The potential host ranges in Australia of some imported aphid parasites [Hym: Ichneumonoidea: Aphidiidae]

Host selection trials on restricted populations of the aphidiid parasites,Lysiphlebus fabarum (Marshall) andL. testaceipes (Cresson), imported into Australia as biological control agents ofAphis craccivora Koch, the cowpea aphid, have shown that these imported parasites are not widely polyphagous, and thus support a view that the 2 species, as presently recognized, each represent a complex of host-restricted biotypes or of sibling species. Whereas both of the importedLysiphlebus readily oviposited in species ofAphis andToxoptera, and developed successfully to adulthood inA. craccivora, A. gossypii Glover andT. aurantii (Boyer de Fonscolombe), they failed to complete development inA. citricola van der Goot, one of the most common aphid species in Australia, and only a small number completed development inT. citricidus (Kirkaldy). Both of these hosts, then, act as “egg traps” for theLysiphlebus. A. nerii Boyer de Fonscolombe was a suitable host forL. testaceipes but not forL. fabarum. NeitherL. fabarum notL. testaceipes oviposited inCavariella aegopodii (Scopoli),Brevicoryne brassicae (L.),Brachycaudus helichrysi (Kaltenbach),B. persicae (Passerini),Hyperomyzus lactucae (L.),Acyrthosiphon kondoi Shinji,A. pisum (Harris),Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas) orM. rosae (L.); andL. fabarum did not oviposit inRhopalosiphum padi (L.) orMyzus persicae (Sulzer). The prognosis for the effective establishment in Australia of these 2 parasites is therefore not good In contrast, another purportedly polyphagous aphidiid,Praon volucre (Haliday), imported into Australia to help effect control ofH. lactucae, the sowthistle aphid, successfully and effectively parasitizedMacrosiphum euphorbiae, M. rosae, Acyrthosiphon pisum, A. kondoi, Aulacorthum solani (Kaltenbach),Myzus persicae andAphis craccivora, in addition toH. lactucae.     

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.     

Epizootics of Entomophthora aulicae in lepidopterous pests of sorghum

Entomophthora aulicae caused 48–100% mortality in Heliothis zea larvae collected from sorghum August 24–September 6, 1978, in Tift County, Georgia. The same fungus also caused 74 and 95% mortality in Celama sorghiella larvae and 19 and 40% mortality in Spodoptera frugiperda larvae collected from sorghum August 30 and September 6 in the same area. Only 2 of 94 H. virescens larvae collected from a nearby patch of pigeon peas were killed by the fungus. This is the first report of epizootics caused by E. aulicae in pests of field crops in the southeastern United States.     

Prédateurs et parasites d'Aphytis [Hym., Aphelinidae]

Summary Very few predators and parasites ofAphytis have been recorded. Among predators, only Coccinellids preying on Diaspine scale insects have been mentioned as damaging to the preimaginal stages ofAphytis on occasion, and a single case of a mitePyemotidae has been known to have destroyed the pupae. As to the parasites known, they are accidental and rare. There are cases where only the male lives as a parasite onAphytis, the female developing normally as a primary parasite onAphytis hosts. Two species harmful toAphytis have been found in Lebanon:Pyemotes herfsi Oudemans (Acarina, Pyemotidae) andApterencyrtus adeli n. sp. (Hymenoptera, Encyrtidae). P. herfsi is a polyphagous predator, and its increase in number might constitute a threat to theAphytis in the field and the insectary.A. adeli is the only example known so far of a true hyperparasite whose males and females develop onAphytis. It has been found abundantly on larvae ofAphytis mytilaspidis as well as on many other hosts.

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Extrait d'une thèse de Doctorat de troisième cycle (biologie animale) soutenue à la Faculté des Sciences de l'Université de Paris le 2 avril 1968.     

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.     

Resistance of kale populations to lepidopterous pests in northwestern Spain

Kale (Brassica oleracea L. acephala) is common in northwestern Spain where it is severely damaged by different insect pests. Damage could be reduced by using resistant varieties. The objectives of this work were to evaluate the resistance of kale populations to leaf damage by lepidopterous pests, to determine which traits are the best indicators of resistance, and finally to study the relationship between the glossy phenotype and resistance. Fifteen kale populations, sowed early and late, were evaluated at two locations in northwestern Spain. Significant differences among genotypes were found for all damage traits. Damage was not related to planting dates. Highest levels of damage were observed from July to November. Some populations with different performance under natural infestation in 1999 were again evaluated in 2000 under artificial infestation with Mamestra brassicae (L.) eggs. Two accessions, MBC-BRS0142 and MBG-BRS0170, showed resistance to attack by lepidopterous pests. Correlation coefficients among damage traits show that general appearance rating may be an useful indicator of resistance. Phenotype of kale with glossy leaves seems to be related to resistance although further research is needed.     

Parasitization of 6 lepidopteran cotton pests byChelonus blackburni [Hym.: Braconidae]

When eggs of 6 species of lepidopteran cotton pests were offered toChelonus blackburni Cameron, all were parasitized except those of the saltmarsh caterpillar,Estigmene acrea (Drury). However, the parasite did not distinguish between parasitized and unparasitized eggs, so superparasitization was common. Of the 5 accepted species (pink bollworm,Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), cotton bollworm,Heliothis zea (Boddie), tobacco budworm,Heliothis virescens (F.), cabbage looper,Trichoplusia ni (Hübner), and beet armyworm,Spodoptera exigua (Hübner), pink bollworms and cotton bollworms were the most suitable hosts. When all 5 species were offered, the order of preference was as follows: pink bollworms = cabbage loopers > cotton bollworms > tobacco budworms > beet armyworms. In paired preference tests the parasite consistently preferred pink bollworms.     

Seasonality in the occurrence of two lepidopterous olive pests in Egypt

Abstract Prays oleae Bern, (OM) and Palpita unionalis Hüb., (JM) are two of the most important pests in olive groves in Egypt. A 3‐year monitoring study using sex pheromone traps in semi‐arid and arid olive groves was performed. In the semi‐arid grove, flight pattern of the OM was the same as in other Mediterranean countries, but in dates concordating plant phenology. The moth completes three generations annually: the first flight is in March to April, the second is in May to June and the third occurs in August to October. In the arid olive grove, an interesting flight pattern was observed. First flight was always very close or overlapped with the second one with no male catches during August to October. However, eggs were present most of the season, indicating unusually high female presence and oviposition activity of the OM during the absence of males in the traps. Generally, moth densities were significantly lower in low fruiting years than in higher ones and were also lower in the arid olive grove than in the semi‐arid one. In contrast, JM males were present all season, exhibiting six to seven and three to four overlapping flight peaks in arid and semi‐arid olive groves, respectively. Moth densities were significantly higher in the arid olive grove than those in the semi‐arid one. This study shows that trapping location and fruit bearing year are characteristics that strongly affect the grove‐specific information needed to estimate correctly adult emergence and thus the timing of control measures.     

Varietal differences in the susceptibility of Brussels sprouts to lepidopterous pests

The attack by cabbage caterpillars on open-pollinated cultivars of Brussels sprouts at Wellesbourne was recorded approximately weekly from July to October in 1973 and 1974. The red-foliaged cv. Rubine was much less attacked by Pieris rapae than any of the twenty-five green-foliaged cultivars tested, the least attacked of which were The Aristocrat, Continuity, Evergreen and Pride of the Market. Rubine also showed some resistance to attack by Mamestra brassicae and Evergestis forficialis, as did The Aristocrat. Continuity, though as resistant as any of the cultivars to E. forficialis, was not resistant to M. brassicae. No evidence of antibiosis was found and resistance, based on non-preference, is considered to result from ovipositing P. rapae adults discriminating against the red colour of Rubine and against the leaf composition (relative volatile content) of the green-foliaged resistants. This could also apply with M. brassicae and E. forficialis.     

A new genus and several new species of Aphid parasites [Hym. Aphidiidae]

Zusammenfassung Die Arbeit enth?lt die Beschreibung der neuen GattungChaetopauesia und von fünf neuen Arten von Blattlausparasiten der FamilieAphidiidae: Areopraon antiquum n. sp., einem Parasiten der BlattlausgattungMindarus Koch (Thelaxidae);Praon caricicola n. sp.,Trioxys curvicaudus n. sp. undTrioxys iziphyae n. sp., welche s?mtlich parasitisch bei Vertretern der FamilieCallaphididae leben; undChaetopauesia talis n. sp., deren Wirt unbekannt ist.      

Gustation and foodplant selection in some lepidopterous larvae

The majority of the chemoreceptory cells, which are located in the sensilla styloconica on the maxillae, have been characterized in two oligophagous caterpillars. Besides the sugar and salt receptors M. sexta has a cell, which is stimulated by some alkaloids, a cell sensitive to some glycosides and two inositol sensitive cells. P. brassicae has, besides a sugar and a salt cell two cells sensitive to mustard oil glucosides (differing in their sensitivity patterns), one cell sensitive to amino acids and another one to anthocyanins. In M. sexta, the sensitivity of some cells to their specific stimuli can be reduced by adding these specific compounds to its food. Modifications of food selection behaviour can be correlated with such induced receptor changes. The consequences of these observations are discussed in relation with food conditioning phenomena.

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Résumé La plupart des récepteurs gustatifs, localisés dans des sensilla styloconica sur les maxilles, ont été caractérisés dans deux espèces de chenilles oligophages. En dehors des récepteurs pour le sucre et les sels, Manduca sexta a une cellule, qui est stimulée par quelques alcaloides, une autre sensible à quelques glycosides et deux cellules qui sont sensibles à l'inositol. La chenille de Pieris brassicae possède, en dehors des récepteurs pour le sucre et les sels, deux cellules qui réagissent aux glucosides des sénévols, une cellule sensible aux acides aminés et une autre aux anthocyanines. Le type de réaction induit par la sève d'une plante n'est pas seulement compliqué par des interactions inhibitrices et synergistes entre les divers composants de la séve, mais aussi par le fait que la sensibilité de certains chimiorécepteurs dépend en quelque sorte de la composition de la nourriture. Les modifications de sensibilité des récepteurs sont accompagnées par des changements du comportement dans la sélection des plantes-hôtes.

     

Competitive displacement betweenAphytis spp. [Hym. Aphelinidae] parasites of the California red scale in cyprus

In Cyprus,Aphytis chrysomphali (Mercet) andAphytis melinus DeBach are the only significant parasites of the California red scale,Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell).A. chrysomphali, presumably native, has been virtually displaced byA. melinus from the interior dry areas of the island after the importation of the latter in 1961. Presently the former parasite dominates only in some of the coastal areas with a mild and rather humid climate.Aphytis ? coheni DeBach that initially displacedA. chrysomphali in the release areas, was replaced by the latter parasite and was occasionally found in small numbers only in one location. Traces ofAphytis ?lingnanensis Compere were also found in some locations. Two otherAphytis spp., imported from California, were released and recovered but it is too early to determine their permanent establishment and significance.     

First observations on the parasitoids associated with lepidopterous pests of cotton in Burkina faso

A study was conducted in Burkina Faso from 1991 to 1994 on the parasitoids associated with the following lepidopterous pests of cotton:Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner),Earias spp.,Diparopsis watersi (Rothschild),Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval),Syllepte derogata (F.) andAnomis flava (F.). Thirty-nine primary parasitoid species and ten secondary parasitoid species were collected. The mean annual parasitism rates were lower than 20%, except forS. derogata pupae (42.9%). Maximum weekly parasitism rates could be high, with 61.5% recorded forS. derogata pupae and 32.9% forH. armigera larvae. The highest parasitism rates were found forMeteorus laphygmarum Brues (Braconidae) onH. armigera, Xanthopimpla aliena Krieger (Ichneumonidae),Brachymeria olethria (Waterston) andB. citrea (Steffan) (Chalcididae) onS. derogata, Aleiodes dedivus (Szépligeti),Dolichogenidea sp. (Braconidae) andBrachymeria feae Masi onEarias spp., an unidentified Tachinidae onA. flava andMetopius discolor Tosquinet (Ichneumonidae) onS. littoralis. Secondary parasitoids are mainly associated withApanteles spp. (Braconidae) which parasitizeS. derogata larvae. Some species of these secondary parasitoids such asNesolynx phaeosoma (Waterston),Pedobius amaurocoelus (Waterston) (Eulophidae) andAphanogmus fijiensis (Ferrière) (Ceraphronidae) may also attack certain Braconidae or Chalcididae that are primary parasitoids of other lepidopterous pests.     

A SCAR-based method for rapid identification of four major lepidopterous stored-product pests

Since Taiwan became a World Trade Organization member in 2002, large quantities of grain have been imported from different countries, and insect pests are frequently intercepted from these imported commodities in quarantine inspection. Because most insects are intercepted as immature forms, morphological identification is problematic; therefore, we developed a DNA identification method based on a sequence-characterized amplified region- polymerase chain reaction (SCAR-PCR). Three sets of multiplex SCAR-PCR mixtures, namely SCAR-I, -II, and -III, were developed with each set composed of four species-specific primer pairs derived from the genomic DNA of four major lepidopterous stored-product pests: Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton), Cadra cautella (Walker), Sitotroga cerealella Oliver, and Plodia interpunctella (Hübner). The SCAR-I amplicons of C. cephalonica, C. cautella, S. cerealella, and P. interpunctella were 205, 550, 324, 382 bp, respectively, while those of SCAR-II were 341, 565, 261, and 170 bp, and those of SCAR-III were 514, 555, 445, and 299 bp. These multiplex PCR mixtures could sensitively and unambiguously detect and identify in approximately 5 h individuals among the four lepidopterous pests intercepted in imported stored-products. In summary, the SCAR-PCR method we developed represents a rapid, sensitive and accurate technique for identifying insect species of stored products in plant quarantine operation.     

Laboratory evaluation of a carabid larva,Chlaenius bioculatus [Col.: Carabidae] as a predator of lepidopterous pests

Food preference as well as feeding efficiency studies of the carabid predator revealed that the grub of theChlaenius bioculatus Chaud preferred mostPolytella gloriosae F. larvae in both 2nd and 3rd instar.Tarache tropica Guénée was preferred least by the grub predator in both instar.T. tropica was found toxic and grubs of the predator died after consumption.

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Résumé Les préférences alimentaires, de même que l'efficacité prédatrice deChlaenius bioculatus Chaud, montrent que ce carabide prédateur préfère le plus les larves dePolytella gloriosae F. du 2^e et 3^e stade.Tarache tropica Guénée est le moins attaqué aux deux stades.T. tropica est toxique et les larves du prédateur meurent après sa consommation.

     

Measuring the host preference of parasites: An aid in evaluating biotypes ofAnagrus epos [Hym.: Mymaridae]

Populations ofAnagrus epos Girault are being imported and evaluated for the biological control of variegated grape leafhopper,Erythroneura variabilis Beamer, a newly introduced pest of grapes in central California. To distinguish different biotypes, a field test was developed that quantifies host preference.E. epos collected from geographically isolated regions of western United States and northern Mexico showed different levels of preference towards the variegated leafhopper and its close relative the grape leafhopper,Erythroneura elegantula Osborn, a native to central California. Host preference values may aid in the identification of relased biotypes using leafhopper eggs on leaves sampled from release sites.      

Development of some lepidopterous cotton pests as affected by exposure to sublethal levels of endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis for different periods

Three spore-δ-endotoxin preparations from Bacillus thuringiensis vars. kurstaki and entomocidus including a commercial biological insecticide, Thuricide, were studied with respect to their biological interactions with the lepidopterous cotton pests, Spodoptera littoralis, Spodoptera exigua, and Heliothis armigera. The biological effects of sublethal doses and the length of exposure time to low endotoxin concentrations were assessed during and after removal of toxin from the diet. Retardation in larval development, reduction in egg production of the moths, and fertility of the egg were observed together with significant reduction in pupal weight and appearance of deformities in both pupae and moth populations. The influence of exposure to sublethal toxin concentrations was also manifested in term of decreasing the adult emergence, fecundity reduction, and prolonging the generation period. In the exposed insects, the precentage of larvae that survived and succeeded to pupate increased with the decrease in the toxin concentration and with the decrease in exposure time. The reduction of the pupal weight significantly increased with the increase in either toxin concentration or the duration of exposure. The longevity of the moths was not affected by larval treatment and the data showed no clear correlation with the concentration and time of larval exposure to the toxin.     

Temperatures lethal for citrus blackfly parasites,Encarsia opulenta andE. Smithi [Hym.: Aphelinidae]

Seasonally acclimatized adult and immature parasites of the citrus blackfly (CBF),Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby, were exposed to high or low temperature extremes for 3 h periods. Death of all summer adults ofEncarsia opulenta Silvestri andE. smithi Silvestri occurred between 35° and 40°C. Within CBF hosts,E. opulenta were not able to emerge when temperatures reached between 45° and 50°C. In winter experiments adults of bothEncarsia species succumbed between −5° and −10°C. In a comparison of the 2 seasonal tests, a higher percentage ofE. smithi adults were able to survive both higher and lower temperatures thanE. opulenta, but the main interspecific difference was the ability ofE. opulenta within CBF to survive −10° to − 15°C whileE. smithi did not. Limited data forAmitus hesperidum Silvestri [Hym.: Platygasteridae] indicated that the immatures survived better at low, and not as well at high, temperatures as either species ofEncarsia. Florida Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Series # 5549.     

Oviposition behaviour of two egg parasites,Asolcus mitsukurii Ashmead andTelenomus nakagawai Watanabe [Hym., Proctotrupoidea,Scelionidae]

Résumé Parmi les parasites des œufs deNezara viridula, Asolcus mitsukurii est bisexué et manifeste un comportement d'agressivité dans les 2 sexes, tandis queTelenomus nakagawai est unisexué et non agressif. Les observations sur le comportement des 2 espèces révèlent quelques différences spécifiques dans la reconnaissance de la ponte h?te et le mode d'oviposition. Asolcus mitsukurii a bien plus d'h?tes secondaires queTelenomus nakagawai; le premier est capable de choisir des pontes beaucoup plus petites que celles deNezara viridula, tandis que le second parasite probablement, les pontes comportant un nombre d'œufs élevé, telles que celles deNezara viridula etNezara antennata. La signification écologique du comportement d'agressivité de la femelle est discutée du point de vue des relations intra- et interspécifiques. Le comportement d'agressivité chez le male du genreAsolcus semble avoir une signification écologique différente de celui des femelles.