratory. Courtship behavior includes a series of stereotypic movements. Males play the most active role, executing the majority of courtship action, and females respond with relatively limited observable behaviors. Males typically keep antennae still during encounters with females prior to mounting, which may be correlated with recognition of the female's sexual status. After mounting, males display a series of movements on females, such as antennae touching female's antennae, antennae or mouth touching female's head or thorax, and walking around on female, which may serve to stimulate females towards increased receptivity. Females signal receptivity by assuming a stereotypical posture of remaining stationary, with head down, and antennae still in front of the body. The male then inserts his aedeagus and the pair copulates. After an average of 40.4 s of copulation, females signal the end of copulation by waving the antennae and moving away from the copulation site. Males continue copulating for a short time after females start moving but dismount soon thereafter. After dismounting, the two wasps move away from each other immediately, and they typically begin grooming. Neither males nor females exhibit mating preference based on mate's mating status in both choice and no-choice tests. The male is polygynous and the mated female can mate multiple times within the first 3 days after starting oviposition. However, female mating frequency does not affect the production of female progeny.     

Effects of endosymbiotic Wolbachia on the diapause in Trichogramma hosts and effects of the diapause on Wolbachia

Abstract Used as an agent in biological control, Trichogramma which has been infected by endosymbiotic bacteria belonging to the genus Wolbachia and inducing the thelytokous mode of reproduction, increases rearing productivity in commercial insectaries. These insectaries can now make use of Trichogramma diapause to spread out and optimise their production. We therefore studied the effect of Wolbachia on the diapause in Trichogramma evanescens. The symbionts show no beneficial or harmful effect on the proportion of emergence in diapausing individuals or on their fecundity. Therefore, infected strains can easily be used in crop protection. On the other hand, low temperatures exert a slightly negative effect on Wolbachia, as detected from the proportion of females in the offspring of symbiotic diapausing females.     

中国刷盾跳小蜂族二新记录属二新种 (膜翅目 :跳小蜂科 )(英文)

报道了采自辽宁大连和江苏南京的跳小蜂新种 ,即娄氏伊克跳小蜂 ,EctromalouiXu ,sp .n .和仁蚧平背跳小蜂 ,新种PlatencyrtusaclerusXu ,sp .n .。对新种进行了详细描述。娄氏伊克跳小峰E .loui,正模♀ ,本种与EctromafulvescensWestwood 1833相似 ,与后者的长翅型相比 ,有以下几点区别 :(1)本种触角索节均白色 ,后者触角索节有黑色节 ;(2 )本种前翅相当退化 ,不超过腹末 ,透明无色 ,后者前翅发达 ,超过腹末 ,暗色 ;与后者的短翅型相比 ,有以下几点区别 :(1)本种触角索节均白色 ,后者触角索节有黑色节 ;(2 )本种前翅较退化 ,前翅超过并胸腹节 ,后者前翅退化 ,不及并胸腹节。仁蚧平背跳小蜂 ,新种PlatencyrtusaclerusXu ,sp .n .寄主 :芦苇日仁蚧Nipponaclerdabiwakoensis (Kuwana)。正模♀ ,郝康陕采 ,本新种与PlatencyrtusparkeriFerriere ,195 5很相似 ,主要区别是新种 :(1)体黑色 ,具弱红色金属光泽 ,后者体黑色有蓝绿色金属光泽 ;(2 )头胸具稀疏细刻点 ,后者头胸有网状刻纹 ;(3)前翅透明 ,后者前翅暗色。本文也是伊克跳小蜂属EctromaWestwood和平背跳小蜂属PlatencyrtusFerriere在我国分布的首次记录。     

烟粉虱B生物型若虫、皮蜕及成虫提取物对双斑蚜小蜂行为的影响

烟粉虱B生物型的若虫、皮蜕及其成虫的提取物作为一种利它素信息源,在室内对其在双斑蚜小蜂寻找寄主取食、寄生行为的影响进行了生物测定。烟粉虱的若虫、皮蜕及其成虫分别用正己烷、乙醇和无菌水进行粗提。研究结果发现,双斑蚜小蜂在处理区寻找寄主停留的时间高于对照区。在处理区,双斑蚜小蜂行动活泼,对利它素源表现出高的正趋向性和选择性。对于同一利它素源、同一提取介质的两种不同浓度,双斑蚜小蜂在若虫 水提取物的高浓度区停留的时间（111.23s）最长,与在低浓度区的停留时间差异显著;而在烟粉虱皮蜕及其成虫的水、正己烷和乙醇提取物处理区,不同浓度的提取物对蚜小蜂停留的时间影响差异不显著。本研究的结果表明,利它素可以增加蚜小蜂寻找寄主的效率,有利于蚜小蜂寻找到适宜的寄主。     

Effects of neem-treated aphids as food/hosts on their predators and parasitoids

Abstract:  Experiments were conducted in the laboratory and in greenhouses. Of three neem preparations sprayed upon eggs, only neem oil (NO) exerted a negative impact on the hatching rate of Coccinella septempunctata and Chrysoperla carnea . First instar larvae of Episyrphus balteatus proved to be highly susceptible, when feeding 24 h on aphids sprayed with neem kernel water extract (NKWE). First instar larvae of C. septempunctata showed a very high mortality when feeding on aphids sprayed with different neem preparations. Aphid feeding and live span was reduced. When NKWE had been applied to the soil, the mortality of larvae of E. balteatus and C. septempunctata were lower, when feeding on aphids. Second instar larvae of C. septempunctata were far less susceptible when feeding 48 h on neem-sprayed aphids than first instars; the time of their development was prolonged, and aphid consumption reduced. Larvae of C. carnea proved to be less susceptible, when feeding on neem-sprayed aphids, than E. balteatus and C. septempunctata . In C. carnea , however, significant influences were also observed in aphid consumption, time of development, mortality, longevity, and rate of deformity. NO, containing a very low concentration of azadirachtin A, had stronger negative effects than NeemAzal-T/S^®, in all observations. In the parasitoid Diaeretiella rapae , NKWE application to the soil induced negative reactions, when aphids on these plants were parasitized: low percentage parasitization, lowered mummy weight, low emergence rate of adults of F1 and even of F2. Foliar sprays of NKWE had less severe effects in this parasitoid species. The results are discussed with regard to their theoretical and practical significance.     

蚜小蜂和粉虱座壳孢对烟粉虱的控制作用研究

研究了烟粉虱两种寄生性天敌桨角蚜小蜂(Eretmocerus sp．)和粉虱座壳孢(Aschersonia aley-rodis)单独使用和联合使用时对烟粉虱种群的控制作用。结果表明,在单独进行控制时,在一个世代内按5×10^6个孢子·ml^-1喷施粉虱座壳孢2次,对烟粉虱种群的控制作用达95．74％,按每株植株3头雌蜂的密度释放桨角蚜小蜂2次,对烟粉虱种群的控制作用达57.58％。在两者联合控制时,一个世代内喷施粉虱座壳孢2次,再释放桨角蚜小蜂1次或2次,对烟粉虱种群的控制作用达97．02％～97．91％,烟粉虱种群增长趋势指数低于1,种群数量逐渐下降,联合使用时,桨角蚜小蜂和粉虱座壳孢间无消极影响。