Description ofAnaphes lemae n. sp. and notes onPatasson declinata Soyka [Hym., Mymaridae]

The autor describes a new species,Anaphes lemae, reared fromOulema (Lema) spp in France, Yugoslavia, and Poland and shows a misidentification ofPatasson valkenburgica Soyka. He points out the existence ofPatasson declinata Soyka in Poland and the Netherlands.     

The biology ofLophyroplectus luteator [Hym.: Ichneumonidae] onNeodiprion sertifer [Hym.: Diprionidae] in Ontario

Adult femaleLophyroplectus luteator (Thunb.) oviposit in all feeding stages ofNeodiprion sertifer (Geoff.), although they prefer the smallest of any larvae present at a given time. Females tend to distribute eggs contagiously both within and between host feeding colonies. Eclosion of eggs does not occur until after the host has spun its cocoon. Larval development then requires approximately 1 month in the laboratory. There is an obligatory eonymphal diapause which requires a minimum of 60–80 days at 2°C to fulfil, and post-diapause development requires 3–4 weeks.     

Parasites ofSpodoptera exigua,S. eridania [Lep.: Noctuidae] andHerpetogramma bipunctalis [Lep.: Pyralidae] collected fromAmaranthus hybridus in field corn

Three species of lepidopterous larvae were collected fromAmaranthus hybridus L. growing in field corn during 1975 and 1976 at Hastings, Florida.Spodoptera exigua (Hubner) was the predominant species in May.Spodoptera eridania (Cramer) was predominant in June andHerpetogramma bipunctalis (F.) in July and August. Nine native species of parasites, representing theBraconidae, Eulophidae, Ichneumonidae andTachinidae, emerged from these larvae.Meteorus autographae Muesebeck emerged from bothS. exigua andS. eridania. TheTachinidae, Winthemia rufopicta (Bigot),Eucelatori rubentis (Coquillett) andLespensia sp., emerged from mixtures ofS. exigua andS. eridania. Apanteles marginiventris (Cresson),Temelucha sp., andChelonus texanus Cresson emerged from bothS. exigua andH. bipunctalis larvae, andEuplectrus platyhypenae Howard andOphion sp. emerged fromS. eridania. All the species of parasites from the lepidopterous larvae that feed onAmaranthus hybridus are also reported as parasites ofS. frugiperda, a serious pest of corn. Therefore these larvae onA. hybridus may be a source of the parasites found attackingS. frugiperda.     

New fig insects [Hym.: Chalcidoidea] from India: Three torymids parasitic on agaonids

Two new species of fig wasps (Sycoscapter punctatus Abdurahiman & Joseph andSycobiella amplissima Abdurahiman & Joseph) parasitic onManiella delhiensis Abdurahiman & Joseph fromFicus amplissima Smith, and the female of a known species (Philotrypesis anguliceps Westwood) parasitic onBlastophaga quadraticeps Mayr fromFicus religiosa L. are described.     

Indian species of the genusMirufens [Hym.: Trichogrammatidae]

An account is given of 4 new species ofMirufens Girault:M. brevifuniculata Khan & Shafee, M.albiscutellum Khan & Shafee,M. magniclavata Khan & Shafee andM. longiclavata Khan & Shafee. A key to Indian species of the genusMirufens is also provided.     

Interactions betweenPleolophus basizonus andLophyroplectus luteator [Hym.: Ichneumonidae], two parasites ofNeodiprion sertifer [Hym.: Diprionidae]

Females ofPleolophus basizonus (Gray.) show a very strong avoidance of cocoonedNeodiprion sertifer (Geoff.) prepupae in which there are eggs, larvae or prepupae ofLophyroplectus luteator (Thunb.). When multiparasitism does occurP. basizonus is the successful competitor but adults are much smaller than those from hosts that were not multiparasitized.     

Geographical distribution ofAphidiidae [Hym.] imported to California for biological control ofAcyrthosiphon kondoi andAcyrthosiphon pisum [Hom.: Aphididae]

A survey forAcyrthosiphon kondoi Shinji and its insect enemies was conducted in 1976–1977 in Afghanistan, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Iran, Israel and Maroc. The search was concentrated in areas having cultivated species ofMedicago. A. kondoi was found only in Afghanistan, and in Iran. It was not found inMedicago-growing areas west from Iran, but it has been reported from India and Japan. Aphidius ervi Haliday,Aphidius urticae group,Praon barbatum Mackauer andAphidius smithi Sharma & Rao, were reared fromA. kondoi constituting new parasite records. New parasite and locality records were also found forA. urticae group,A. smithi andP. barbatum onAcyrthosiphum pisum (Harris). In laboratory trials, all cultures of parasitesA. ervi andP. barbatum readily parasitized and reproduced onA. kondoi onLens esculenta Moench. Cultures ofA. urticae group andA. smithi oviposited on, but did not complete development of immatures in,A. kondoi onL. esculenta. Hyperparasites identified as species includedAsaphes suspensus (Nees),Asaphes vulgaris Walker,Aphidencyrtus aphidivorus (Mayr),Dendrocerus breadalbimensis (Kieffer),Dendrocerus carpenteri (Curtis), andPachyneuron aphidis (Bouche). Available data suggest the origin of distribution ofA. kondoi may be Central Asia, and that populations ofA. ervi may be most suitable for colonization programs againstA. kondoi.     

Parasitism ofPhthorimaea operculella [Lep.: Gelechiidae] larvae in Queensland

Parasitism ofPhthorimaea operculella (Zeller) larvae on potato foliage was examined intensively in the Lockyer Valley, south-eastern Queensland from 1975–78 and extensively from other hosts and areas of Queensland. The % parasitism in the Lockyer Valley exceeded 50% in 29 of the 36 collections. The parasite species were dominated by the introducedCopidosoma desantisi Annecke & Mynhardt (Encyrtidae) andOrgilus lepidus Muesebeck (Braconidae) which together accounted for 92.6% of parasite numbers recorded. In more northern areas of Queensland, the dominant parasite species found was the introducedApanteles subandinus Blanchard (Braconidae). Other hymenopterous parasites found wereMicrochelonus curvimaculatus Cameron (Braconidae), Elasmus funereus Riek (Elasmidae) andTemelucha minuta (Morley) (Ichneumonidae).     

Biological control ofMythimna separata [Lep.: noctuidae] in New Zealand and its bearing on biological control strategy

A survey of parasites ofAgrotis spp. was carried out in Pakistan to find promising species for trial against noctuids especiallyAgrotis spp. andMythimna separata (Walker) in New Zealand. The parasites recorded wereApanteles ruficrus Haliday,Macrocentrus collaris Spinola,Periscepsia carbonaria Panzer,Turanogonia smirnovi,Rohdain,Ctenichneumon panzeri Wesmael andAnthrax sp. All exceptAnthrax sp. were supplied to New Zealand whereA. ruficrus andM. collaris were released in large numbers.A. ruficrus became established and is giving excellent control ofM. separata resulting in enormous economic gains. Recently it has also been recovered fromAgrotis spp. This example of biological control is significant in thatM. separata has been controlled by a parasite that was previously known from it in New Zealand. The specific status of the “A. ruficrus” already present in New Zealand requires investigation.     

A review of haliday species ofMicroctonus [Hym.: Braconidae,Euphorinae]

A neotype based on aWesmael specimen is designated forMicroctonus aethiops (Nees).M. aethiops of authors is described asaethiopoides, new species. Lectotypes are designated forM. secalis (Haliday) andcerealium (Haliday). The namecerealium is suppressed as a synonym of the namesecalis and the types ofsecalis andbrevicollis (Haliday) are redescribed.     

Survey and distribution ofCybocephalidae [Coleoptera] in Israel

Nine species ofCybocephalus were found in a survey conducted throughout Israel:C. micans (Reitter),C. nigriceps nigriceps (J. Sahiberg),C. nigriceps sinister Endrödy-Younga,C. aegyptiacus Endrödy-Younga,C. mediterraneus Endrödy-Younga,C. pullus Endrödy-Younga,C. fodori minor Endrödy-Younga,C. membranaceus (Reitter) andCybocephalus sp. n.C. micans andC.n. nigriceps are the most prevalent: the former in the Coastal Plain on citrus and the latter in the Arava region on date palms. In most cases the population density of the predator appeared to be related to that of the prey. Armoured scale insects(Homoptera: Diaspididae) were the main prey ofCybocephalus.     

Some aphid parasites [Hym., Aphidiidae] from Spain

This paper is a result of identification of aphid parasite material occasionally collected by Prof.G. Remaudière in Spain. Among the four species recognized, three are new to Spain (·) and one of them is a new species of the genusLysiphlebus (L. hispanus Starý). The host of the new species belongs to a new suggenus ofProtaphis: Absinthaphis Remaud. restricted to some steppe species ofArtemisia.     

Mechanical transmission of beet yellows virus toChenopodium quinoa Willd. andChenopodium foliosum (Moench) Asch.

Beet yellows virus (BYV) was mechanically transmitted by sap from sugar-beet plants, infected with BYV, to the plants ofChenopodium quinoa Willd. and ofChenopodium foliosum (Moench) Asch. Mechanical transmission of BYV to the plants ofTetragonia expansa Murr. failed. Infectious material was homogenized in phosphate buffer with veronal and EDTA, pH 7–8. Experimental plants were darkened three days before infection and kept at a temperature of 5°C. Plants ofC. quinoa Willd. were decapitated. Back transmissions fromC. quinoa Willd. andC. foliosum (Moench) Asch. infected with BYV, to sugar-beet plants were carried out by the aveidMyzus persicae Sulz. These transmissions were positive. Filamentous particles of BYV, of an average length 1275 nm, were found in plants ofC. quinoa Willd. andC. Foliosum (Moench) Asch., infected with BYV.     

Biology ofPyemotes parviscolyti [Acarina: Pyemotidae]

Pyemotes parviscolyti Cross & Moser is phoretic only onPityophthorus bisulcatus Eichhoff; it attacks all stages of this insect except the adult. Females, which contain little or no venom, prey on other scolytids if galleries overlap. Males copulate with females ofPyemotes ventricosus Newport and vice versa, but only males of the mother species result. Copulation withPyemotes scolyti Oudemans was not successful.     

Mortality factors of satin moth,Leucoma salicis [Lep.: Lymantriidae], in aspen forests in Maine

Natural control agents of the satin moth,Leucoma salicis (L.) were examined in 2Populus grandidentata Michaux stands. Highest mortality occurred in overwintering larvae, with the causal agents 2 fungi,Paecilomyces sp. andHirsutella gigantea Petch, a factor causing death symptomatic of a pathogen, the parasiteEupteromalis hemipterus (Walker) and death from unknown causes. Mortality fromPaecilomyces sp. andE. hemipterus was reduced where overwintering sites were covered with burlap cloth. Parasites recovered from larvae and pupae included the braconidsApanteles melanoscelus (Ratzeburg) andMeteorus versicolor (Wesmeal), the ichneumonidCoccygomimus pedalis (Cresson), the tachinidsCompsilura concinnata (Meigen),Carcelia laxifrons Villeneuve,Tachinomyia variata Curran, and the sarcophagidsSarcophaga aldrichi Parker andAgria housei Shewell. Larval and pupal predators included the carabidCalosoma frigidum Kirby, pentatomids, and birds, particularly black-billed cuckoos,Coccyzus erythrophthaimus (Wilson). Eggs were parasitized by the scelionidTelenomus prob.californicus Ashmead and the trichogrammidTrichogramma minutum (Riley). Predators of adult satin moths included the hermit thrush,Hylocichla guttata (Pallas), and pentatomid bugs.     

Effects of plant extracts on the rates of parasitization ofAnagasta kuehniella [Lep.: Pyralidae] eggs byTrichogramma pretiosum [Hym.: Trichogrammatidae] under greenhouse conditions

In the greenhouse, rates of parasitization ofAnagasta kuehniella (Zeller) eggs byTrichogramma pretiosum (Riley) were significantly increased when treated with water extracts of the weed,Amaranthus retroflexus L.: 1) Parasitization rates appeared to be dose dependent with greatest percentage parasitization obtained fromVicia faba L. plants sprayed with 2.5 ml of the extract, 2) Parasitization rates increased with an exposure time of 24 h, and 3) Plants sprayed withA. retroflexus in mosaic patterns interspersed with 2 additional plant extracts (Chenopodium album L. andPortulaca oleracea L.) did not show a total increase of parasitization over control plants treated with water.     

Biological control of the beanfly,Ophiomyia phaseoli [Dipt.: Agromyzidae], byOpius spp. [Hym.: Braconidae] in the Hawaiian Islands

Attention is drawn to the transfer of the beanfliesMelanagromyza phaseoli (Tryon) andM. spencerella Greathead to the genusOphiomyia Braschnikov bySpencer (1973). The confusion over the nomenclature of theOpius spp. parasites is discussed and it is shown that the namesO. phaseoli Fischer andO. importatus Fischer should be used. Their introduction into Hawaii and establishment is briefly discussed in relation to their effectiveness as biological control agents. It is shown that they show a high degree of consistency of parasitism which has resulted in an acceptable degree of control ofOphiomyia phaseoli although there is no evidence that they act in a density dependent manner.     

LignicolousHyphomycetes from Czechoslovakia 5.Septonema,Hormiactella andLylea

Three genera of lignicolousHyphomycetes Septonema Corda,Hormiactella Saac. andLylea Morgan-Jones are discussed. Illustrations and determination keys are provided. Five species ofSeptonema—S. fasciculare (Corda) Hughes,S. leptaleum (Ellis & Harkn.) Hughes,S. pinicola Hol.-Jech.,S. secedens Corda andS. laricium Hol.-Jech.—and two species ofHormiactella—H. fusca (Preuss) Sacc. andH. asetosa Hol.-Jech.—have been found in Czechoslovakia. A new speciesS. pseudobinum Hol.-Jech. is described from Romania.Septonema tetracoilum (Corda Hughes is accommodated in the genusLylea Morgan-Jones.