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.     

Stimulation of oviposition and successful rearing ofTelenomus heliothidis [Hym.: Scelionidae] on nonhosts by use of a host-recognition kairomone

Through use of a recognition kairomone, the parasitoidTelenomus heliothidis Ashmead is induced to oviposit and successfully develops in nonhost eggs.T. heliothidis successfully develops in the eggs ofSpodoptera frugiperda (Smith) andPhthorimaea operculella Zeller, but fails to develop in eggs ofAnthonomus grandis Boheman. Both sexes of the parasitoid are produced from the nonhosts, and development time is the same as in a natural host such asHeliothis virescens F. The use of recognition kairomones could be of great use in artificial rearing of nongeneralist parasitoids suchT. heliothidis.     

Establishment of the exotic parasiteTetrastichus haitiensis [Hym.: Eulophidae] and recovery of a newTrichogramma [Hym.: Trichogrammatidae] from root weevil egg masses in Florida

The exotic root weevil egg parasite,Tetrastichus haitiensis Gahan, imported from Puerto Rico and released in Florida between 1969 and 1971, was found established on citrus root weevil egg masses in 1978 near Oakhill, Florida. It was also recovered there from field-collected weevil egg masses from June to August 1978 and from citrus bouquets containing egg masses placed in the grove during July and August 1978. In addition, a new species ofTrichogramma was discovered. In the laboratory, this species parasitized egg masses of 4 species of weevils that attack citrus in Florida. These areDiaprepes abbreviatus (L.),Pachnaeus litus (Germar),P. opalus (Olivier) andArtipus floridanus Horn.     

Biology ofIphiaulax kimballi [Hym.: Braconidae], a parasite ofDiatraea grandiosella [Lep.: Pyralidae]

Iphiaulax kimballi Kirkland is a gregarious ectoparasite of the mature larval stage ofDiatraea grandiosella Dyar in Mexico. The developmental rate from egg to adult is 16.3±1.0 (x±S.D.) at 29°C. The sex ratio is 1.7∶1 (♀∶♂) in the field. Following host paralysis the female deposits 63.5±2.1 eggs during der 28.6±6.4 day adult-life span; laying 4.6±3.1 eggs on each host. Females held at 10°C lived a maximum of 3 months.     

The release ofOpius concolor andO. Concolor var.Siculus [Hym.: Braconidae] against the spring generation ofDacus oleae [Dipt.: Trypetidae] on Corfu

Releases ofOpius concolor Szepl. andO. concolor var.siculus Mon. were carried out in the spring to determine if they could be used as a biological control agent against the heavy infestation ofDacus oleae Gmel. which occurs on Corfu at that time. At an initial density of 300–400 parasites per tree the mean parasitism rates of 3rd stage larvae ranged from 30–50% in the 1st week following the release, indicating thatOpius could work well in the spring in the tall trees with large numbers of ripe and heavily infested fruits that are found on Corfu.     

The relationships of the genusAustralomymar [Hymenoptera: Mymaridae]

The holotype female ofAustralomymar aurigerum Girault is redescribed and figured. Comparative data on the types of the five described species ofPolynemoidea Girault are given, and the affinities of both genera briefly discussed. They are maintained as distinct genera, probably related toSelenaeus Waterhouse and elements of the large genusPolynema Haliday,s. l.     

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.     

A method for the extraction ofSitona [Col.: Curculionidae] eggs from soil and occurrence of a mymarid [Hym.: Chalcidoidea] in the mediterranean region

A simple method of extracting the eggs ofSitona spp. from the soil is described. From 1973 to 1975 it was used in Spain, France, Italy and Greece to collect in good condition the eggs ofSitona humeralis Stephens, a weevil which has recently become a major pest in Australia. A mymarid parasitoid provisionally identified asPatasson lameerei Debauche emerged from these eggs apparently unaffected by the extraction method.     

The parasite complex ofSaissetia nigra in Malaysia

The percentage parasitism ofSaissetia nigra (Nietner) by chalcidoid parasites and the relative abundance of individual parasites were studied in the field usingHibiscus rosa-sinensis L. as the host plant. In order of abundance (on the basis of percentage recorded) the primary parasites wereAnysis saissetiae Ash.,Aneristus ceroplastae How., andMicroterys newcombi (Gir)., while the hyperparasites wereMarietta exitiosa Comp.,Cheiloneurus saissetiae Noyes & Chua andEupelmus catoxanthae Ferr. The efficiency ofA. saissetiae (the larvae of which feed on the scale eggs) to control the scale population is doubtful because it is often parasitised by all 3 hyperparasites mentioned and each larva during development causes only 58% egg mortality of the parasitised host, leaving many scale eggs unconsumed.A. ceroplastae appears to be more useful parasite because it attacks the 2nd instar scales which cause significant damage to the host plant and it is free from attack by hyperparasites.     

Notes on the biology ofBrachymeria [Neobrachymeria] nosatoi and its importance in the control ofNephantis serinopa

Nephantis serinopa Meyrick is now known to be parasitised by six species ofBrachymeria, viz.,B. nephantidis Gahan,B. lasus Walk.,B. excarinata Gahan,B. (Neobrachymeria) nosatoi Habu,B. euploeae Westw., andB. hime attevae Joseph Of these,B. (N.) nosatoi is the most effective pupal parasite ofN. serinopa in Kerala. Certain aspects of the biology of this parasite have been studied.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

Gryon flavipes (Ashmead) [Hymenoptera,scelionidae], an egg-parasite of the rice earbugLeptocorisa oratorius (Fabricius) [Hem. Alydidae]

Gryon flavipes (Ashmead) is an egg-parasite of the rice earbug,Leptocorisa oratorius (Fabricius) in Sarawak. The life cycle is completed in 10–16 days. One larva develops per host egg, and maximum parasitism varies between 40–90%. Parasitism is at least partially density-dependent but does not prevent the build-up ofLeptocorisa numbers.     

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).     

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.     

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.     

TheSitona [Col.: Curculionidae] species occurring onMedicago and their natural enemies in the Mediterranean region

TwentySitona species were found in the Mediterranean region during surveys on 17 volunteer and/or cultivated species ofMedicago. The distribution of the weevils was analyzed using the 3 concepts of abundance, constancy and dominance. EightSitona species were consistently recorded on lucerne and medics; of these, 3 were “constants” and only 2,S. humeralis Stephens andS. lineatus Linnaeus, also “dominants” in the sites investigated. Sixteen species of natural enemies were identified (table 4), including 3 egg predators, 3 egg parasitoids, 1 entomogenous fungus, 2 nematodes and 5 parasitoids of adult weevils. The effect of each organism on theSitona population numbers was slight, not exceeding in most cases an average mortality of 15%. At high host densities however, the braconidMicroctonus aethiopoides Loan which is the preponderant parasitoid, caused estimated mortalities up to 80% during a single weevil generation. Noticeable changes in the relative importance of the natural enemies were observed between the areas surveyed, with onlyM. aethiopoides and the mymarid egg parasitoidPatasson lameerei Debauche occurring widely. Moroccan, French and Greek strains of these 2 parasitoids were forwarded to Australia for the biological control ofS. humeralis there.