Egg laying and host stage preference at constant temperatures inEncarsia tricolor [Hym.: Aphelinidae]

Encarsia tricolor Foërster is a facultative autoparasitoid that develops on the important pestTrialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) in outdoor crop conditions, which makes this aphelinid species promising for biological control programs in regions where field and protected crops coexist. In this paper we report the results obtained in the study of daily and totalE. tricolor egg laying and of adult female preference for different host stages in which to lay eggs at constant temperatures in the range 10 to 32 °C. Only whitefly nymphs were present in the searching arena (tomato leaflets). The mean number of eggs laid per female in one day ranged from 4.0 (10 °C and 32 °C) to 15.2 (24 °C). The mean total number of eggs increased with temperature from 10 to 28 °C, reaching a maximum of 123 eggs per female at 28 °C, and decreased sharply from 28 to 32 °C. The relation between the intrinsic rate of increase (r_m) and temperature in the range 10 to 28 °C followed a straight line whose equation was r_m=?0.076+0.011*T (R²=0.99). The r_m ofE. tricolor was greater than the r_m ofT. vaporariorum when temperature was higher than 9.2 °C. The preference for any particular host instar in which to lay eggs was not always significant. However, N4 was the host instar preferred whenever preference was statistically significant.     

Effects of host stage on the development of the facultative autoparasitoid Encarsia tricolor (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae)

Encarsia tricolor is a facultative autoparasitoid of the glasshouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum, with a potential in biological control. The rate of development, number of mature oocytes at emergence, number of ovarioles and size of the emerged adults were studied. Five nymphal instars (N1, N2, N3, N4, and pharate adult) of T. vaporariorum were used as hosts for the females. Female larvae and pupae of E. tricolor and Encarsia formosa were used as hosts for the males. Females developed faster when the egg was laid on N3 (18.0 days from egg to adult) and slower on N1 (22.3 days). Females were bigger when developing from N1 and N3 than from N4 and pharate adult. On emergence the mean number of mature oocytes was always small (0.8–2.6). Males developed faster and were smaller than females, and developed faster and were larger on larvae of E. formosa.     

Egg allocation of the autoparasitoid encarsia tricolor at different relative densities of the primary host (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) and two secondary hosts (Encarsia formosa and E. tricolor)

Parasitism, offspring sex ratio and superparasitism of the facultative autoparasitoid Encarsia tricolor Foërster (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) when given access to arenae with different proportions of the primary host (Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood)) and two species of secondary hosts (E. tricolor and Encarsia formosa Gahan) were studied.Parasitism and offspring sex ratio were not affected by female age in the range 3–10 days old. When the secondary hosts were young E. tricolor pupae, eggs were mostly laid on primary hosts, so the offspring sex ratio was more female-biased than expected, and secondary hosts were not superparasitized at all. When the secondary hosts were fully grown E. formosa larvae, superparasitism was small and offspring sex ratio was more male-biased than expected. E. tricolor females were able to discriminate between hosts previously parasitized by themselves and non-parasitized hosts.     

Effect of temperature on the life history of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eretmocerus</Emphasis> sp. nr. <Emphasis Type="Italic">furuhashii</Emphasis>, a parasitoid of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bemisia tabaci</Emphasis>

Eretmocerus sp. nr. furuhashii (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) is an indigenous parasitoid of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius)(Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) from southern China; the effects of constant temperatures on the life history of E. sp. nr. furuhashii were examined in the laboratory. The developmental period ranged from 39.2 days at 20°C to 12.40 days at 32°C. A total of 263.4 degree-days were required to complete development with a lower developmental threshold temperature of 11.1°C. Of the eggs produced, 59.3% completed development at 20°C with completion increasing to 71.5% at 26°C. Adult female longevity was 10.8 days at 20°C and 5.2 days at 32°C while the mean daily offspring reproduced per female was highest at 29°C with 5.9 offspring. Adult oviposition peaked three days after emergence at 26, 29 and 32°C, and four days post-emergence at 20°C and 23°C. The total numbers of offspring produced per female ranged from 25.7 individuals at 32°C to 41.1 individuals at 20°C. The sex ratio had a female bias and ranged from 0.72 at 17°C to 0.51 at 35°C. The intrinsic rate of increase was 0.1727 at 29°C followed with 0.1606 at 32°C. Results indicated that E. sp. nr. furuhashii reaches its maximum biological potential at temperatures ranging from 26°C to 32°C.     

Respiration rates of subitaneous eggs from a marine calanoid copepod: monitored by nanorespirometry

The oxygen consumption rate during embryogenesis of Acartia tonsa subitaneous eggs were measured at different temperatures (10, 15, 17, 21, 24 and 28°C) with nanorespirometry. The oxygen consumption was constant during the embryogenesis but increased rapidly at hatching time. The mean ± SD oxygen consumption rate increased exponentially with temperature and ranged from 0.09 ± 0.04 (10°C) to 0.54 ± 0.09 nmol O₂ egg⁻¹ h⁻¹ (28°C). The mean ± SD Q₁₀-value was 2.51 ± 0.15. Calculations of energy consumption during embryogenesis ranged from 1.86 to 18.28 mJ depending on temperature and development time. We conclude that the effect of temperature on oxygen consumption rate was far less important than the prolonged development time when calculating the energy consumed during embryogenesis.     

Instars ofMicroplitis rufiventris [Hym.: Braconidae] and their relative developmental speed under different photoperiods

The internal parasiteMicroplitis rufiventris Kok. passes through 3 instars but moults 3 times within its host. The last moult occuring just at emergence time. The morphology of the egg and larval stages of the parasite are discussed. At 27°C and a photoperiod of 6 h (6L:18D) the endo-developmental cycle of the parasite can summarize as follows: Egg 18–24 h; instar 1,4 days (fighting phase 48 h; feeding phase 30–48 h); instar 2, 12–18 h and instar 3,3 days. The effect of different photoperiods on the relative speeds of the endo-developmental stages of the parasite at each of 30, 25, 20°C were carefully studied. At the first 2 temperatures, the short photoperiod (6L:18D) accelerated the development of larval instars, while both of 18L:6D or 0L:24D slowed down the development. Under the latter photoperiods some larvae failed to moult and had emergence problems. The influence of photoperiod is significantly noticeable at 20°C. The incubation period of the egg-stage was prolonged significantly at 18L:6D and the development of larval instars was significantly faster and refined at 6L:18D. The factor(s) inhibiting the development of the egg-stage perhaps differ from those affecting the larval development. The ventral area of the host mid-gut among malpighian tubes seems to be where the surplus parasite larvae are eliminated by physical attack. A physiologically suppressed parasite larva is able to attack its developed competitor of the same age. Teratocytes cells perhaps play a part in eliminating the surplus parasite larvae by physiological suppression.     

Encarsia formosa parasitizing the Poinsettia-strain of the cotton whitefly,Bemisia tabaci, on Poinsettia: bionomics in relation to temperature

Adult longevity, developmental time and juvenile mortality ofEncarsia formosa Gahan (Hymenoptera:Aphelinidae) parasitizing the Poinsettia-strain ofBemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) on Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.) were investigated in laboratory experiments at three temperatures: 16 °C, 22 °C and 28 °C. Furthermore, the parasitoid's preference for different larval stages of the whitefly was determined at 24.5 °C. The lifespan ofE. formosa decreased with temperature from one month at 16 °C to nine days at 28 °C. A lower temperature threshold of 11 °C for adult development was found. The development of juvenile parasitoids inB. tabaci lasted more than two months at the lowest temperature, but was only 14 days when temperature was 28 °C. The lower temperature threshold for immature development was 13.3 °C, yielding an average of 207 day-degrees for the completion of development into adults. Juvenile mortality was high, varying from about 50% at 16 °C to about 30% at 22 °C and 28 °C.E. formosa preferred to oviposit in the 4th instar and prepupal stages ofB. tabaci followed by the 2nd and 3rd instars. The preference for the pupal stage was low. The parasitoid used all instars of the whitefly for hostfeeding, with no apparent differences between the stages. The average duration of the oviposition posture was four minutes. Demographic parameters were calculated from life tables constructed from the data. The intrinsic rate of increase (r _m) and the net reproductive rate (R ₀) increased with temperature from 0.0279 day⁻¹ at 16 °C to 0.2388 day⁻¹ at 28 °C and from about 12 at 16 °C to about 66 at 28 °C, respectively.     

Effect of Temperature on Development and Fecundity of the Predaceous Plant Bug <Emphasis Type="Italic">Deraeocoris brevis</Emphasis> Reared on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ephestia kuehniella</Emphasis> Eggs

Temperature-dependent development and oviposition component models were developed for Deraeocoris brevis (Uhler) (Hemiptera: Miridae). Egg development times decreased with increasing temperature and ranged from 35.8 d at 15 °C to 6.7 d at 32 °C. Total development times of nymphs reared on frozen Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) eggs decreased from an estimated 55.6 d at 15 °C to 9.2 d at 32 °C and 10.0 d at 34.6 °C. By fitting linear models to the data the lower developmental threshold temperatures for eggs, small nymphs (1st to 3rd instar), large nymphs (4th to 5th instar), and all nymphs combined were calculated as 10.5, 12.5, 11.8, and 11.9 °C, respectively. The thermal constants were 144.1, 90.3, 95.0, and 190.8 degree-days for each of the above stages. The non-linear model was based on a Gaussian equation, which fit the relationship between development rate and temperature well for all stages. The Weibull function provided a good fit for the distribution of development times of each stage. Adult longevity decreased with increasing temperature and ranged from 52.9 d at 21.7 to 16.8 d at 32.0 °C. D. brevis had a maximum fecundity of 471 eggs per female at 24 °C, which declined to 191 eggs per female at 32 °C. Also, three temperature-dependent components for an oviposition model of D. brevis were developed including models for total fecundity, age-specific cumulative oviposition rate, and age-specific survival rate.     

Life tables of the predatory mite Phytoseiulus longipes feeding on Tetranychus evansi at four temperatures (Acari: Phytoseiidae, Tetranychidae)

The tomato red spider mite, Tetranychus evansi, is reported as a severe pest of tomato and other solanaceous crops from Africa, from Atlantic and Mediterranean Islands, and more recently from the south of Europe (Portugal, Spain and France). A population of the predaceous mite Phytoseiulus longipes has been recently found in Brazil in association with T. evansi. The objective of this paper was to assess the development and reproduction abilities of this strain on T. evansi under laboratory conditions at four temperatures: 15, 20, 25 and 30°C. The duration of the immature phase ranged from 3.1 to 15.4 days, at 30 and 15°C, respectively. Global immature lower thermal threshold was 12.0°C. Immature survival was high at all temperatures tested (minimum of 88% at 30°C). The intrinsic rate of increase (r _m) of P. longipes ranged from 0.091 to 0.416 female/female/day, at 15 and 30°C, respectively. P. longipes would be able to develop at a wide range of temperatures feeding on T. evansi and has the potential to control T. evansi populations.     

Survival of the mosquito predator,Notonecta unifasciata[Hemiptera: Notonectidae] embryos at low thermal gradients

Notonecta unifasciata Guerin eggs maintained at different stages of embryonic development in water at variable temperatures (2.2–25.6 °C) and for periods of 4–12 weeks revealed maximum viability (>80 %) at the highest temperature. However, optimum nondevelopmental viability was at 14.4 °C with eight-day-old embryos (>35 %). Short term (4 weeks) storage at 14.4 °C significantly increased egg viability. Survival was poor (<20 %) at the 2 lowest temperatures. Eggs held at 14.4 °C for 12 weeks and sustainingca. 50 % mortality, may be a practical procedure for biological control.      

Effects of temperature on the immature development and emergence of five species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichogramma</Emphasis>

Five constant temperatures between 14 and 30°C were used to evaluate their effect on the development time and adult emergence of five Trichogramma species found parasitizing eggs of the velvetbean caterpillar Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on soybeans in subtropical Southern Brazil. Host eggs were parasitized at 20°C and then transferred to the study temperatures to follow development and emergence of parasitoids. All five species were able to develop and emerge within the range of temperatures evaluated, and the effect of temperature on development rates could be described by linear regression. Trichogramma acacioi Brun, Moraes & Soares and T. rojasi Nagaraja & Nagarkatti were the most cold-tolerant species, with lower threshold temperatures of 8.1 ± 0.16°C and 9.2 ± 0.16°C, respectively. Trichogramma atopovirilia Oatman & Platner was the least cold-adapted species, with a lower threshold of 10.2 ± 0.13°C. Degree-day accumulation ranged from 153.8 DD for T. atopovirilia to 190.7 DD for T. acacioi. Adult emergence was higher than 90% for T. atopovirilia and T. pretiosum at all temperatures, whereas T. lasallei Pinto emergence dropped to 71.3% at 14°C and to 58.3% at 26°C, both significantly lower than the emergence of T. pretiosum and T. atopovirilia. Significantly less T. acacioi adults emerged at 30°C than either T. pretiosum or T. atopovirilia. The sex-ratio was not affected within the range of temperatures studied, and varied from 0.65 to 0.88 (female/(male + female)). Differences among Trichogramma spp. densities in the field can be attributed to slower development rates and/or reduced emergence of adults, both at low and high temperatures.

Temperature requirements of the chrysanthemum leaf miner,Chromatomyla syngenesiae [Dipt.: Agromyzidae], and its ectoparasitoid,Diglyphus isaea [Hym.: Eulophidae]

The development rate from egg to adult for ♂ and ♀Chromatomyia (Phytomyza) syngenesiae andDiglyphus isaea increased linearly between 19 and 25°C.D. isaea had a faster developmental rate thanC. syngenesiae between 19 and 25°C but therer was no difference at 16°C. FemaleD. isaea required 154.6 D° above the theoretical threshold of 12.80°C and maleD. isaea 152.4 D° above 12.9°C for total development from egg to adult emergence. FemaleC. syngenesiae needed 207.0 D° above 12°C and ♂ and 211.0 D° above 11.6°C for total development.      

Effect of constant temperatures on development of the walnut husk fly,Rhagoletis completa

The developmental rates of various life stages ofRhagoletis completa Cresson (Diptera: Tephritidae) were determined in the laboratory at seven different constant temperatures: 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, and 32±1°C, RH 80±10%, photoperiod L 16∶D8. Preoviposition developmental rate was fastest at 28°C (10±1 days, mean±SD) and slowest at 12°C (26±1 days). About 83% of the females deposited eggs at 20 and 24°C and only 25% oviposited at 32°C. Females laid the highest number of eggs at 24°C and the lowest at 8°C. Egg development increased with increasing temperatures up to 28°C, then declined. The fastest egg development was noticed at 28°C (55±1 h) and slowest at 8°C (389±2 h). Over 90% egg hatch was observed at temperatures between 12 and 32°C, but decreased to 73% at 8°C. Larval development was fastest also at 28°C (20±0.2 days). Over 65% pupation was recorded at 20 and 24°C, but decreased to 15% at 32°C and 12% at 8°C. Pupal development was most rapid at 24°C (53±1 days) and slowest at 8°C (162±2 days). More than 70% of adult emergence was noticed in treatments between 16 and 24°C but decreased to 20% at 8°C. Based on a linear regression model of temperature-development rate relationship, the lower developmental thresholds were determined to be 6.6, 5.3, 2.9, and 5°C for preoviposition, egg, larval, and pupal stages, respectively. Based on a non-linear developmental rate model, the upper developmental thresholds were 34°C for preoviposition, egg, and larval stages and 30°C for pupal stage.     

Morphological and biological notes on Encarsia meritoria Gahan (Hymenoptera,Aphelinidae), a parasitoid of Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) (Homoptera,Aleyrodidae) new in Europe

Encarsia meritoria Gahan, a Neartic species recorded only in the USA, was found naturally occurring in Catalonia (north‐east Spain) in 1987. The morphology of immature stages, the rate of development in the range 12°C‐34°C, the longevity and fecundity at 24°C and some observations on its searching and host feeding behaviour are presented in this paper. Mean development times from egg laying to adult emergence ranged from 75 days at 12° C to 11 days at 28°C. The Lower Developmental Threshold computed from linear regression equations was 9°C. Females laid an average of 198 eggs (range 89–330) in an average of 34 days (longevity range 19–54 days). The intrinsic rate of increase at 24° C was 0.1717, slightly greater than the r_m of T. vaporariorum and smaller than the values reported for E. tricolor and E. formosa, which is not very promising for biological control. However, this may not be a definitive conclusion, because factors other than those considered in our experiments may play an important role infield conditions.     

Metarhizium spp. isolates from madagascar: Morphology and effect of high temperature on growth and infectivity to the migratory locust,Locusta migratoria

Five strains ofMetarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sorokin and one strain ofMetarhizium flavoviride Gams &; Rozsypal originally isolated in Madagascar were studied. Measurements of conidia and, for the first time, also of blastospores produced in a liquid medium were used for species and variety determination. Blastospores ofM. flavoviride were more homogenous in their size than those ofM. anisopliae. Growth at high temperatures between 25° and 40°C showed that 4 isolates ofM. anisopliae grew at 36°C andM. flavoviride grew at 38°C. Using alternating day/night temperatures (8/16 h) the three strains tested could also tolerate 40°/25°C. In bioassays, fiveMetarhizium spp. isolates were tested against third and fourth instar larvae ofLocusta migratoria (L.) at two alternating day/night temperatures of 30°/25°C and 36°/25°C. In the cooler regime, all strains caused a mortality of 50% within 5.9 to 8.5 days (median lethal time), while in the 36°/25°C treatment only the thermophilicM. flavoviride and oneM. anisopliae strain isolated from a soil sample gave comparable results with median lethal times of 6.8 and 7.3 days, respectively.     

Plant regeneration from microspore-derived embryos ofBrassica Napus: Effect of embryo age,culture temperature,osmotic pressure,and abscisic acid

Summary Microscope cultures ofBrassica napus cv. Topas undergo high frequency embryogenesis in vitro; however, the majority of microspore-derived embryos do not develop directly into plants but usually undergo abnormal development including the formation of secondary embryos on the hypocotyls. The present studies show that older embryos or embryos cultured at higher temperature (25° C) were more likely to undergo secondary embryogenesis whereas embryos cultured at 20° C or pretreated at 5° to 10° C for 28 days developed more readily into normal plants. Compared with embryos cultured at 25° C, those cultured at 20° C gave a threefold increase in normal plant production. Pretreatments at cooler temperatures (5° to 10° C) resulted in an additional two-to threefold increase in the recovery of normal plants. Higher osmoticum during pretreatment improved embryo survival at low temperatures but generally inhibited normal plant development. Abscisic acid was ineffective or deleterious.     

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.     

Biological studies ofDiadegma semiclausum (Hym., Ichneumonidae), a parasite of diamondback moth

Laboratory studies were conducted on certain aspects of biology ofDiadegma semiclausum Hellén, a larval parasite of a crucifer pest,Plutella xylostella (L.). Within the range of 15°C to 35°C, the higher temperature, the shorter was the duration of larval and adult stages. Egg hatching and adult emergence were high at 15°C to 30°C but were significantly reduced at 35°C. The higher the temperature, the higher was the proportion of males produced. Temperature threshold was 5.74°C for eggs, 3.80°C for larvae, 5.91°C for pupae and 6.60°C for adults.D. semiclausum oviposition in the first threeP. xylostella larval instars produced more parasite males than females but oviposition in the fourth instar produced significantly more females than males. Parasite adults tended to emerge from their pupae from 06∶00 to 09∶00 hours although some emerged at other hours during the photophase. Adult longevity and production of eggs increased when adults were provided with a food source (honey) compared with no food or provision of water alone. Parasite adults survived and laid eggs for 28 days when provided with food but for only three days when deprived of food.     

Suitability of stages of femaleEncarsia pergandiella [Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae] for development of conspecific male hyperprasites

Encarsia pergandiella Howard females develop as primary parasitoids of immature whiteflies, whereas ♀♀ develop as secondary parasitoids on ♂♂ of their own species or on other primary whitefly parasitoids. In this experiment, maleE. pergandiella development was examined in the laboratory at 24°C, using different stages of immatureE. pergandiella females [enclosed within the cuticle ofTrialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood)] as hosts. Unmated adult femaleE. pergandiella were caged individually for 24 h on leaves of plants with either 5-day (early to late 3^rd instar larval), 7-day (late 3^rd instar to prepupal), or 9-day (pupal) hosts. In a control treatment, hosts were allowed to complete development without exposure to unmated adult females. Subsequent emergence of ♂♂ (hosts) and ♀♀ from all treatments was recorded daily. Pupal (9-day)E. pergandiella females were found to be the most suitable hosts for development of ♀♀. Nine- and 7-day hosts were attacked at a similar rate, as indicated by a similarly low proportion of host emergence, but ♀♀ emerged at a significantly higher rate in the 9-day treatment than in the 7-day treatment. Development time of ♀♀ was 15±1 days in the 9-day treatment, and 16±1 days in the 7-day treatment (p<0.005). The proportion of hosts emerging from the 5-day treatment was not significantly different from the control treatment. The data suggest that the colonizing ability ofE. pergandiella in greenhouses is likely to be limited by the delay of 7–9 days between oviposition of female eggs and the suitability of these ♂♂ for oviposition of male eggs. Since development time of the 2 sexes is similar this delay should cause a lack of synchrony in the emergence and mating of F₁ ♂♂ and ♀♀.      

Comparison of Searching Behaviour of Two Aphelinid Parasitoids of the Greenhouse Whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum under Summer vs. Winter Conditions in a Temperate Climate

Searching behaviour of two aphelinid parasitoids, Encarsia formosa Gahan and Eretmocerus eremicus Rose and Zolnerowich, was compared in a controlled environment under simulated summer [high light intensity (83 ± 1 W/m²), and 24 ± 1°C] and winter [low light intensity (11 ± 0.5 W/m²), and 20 ± 1°C] greenhouse conditions on tomato leaflets, with and without a single 3rd instar whitefly host, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood), within a 4-cm tomato leaflet arena. Residence time of both parasitoid species was longer on infested leaflets vs. clean leaflets, and longer under winter than summer conditions. When parasitoids encountered a host on infested leaflets, residence time increased. In all cases, residence time of E. formosa was longer that of E. eremicus. Proportion of time spent searching (i.e. antennating leaf surface while walking or standing still) was longer on clean vs. infested leaflets for both E. formosa and E. eremicus. Walking speed by E. eremicus on clean leaflets was faster than E. formosa under both summer and winter conditions. Host handling time and proportion of host acceptance did not vary among parasitoids. These findings suggest that E. eremicus could be more efficient in host finding on tomato leaflets than E. formosa over all seasons, especially in the winter when natural light is limiting and where daylight temperatures are ≥20°C.