Annual Changes in the Greater Wax Moth (Galleria Mellonella L.) Development and Sensitivity to Juvenilizing Treatments

The greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella L.) larvae reared in constant conditions showed endogenous annual changes in the sensitivity to juvenilizing treatments, i.e. cooling and JHA administration. Also control, untreated larvae showed annual changes in normal development. The number of spontaneously appearing extra-larval molts, the number of animals entering the state of permanent larva, as well as the sex-ratio in Galleria population changed with respect to the season of the year. The possible mechanisms involved in these phenomena are discussed.     

A comparison of swimming structures and kinematics in three species of crustacean larvae

Crustacean larvae swim with paired rowing appendages that rotate around the body of the animal. The number of paired rowing appendages varies from one species of larvae to another. In addition, the size of the crustacean larvae is different between species and increases as they grow. The nature of the fluid forces changes as size increases, so the morphology and mechanics of swimming in these animals will change during increases in size. This article demonstrates the changing kinematics of locomotion between three species of crustacean larvae, which swim with one (Artemia franciscana), two (Carcinus maenas) or five (Homarus americanus) pairs of propulsive limbs. The relative change in the surface area and volume ratios of the locomotor structures are also demonstrated.     

Laboratory Trials of the Efficacy of the Crown Weevil Mortadelo horridus (Coleoptera: Curculionoidae) for the Biological Control of Slender Thistles Carduus pycnocephalus and C. tenuiflorus in Southwestern Australia

The hypothesis that larval crown weevil (Mortadelo horridus Alonso-Zarazaga and Sanchez-Ruiz) can suppress vegetative growth, seed set and viability in the winter annual slender thistles (Carduus pycnocephalus L. and C. tenuiflorus Curt.) was tested in laboratory gardens. Different densities (eight and 16) of M. horridus larvae and eggs were inoculated onto slender thistle rosettes between one and four times. Controls received no eggs or larvae. Larval feeding destroyed the apical meristems of treated plants, producing multi-crowned rosettes and significant declines in leaf area in both species, irrespective of the number of larvae. Treated thistles bolted at the same time and had a 4-fold increase in stem number compared to controls. The stems of control plants were up to one-third taller and thicker than attacked plants. Relative to controls, the leaves of treated plants had significantly fewer spines, decreased leaf area and decreased leaf perimeter, with less deeply lobed leaf margins. The total number of capitula produced by control and experimental groups was not significantly different, but consideration of fertile capitula only revealed a reduction in fertile capitula production following weevil attack. This was most marked in C. pycnocephalus. Control plants also produced significantly wider capitula. No control plants died, compared to 17 and 26% of the attacked plants of C. pycnocephalus and C. tenuiflorus, respectively. Implications for biocontrol of slender thistles are discussed.     

土著昆虫素毒蛾在本地植物芦苇与入侵植物互花米草上的生活史

互花米草(Spartina alterniflora)入侵盐沼生态系统导致了土著广食性昆虫素毒蛾(Laelia coenosa)发生宿主转移。但是, 目前对素毒蛾在互花米草和芦苇(Phragmites australis)上的生活史规律的比较尚未见报道, 而此信息对评价素毒蛾能否持续利用互花米草具有重要的参考价值。为了明确素毒蛾在其原始宿主芦苇和外来新宿主互花米草上的生活史动态, 我们在上海崇明长江口盐沼湿地中, 对素毒蛾在芦苇和互花米草生境中的发生情况进行了系统调查。结果显示, 虽然素毒蛾在芦苇和互花米草上均一年发生3代, 并都以幼虫越冬, 但在互花米草生境中, 越冬代幼虫开始越冬的时间要比芦苇中晚20 d左右, 其他世代中的多个虫态在互花米草上持续出现的时间也比芦苇上延迟了约10 d。这些结果表明, 互花米草入侵后素毒蛾在外来植物上出现的持续时间虽然发生了延长, 但其年世代数未变化。我们推测素毒蛾在互花米草和芦苇上生长发育规律的差异可能受生境的资源可利用性及两种植物的营养与防御水平调控。     

棉田棉铃虫寄生峰对常规棉及转Bt棉品种的趋性反应

连续4年采用人工定期释放棉铃虫卵、幼虫和定期回收法,研究了不同棉花品种与棉铃虫卵期、幼虫期寄生蜂种群数量变化的关系.通过对卵、幼虫寄生率反正弦转换后进行方差分析表明,无论是在棉铃虫卵期还是在其幼虫期,转基因棉田中棉铃虫卵和幼虫的被寄生率始终显著低于其亲本对照棉.运用“Y”型嗅觉仪测定转基因棉及其亲本对照棉对棉铃虫幼虫寄生蜂———中红侧沟茧蜂的选择性行为反应,用成对数据进行方差分析,并进行了“T”测验.结果表明,转基因棉对棉铃虫寄生蜂有较强的忌避反应,且取食转基因棉的棉铃虫幼虫与被害转基因棉两者的共同组合与单独被害棉之间对寄生蜂的忌避效应基本一致.     

蜡螟-单梗着色霉Fonsecaea monophora感染模型的构建及其血淋巴功能的变化

暗色真菌单梗着色霉Fonsecaea monophora侵犯皮肤及皮下组织,引起着色芽生菌病;其所引起的皮肤疣状改变或溃疡严重影响患者生活质量,重者可致残甚至发生癌变。近年来,无脊椎动物构建感染模型逐渐兴起,应用范围逐渐扩大。本研究利用蜡螟成功构建了F. monophora体内感染的动物模型,绘制了被感染蜡螟幼虫的生存曲线,观察记录了感染过程中蜡螟幼虫体表及体腔内的变化情况。在此基础上,进一步探索蜡螟幼虫对F. monophora的免疫防御应答,初步研究发现由病原体感染所诱发的血淋巴改变具有一定的抑真菌性,可抑制白念珠菌的生长。     

Oviposition Behavior and Conspecific Host Discrimination in Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a Fruit Fly Parasitoid

We studied conspecific host discrimination and oviposition behavior of Diaschasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead), in third instar Anastrepha ludens (Loew) under laboratory conditions. The complete process of oviposition in D. longicaudata required an average of 29±11.7 s (Mean±SE), during which time the female remained completely immobile. This contrasts with attempts to oviposit for lesser durations (2-4 s), during which the female constantly moved her antennae and abdomen. In order to determine the host discrimination ability of this species (i.e., the capacity to distinguish between parasitized and non-parasitized hosts), third-instar A. ludens non-parasitized or parasitized 24 h earlier, were exposed simultaneously to individual female wasps with or without previous oviposition experience. An identical test was performed using larvae parasitized 48 h earlier. Both types of females showed a similar behavioral pattern of oviposition, but with significant differences in the number of eggs laid in parasitized and non-parasitized larvae. Experienced females showed reduced incidence of oviposition in parasitized larvae as well as a greater number of probes that did not lead to parasitism (rejection), although this difference was only significant in the 24-h test. This suggests that the host discrimination capacity of this parasitoid is innate and that previous oviposition experience increases the discrimination ability of females.     

气候变暖背景下青藏高原草本植物物候变化空间换时间预测

气候变暖背景下的植物物候变化广受关注, 然而常用的植物物候变化预测模型未充分考虑植物对环境的适应性, 给预测结果带来了较大的不确定性。该文基于2002-2011年青藏高原10个站点的地面物候观测资料以及年平均气温数据, 对空间换时间模型预测车前(Plantago asiatica)和蒲公英(Taraxacum mongolicum)各主要物候事件(展叶始期、开花始期和黄枯普遍期)变化的可行性及其在升温背景下的变化规律进行了分析。首先利用不同海拔高度的气温和物候事件分别与地理因子(经度、纬度和海拔)建立多元线性回归模型, 然后在此基础上剔除经度和纬度的影响, 单独考察海拔变化所引起的气温与植物物候变化, 最后以海拔高度作为桥梁来考察物候变化与温度变化的关系。结果表明, 采用各站点对应的海拔高度来模拟年平均气温空间差异的R²均大于0.89, 表明海拔梯度可以用来反映时间尺度下的年际温度变化; 车前和蒲公英各物候事件发生日期拟合值均与海拔高度变化关系显著, R²均大于0.70, 表明海拔变化是影响它们各物候事件变化的主要地理因子; 在物候事件发生日期拟合值和年平均气温拟合值的回归方程中, R²均大于0.93, 说明基于不同海拔高度模拟得到的年平均气温变化可以对时间尺度上车前和蒲公英的物候事件变化进行预测。空间换时间预测表明, 温度每升高1 ℃, 车前展叶始期和开花始期分别提前5.1和5.4 d, 而黄枯普遍期推迟4.8 d; 蒲公英展叶始期和开花始期分别提前6.5和7.8 d, 而黄枯普遍期推迟6.7 d。     

The effects of larval abundance, settlement and juvenile mortality on the depth distribution of a colonial ascidian

The colonial ascidian Didemnum candidum (Savigny) is more abundant at shallow depths on floating docks than at greater depths along pilings in Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii. To compare the effects of selective settlement and postsettlement mortality on adult distribution, I determined if settlement was nonrandom relative to depth, if differences in adult abundance were responsible for the depth distribution of settlement, and if juvenile mortality varied with depth. A plankton pump was used to measure variation in larval abundance with depth. Acrylic settling plates were suspended at different depths and sampled nondestructively to measure settlement intensity and juvenile mortality. Settlement and mortality of the didemnid ascidians Diplosoma listerianum Milne-Edwards and Diplosoma sp. were also measured in the field and compared to that of D. candidum. Settlement of D. candidum was indeed nonrandom over depth. Both planktonic larvae and settled juvenils were more numerous at 0.5 than 3 or m. Settlement intensity on vertical plates was greatest within 1–2 cm of the water surface in the laboratory and within 2–3 cm in the field. Directly adjacent to the floating dock, where adults were equally abundant, settlement on horizontal plates was greater at shallow depths, suggesting directed movement of larvae upward. However, the ratio of settled juveniles to planktonic larvae (number of settlers: number of larvae) did not significantly differ with depth, suggesting that larvae were not more likely to settle at a particular depth. Settlement of the Diplosoma species was also heaviest near the surface. Juvenile mortality was greater at 0.5 than at 3 or 6 m for both D. candidum and the Diplosoma species. Experimental settlement showed that mortality, per se, of D. candidum was independent of depth. Rather, mortality was density-dependent, and the higher mortality near the surface was due to the greater number of larvae settling there. At this location, nonrandom settlement appears to determine the adult distribution of D. candidum, despite greater juvenile mortality at shallow depths. The pattern of settlement over depth is largely determined by adult proximity, rather than active larval behavior.     

Protists and detrital particles as prey for the first larval stage of the brachyuran crab, Hemigrapsus oregonensis

Newly-hatched larvae of the brachyuran crab, Hemigrapsus oregonensis, were raised in the laboratory on an autotrophic dinoflagellate (Prorocentrum micans), a heterotrophic dinoflagellate (Noctiluca milaris), a green alga (Dunaliella tertiolecta), an unfed control, and a fed control of Artemia sp. nauplii. Larvae also were fed preparations of seagrass detritus that had been cultured both to promote microbial colonization and to discourage it. Detrital diets were used both alone and in combination with sub-optimal applications of Artemia sp. nauplii. Larvae raised on P. micans showed survival to zoeal stage II equal to those raised on the Artemia sp. nauplii control, although development was delayed. Larvae raised on N. milaris showed substantial (34.7%) survival to zoeal stage II; however survival was lower and development slower than for Artemia sp. nauplii-fed larvae. Survival on D. tertiolecta was less than 3%. Larvae fed microbially-enriched detritus showed a delay in mortality as compared to unfed controls. No larvae fed solely on detritus survived to zoeal stage II. When larvae were fed a sub-optimal diet of Artemia nauplii, supplemented by detrital particles, survival to zoeal stage II increased, although not to the level shown by Artemia-fed larvae in optimal application. Development was not accelerated over the sub-optimal diet in either treatment. The potential for larval crabs to utilize a wide variety of potential prey immediately upon hatching is significant given their susceptibility to early starvation. Such omnivory also suggests a trophic link between carbon sources of the microbial loop and crab larvae.     

Predicting phenology shifts of herbaceous plants on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau under climate warming with the space-for-time method

气候变暖背景下的植物物候变化广受关注, 然而常用的植物物候变化预测模型未充分考虑植物对环境的适应性, 给预测结果带来了较大的不确定性。该文基于2002-2011年青藏高原10个站点的地面物候观测资料以及年平均气温数据, 对空间换时间模型预测车前(Plantago asiatica)和蒲公英(Taraxacum mongolicum)各主要物候事件(展叶始期、开花始期和黄枯普遍期)变化的可行性及其在升温背景下的变化规律进行了分析。首先利用不同海拔高度的气温和物候事件分别与地理因子(经度、纬度和海拔)建立多元线性回归模型, 然后在此基础上剔除经度和纬度的影响, 单独考察海拔变化所引起的气温与植物物候变化, 最后以海拔高度作为桥梁来考察物候变化与温度变化的关系。结果表明, 采用各站点对应的海拔高度来模拟年平均气温空间差异的R²均大于0.89, 表明海拔梯度可以用来反映时间尺度下的年际温度变化; 车前和蒲公英各物候事件发生日期拟合值均与海拔高度变化关系显著, R²均大于0.70, 表明海拔变化是影响它们各物候事件变化的主要地理因子; 在物候事件发生日期拟合值和年平均气温拟合值的回归方程中, R²均大于0.93, 说明基于不同海拔高度模拟得到的年平均气温变化可以对时间尺度上车前和蒲公英的物候事件变化进行预测。空间换时间预测表明, 温度每升高1 ℃, 车前展叶始期和开花始期分别提前5.1和5.4 d, 而黄枯普遍期推迟4.8 d; 蒲公英展叶始期和开花始期分别提前6.5和7.8 d, 而黄枯普遍期推迟6.7 d。     

Abundance of potentially pathogenic micro-organisms in Penaeus monodon larvae rearing systems in India

Monodon baculovirus (MBV), external fouling organisms (EFO) and bacteria (especially Vibrio species) were monitored during 1996–1997 at nine different Penaeus monodon rearing hatcheries in India. Total cultivable heterotrophic bacteria, Vibrio-like-bacteria, presumptive Vibrio harveyi, Vibrio anguillarum, Vibrio vulnificus counts were determined from shrimp eggs, post larvae, rearing tank water, source sea water, feed (Artemia nauplii and microencapsulated feed). The MBV infected post larvae and their environment showed higher Vibrio-like-bacteria than uninfected post larvae. An over-whelming predominance of presumptive Vibrio harveyi and Vibrio anguillarum was observed in post larval rearing tank water, MBV infected and uninfected post larvae. Vibrio-like-bacteria in Artemia nauplii clearly showed the possible source of these pathogenic bacteria in the hatchery environments. Quantitative analysis of Vibrio-like-bacteria in hatcheries revealed that when the Vibrio-like-bacteria increases to 2 × 10² CFU mortality of the post larvae occurs. Abundance of these micro-organisms in hatchery samples indicated that they are opportunistic pathogens which can invade the shrimp tissue, subsequently cause disease when the post larvae were under stressful conditions.     

Egg limitation and the functional response of the parasitoid Campoletis grioti (Hym: Ichneumonidae)

The hypothesis that mature egg availability during a parasitoid's lifetime affects the functional response, as well as a parasitoid's handling time and searching efficiency, was tested. Campoletis grioti Blanchard (Hym: Ichneumonidae) female parasitoids and Spodoptera frugiperda Smith (Lep: Noctuidae) host larvae were used as an example. Each female of C. grioti was confined with different host densities (6, 10, 30, 50, 80, 120 and 160 larvae/day) of first and second S. frugiperda instars until the female died. We found that C. grioti showed a type II functional response, with a reduction in the number of parasitized hosts in relation to female ageing. Handling time and searching efficiency increased over time. When we standardized the data simulating unlimited egg supply, the functional response, handling time and searching efficiency became constant throughout the parasitoid's life. We discuss the relationship between egg availability and functional response and its associated parameters, and its consequence on biological control programs.     

Attack, escape and predation rates of larvae of two aphidophagous ladybirds during conspecific and heterospecific interactions

The attack, escape and predation rates for larvae of aphidophagous ladybird Propylea dissecta (Mulsant) and Coccinella transversalis Fabricius were quantified as a potential mechanism leading to the differences in the incidence of cannibalism and intraguild predation. These rates were compared at four larval instars within and between the species. The attack rates of larvae of C. transversalis were significantly higher than those of P. dissecta towards conspecific and heterospecific victims. For both species, third instars exhibited maximum tendency to attack. Escape rates in C. transversalis were higher than P. dissecta. In P. dissecta, the second instars made a greater number of escapes than other conspecific instars after being attacked by same stage cannibal or heterospecific predator. In P. dissecta, first instars suffered maximum mortality due to cannibalism and intraguild predation by conspecifics and heterospecifics of the same and older developmental stage. No larvae of C. transversalis were eaten by P. dissecta of the same stage. These results suggest that the larvae of P. dissecta were more often potential cannibals than intraguild predators, while the reverse was the case in C. transversalis. Based on this finding, it could be predicted that in patchy prey habitats, high rates of larval cannibalism in P. dissecta would occur with a high risk of cannibalism of first instars. Larvae of C. transversalis would respond as intraguild predators, while those of P. dissecta as intraguild prey. The greater size and walking activity of C. transversalis could be possible reason for this tendency.     

Effects of Tolypocladium cylindrosporum and its secondary metabolites, efrapeptins, on the immune system of Galleria mellonella larvae

Interactions between Tolypocladium cylindrosporum (Deuteromycetes), its metabolite, efrapeptins, and the insect immune defense were investigated in vivo and in vitro. In the different phagocytosis studies, Bacillus cereus spores which had been labelled with fluorescein-isothiocyanate (FITC) were used. In vitro studies showed that efrapeptins inhibit phagocytic activity of Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) haemocytes. The response was dose-related. Efrapeptins significantly reduced the number of nodules formed in response to an injection of zymosan supernatant. Phenoloxidase (PO) activation system contained in haemocyte lysate (HLS) was not affected by efrapeptins. In vivo studies when larvae were injected with efrapeptins also revealed that efrapeptins did not affect PO activities and total haemocyte count (THC) after 1 and 6 h post-injection. However, 12 h post-injection there was a significant inhibition of PO activities in HLS. There was also no significant reduction of PO activities and THC when larvae were injected with Tolypocladium cylindrosporum spores until 24 h post-injection. However, PO activities were suppressed and THC reduced 48 h post-treatment of larvae with spores. This study suggests that efrapeptins may interfere with the ligand-receptor interactions that are likely to occur at the plasma membrane of specific haemocytes.     

蝙蝠蛾幼虫感染粉棒束孢后的病症、组织病理变化及侵入途径

蝙蝠蛾幼虫的饲养是冬虫夏草培植的先决条件,粉棒束孢作为蝙蝠蛾幼虫饲养过程中的一种常见和主要致病菌,具有极强的致病性和流行性。结合形态学观察和组织切片技术,本文研究了蝙蝠蛾幼虫感染病原菌粉棒束孢后的症状、主要组织病理变化及粉棒束孢侵染蝙蝠蛾幼虫的途径。结果表明,用浓度为1×10⁵个/mL的粉棒束孢分生孢子悬液处理蝙蝠蛾5龄幼虫,4d后在腹部气门处有黑斑出现,气门变黑,虫体随后瘫痪死亡、体色改变、收缩化僵、菌丝层包裹、形成众多孢梗束等症状。幼虫被粉棒束孢感染后,菌丝体首先利用血淋巴进行增殖,脂肪体、肌肉、消化道、丝腺和马氏管等主要组织器官先后出现不同程度的破坏,虫体体腔被大量菌丝充斥并最终僵化。组织切片观察结果表明,粉棒束孢可以通过气门侵入蝙蝠蛾幼虫体内并造成虫体死亡,菌丝穿透气管进入血淋巴后断裂成许多长短不一的短菌丝段,目前尚未观察到菌丝直接穿透幼虫体壁和从消化道侵入的现象。本研究为蝙蝠蛾幼虫饲养过程中的病害防治提供信息参考。     

Dendrosoter protuberans (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), An Important Elm Bark Beetle Parasitoid

The most favourable period for Dendrosoter protuberans development occurred when wasps were introduced 16 days after the beginning of Scolytus multistriatus development (the greatest number of emerged wasps per a single parasitoid female with a very positive sexual index and high percentage of parasitised elm bark beetle larvae). No significant differences were observed in parasitoid efficiency between the 11^th and the 21^st day. The most unfavourable period for elm bark beetle parasitisation was six days after the beginning of S. multistriatus development (a low reproduction of D. protuberans, a negative sexual index and a low number of destroyed S. multistriatus larvae). The reproduction of both the elm bark beetle and D. protuberans was greater in the first, than in the second generation. The developmental period of D. protuberans in the first generation was approximately two days longer than in the second generation. Furthermore, the development of females was 1-2 days longer than the development of males. D. protuberans developed most successfully on S. multistriatus (the most abundant parasitoid reproduction with the longest developmental period and a very positive sexual index that resulted in a high percentage of parasitised larvae) and then on S. ensifer, S. pygmaeus and Pteleobius kraatzi. On the other hand, S. scolytus larvae were the poorest host of all elm species - the reproduction of D. protuberans in this species was the scarcest with the shortest period of development and a negative sexual index, hence larval parasitisation was the lowest.     

蝙蝠蛾幼虫肠道中的冬虫夏草菌体研究

西藏林芝地区冬虫夏草天然产区野生虫草蝙蝠蛾幼虫的肠道液pH范围为9.69-10.99,体外在此pH下培养冬虫夏草菌长势较差。同时,在该pH的体外模拟中肠液中,虫菌体也会在极短的时间内消亡,而对自然侵染的蝙蝠蛾幼虫的血淋巴、消化道及其“反吐物”（肠液）进行切片和显微镜检却发现,蝙蝠蛾幼虫消化道、呕吐物中均存在与血淋巴中相同的冬虫夏草菌菌体形态,生存状态良好,正常增殖,表明蝙蝠蛾幼虫肠道的生理状态可以维系并支撑冬虫夏草菌菌体某种形态的存在与生长,并证实冬虫夏草菌由口器及消化道入侵蝙蝠蛾幼虫的可能性;肠道虫菌体与血淋巴虫菌体不一定同时存在,表明冬虫夏草菌对蝙蝠蛾幼虫的侵染可能同时存在表皮侵染和肠道侵染两种途径。本文为冬虫夏草菌对蝙蝠蛾幼虫的侵染途径研究提供更加多样化的信息支持。     

丛枝菌根真菌定殖银中杨对舞毒蛾幼虫食物利用及适应性的影响

丛枝菌根真菌可提高寄主植物的抗虫性,但在林木方面的研究较少。为探明丛枝菌根真菌对林木的抗虫机制,以银中杨Populus alba × P. berolinensis为研究对象,分别进行摩西斗管囊霉Funneliformis mosseae (FM)、根内根孢囊霉Rhizophagus intraradices (RI)接种处理,以不接种处理为对照,比较两种丛枝菌根真菌定殖银中杨对舞毒蛾Lymantria dispar幼虫食物利用及适应性的影响。结果显示,FM处理可显著降低(P<0.05) 3-5龄幼虫的取食量、食物转化率和3-4龄幼虫食物利用率,且显著抑制(P<0.05) 4龄幼虫酸性磷酸酶(ACP)、羧酸酯酶(CarE)和谷胱甘肽S-转移酶(GSTs)活性及5龄幼虫淀粉酶、脂肪酶、胰蛋白酶和ACP活性。而RI处理可显著降低(P<0.05) 3-5龄幼虫的食物消耗率,显著抑制(P<0.05) 4龄幼虫CarE、GSTs和超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性及5龄幼虫ACP、GSTs和SOD活性。结论认为,FM和RI定殖均能在一定程度上诱导银中杨产生抗虫性,但综合来看FM比RI定殖银中杨产生的抗虫性更强。     

The Compatibility of Control Agents used for the Control of the South American Leafminer, Liriomyza huidobrensis

The compatibility of infective juveniles (IJs) of the entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema feltiae, the parasitic wasps Diglyphus isaea and Dacnusa sibirica, and chemical insecticides to control larval stages of the South American leafminer, Liriomyza huidobrensis, on leafy salad crops was investigated. In intact leaf mines, leafminer larvae already parasitized by D. isaea which had developed to the larval or pupal stage, and D. sibirica in the larval stage were subsequently also infected by S. feltiae following a foliar application. This reduced the potential of the wasps to survive until the adult stage. In similar tests foliar applied chemical insecticides reduced the survival to adulthood of D. sibirica and their host larvae. However, a soil drench of imidaclorpid did not cause a significant reduction in the number of D. sibirica which survived the treatment and developed to adult emergence. Tests to investigate the utilisation of parasitoids following foliar applications of nematodes found that adult D. isaea did not discriminate between the healthy and nematode-infected leafminer larvae for host feeding, although 98% of eggs laid by the female wasps were deposited alongside healthy larvae.