Sex allocation and egg distribution of an autoparasitoid, Encarsia pergandiella (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae)

Abstract. 1. Encarsia pergandiella Howard females develop as primary parasitoids on immature whiteflies, and males develop as secondary parasitoids on females of their own or a related species. The hypothesis that the sex ratio reflects the relative abundance of the two host types was tested in the laboratory using petri dish arenas with varying proportions of early fourth instar greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum (West.)) (primary hosts) and pupal female E.pergandiella (secondary hosts). Egg distribution was analysed with respect to sex ratio, super-parasitism and host discrimination.
2. The proportion of primary and secondary hosts parasitized in each treatment reflected the relative availability of each host type. Thus females presented with 75% primary hosts laid more female eggs than male. However, in all treatments, a greater proportion of secondary hosts were parasitized than would be expected from the proportion of secondary hosts available. This indicates that more male eggs were laid than expected.
3. More secondary hosts than primary hosts were superparasitized.
4. Host discrimination analysis using a new test statistic showed that females generally laid eggs at random with regard to previous parasitism of primary or secondary hosts. However, females in one treatment with 50% of each host type appeared to preferentially oviposit in secondary hosts which did not contain any eggs.     

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.     

Influence of intrapatch experiences and temperature on the time allocation of the whitefly parasitoidEncarsia formosa (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae)

The effect of experiences, such as contact with honeydew, rejections of hosts, and ovipositions in hosts, and of temperature on the time allocation of individualEncarsia formosa female parasitoids on tomato leaflets have been studied. Behavioral records were analyzed by means of the proportional hazards model. Analyses were carried out at two levels: (1) the tendency of leaving and (2) the tendency of changing from one leaf side to another. The patch-leaving behavior ofE. formosa can be described by a stochastic threshold mechanism, which is characterized by a certain tendency (probability per time) to leave. The median time from being placed on the leaflet or, if it occurred, from the latest encounter with a host until leaving was 18.6 min. The median time for changing from one leaf side to the other was initially 11.6 min and dropped to 5.7 min after both leaf sides had been visited. The effect of temperature, ranging from 20 to 30°C, was negligible. The presence of honeydew as well as the first oviposition in an unparasitized host decreased the tendency to leave, thus increasing the giving up time (GUT) since the latest encounter with a host. Encounters with parasitized hosts did not affect the GUT since latest encounter; as a result, the total residence time increased. After the first oviposition in an unparasitized host the tendency of changing from the lower leaf side on which hosts were present to the upper side was decreased. The presence of honeydew did not affect the tendency of changing leaf sides.     

Analysis of foraging behavior of the whitefly parasitoidEncarsia formosa (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) in an experimental arena: A simulation study

Foraging ofEncarsia formosa was analyzed using a stochastic simulation model of the parasitoid's behavior. Parasitoids were allowed to search during a fixed time in an experimental arena with immatures of the greenhouse whitefly,Trialeurodes vaporariorum. The model simulates host searching, selection, and handling behavior and the physiological state (egg load) of the parasitoid. The simulated number of hosts encountered, parasitized, or killed by host feeding agreed well with observations on leaf disks. The hypothesis of random host encounter seems to be correct. The number of ovipositions on the leaf at low host densities was strongly affected by the parasitoid's walking speed and walking activity, the probability of oviposition after encountering a host, and the initial egg load. At high densities, the initial and maximum egg load were most important. A strong temperature effect was found at 18°C or below. The number of encounters, ovipositions, and host feedings increased with host density to a maximum of 25, 6.5, and 1.5, respectively, during 2 h at 25°C. The shape of the curves resembled a Holling Type II, which may be the result of the experimental procedure, where a parasitoid was confined to a patch during a fixed time.     

Suitability ofDacus dorsalis andCeratitis capitata [Diptera: Tephritidae] as hosts of the parasitoid,Biosteres arisanus [Hymenoptera: Braconidae]

Biosteres arinsanus (Sonan) (=B. oophilus Fullaway) showed a strong preference forDacus dorsalis Hendel overCeratitis capitata (Wiedemann) in choice tests using papaya fruits infested with eggs of both hosts in laboratory studies. In laboratory and field studiesD. dorsalis was the most suitable host. A total of 13,871 parasitoids was produced fromD. dorsalis infested fruits compared with 2,772 fromC. capitata infested fruits.      

Arrestment responses ofEretmocerus species andEncarsia deserti (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) toBemisia tabaci honeydew

The responses of Eretmocerussp. and Encarsia deserti(Gerling & Rivnay), parasitoids of Bemisia tabaci(Gennadius) to host secretions were investigated. Upon contact with honeydew excreted from the host, the parasitoids' walking speed decreased, whereas the rate of angular turning increased (the walking speed of Eretmocerussp. and Encarsia desertidecreased from 2.0 to 0.8 and from 0.8 to 0.3 mm/s, respectively, and the respective angular turning rates increased from 123.3 to 489.6 and from 267.9 to 979.2 deg/cm). Moreover, the wasps generally turned back toward the secretion as soon as they lost contact with it. This induced arrestment responses resulted in increased searching time by the parasitoids. Laboratory bioassays were conducted in which paper disks in petri dishes containing different amounts of honeydew, equivalent to the secretions of 1, 5, or 50 larvae, were offered to female wasps. The wasps responded by arrestment even to honeydew produced by a single larva. While the response of Eretmocerussp. was quantity dependent, being more intense at higher amounts of honeydew, that of E. desertiwas of equal intensity at all honeydew quantities assayed.     

Host recognition by the gypsy moth [Lymantria dispar] [Lep.: Lymantriidae] hyperparasite,Eurytoma appendigaster [Hym.: Eurytomidae] of cocoons ofCotesia melanoscela [Hym.: Braconidae]

Artificial and modified natural hosts were exposed to females of the gypsy moth [Lymantria dispar (L.)] hyperparasite,Eurytoma appendigaster (Swederus), to investigate its host recognition behavior on the primary host, which are cocooned larvae of the gypsy moth parasite,Cotesia melanoscela (Ratzeburg). Material(s) which caused drilling behavior by the hyperparasite on host cocoons were extracted with both polar and non-polar solvents. However, cocoons washed with large volumes of solvent still caused substantial drilling activities by females, suggesting that additional cues may be important. Results suggest that host recognition in this hyperparasite involves a variety of host characteristics.      

Hyperparasitism by an exotic autoparasitoid: secondary host selection and the window of vulnerability of conspecific and native heterospecific hosts

Encarsia transvena is an 'autoparasitoid' in the hymenopteran family Aphelinidae. In this species, female eggs are laid in whitefly nymphs. Male eggs are laid externally on immature parasitoids enclosed within the whitefly integument, either their own species, or other primary parasitoids. We explored parasitism by E. transvena of conspecific female immatures and those of a native primary parasitoid, Eretmocerus eremicus, in laboratory experiments. In the first experiment, female E. transvena were offered different combinations of two stages of E. transvena (late larvae – prepupae (ET2), and early pupae (ET3)), and one stage of E. eremicus (prepupae – early pupae (EE2)) in paired choice tests. The results indicated very little parasitism of ET3 relative to the host it was paired with, either EE2 or ET2. However, when EE2 was offered with ET2, there was no statistically significant difference in parasitism. In a no-choice experiment in which oviposition patterns and male progeny development were examined in four stages of both species of wasp, clear differences were observed between the host species. Only one stage of E. transvena (ET2) was parasitized and supported development of male E. transvena to any significant degree. In contrast, in E. eremicus, EE2, EE3 (red-eyed pupae), and EE4 (late pupae) were all parasitized, and male E. transvena emerged from all three stages, although fewer males emerged from EE4. In both species, wasp larvae that were still enclosed within the wet whitefly remains (ET1 and EE1) were parasitized at a very low rate. Lastly, an experiment that determined the length of the later developmental stages of E. transvena and E. eremicus suggested that the duration of the period in which E. transvena is susceptible to parasitism by conspecific females is less than half the period of susceptibility of E. eremicus. These results taken together suggest the potential for interference of E. eremicus by E. transvena, but other factors not examined here may also influence the outcome of interactions in the field.     

Sex allocation in a field population of an autoparasitoid

Autoparasitoid wasps lay fertilized eggs in homopteran nymphs, and these eggs develop into female primary parasitoids. Unfertilized, male-producing eggs are laid in immatures of the wasps' own or another primary parasitoid species; males then develop as secondary or hyperparasitoids. In the population of Encarsia pergandiella studied in Ithaca, NY, fertilized eggs were laid in the nymphs of the whitefly Trialeurodes packardi (primary hosts) and unfertilized eggs were laid almost exclusively in pupal females of their own species (secondary hosts). In the two years the population was studied, secondary hosts were always much less abundant than primary hosts at both sites. However, secondary hosts were parasitized at a significantly greater rate than primary hosts. In a laboratory experiment, the encounter rate of females with primary and secondary hosts was not significantly different. Moreover, there was no evidence from the field that wasps found leaves bearing secondary hosts more frequently than leaves without secondary hosts. Dissections of field-collected females showed them to be mated, and thus capable of laying both unfertilized and fertilized eggs. These results suggest that wasps did not encounter secondary hosts at a greater rate, nor were they constrained to lay unfertilized eggs, but rather secondary hosts were preferred. The oviposition sex ratios were influenced by the proportion of secondary hosts, but were less female-biased than would be predicted from the proportion of secondary hosts alone. The results do not support the predictions of Godray and Waage (1990) for either strictly host-limited autoparasitoids (sex ratio should reflect the proportion of secondary hosts) or for egg-limited autoparasitoids (sex ratio should be equal, and independent of the proportion of secondary hosts).     

Development of Encarsia bimaculata (Heraty and Polaszek) (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) in Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) nymphs

Encarsia bimaculata was recently described from India as a potentially useful parasitoid of Bemisia tabaci. Its developmental biology was studied in the laboratory at 25–30 °C and 70–75% RH. Results showed that E. bimaculata is a solitary, arrhenotokous, heteronomous, autoparasitoid. Mated females laid eggs internally in B. tabaci nymphs that developed as primary parasitoids. Males developed as hyperparasitoids, either in females of their own species or in other primary aphelinid parasitoids. Superparasitism was common under cage conditions. Both sexes have an egg, three larval instars, prepupal, and pupal stages. Development from egg to adult took 12.70 ± 2.10 days for females and 14.48 ± 2.60 days for males. Individual B. tabaci nymphs were examined for E. bimaculata parasitization using three isozymes: esterase, malate dehydrogenase, and xanthine dehydrogenase. All three isozymes showed differential banding patterns that identified E. bimaculata parasitized or unparasitized B. tabaci nymphs.     

烟粉虱生物型对浅黄恩蚜小蜂寄主选择及个体发育的影响

为探讨寄生蜂在Q型烟粉虱Bemisia tabaci替代B型烟粉虱的过程中是否起作用, 我们在实验室条件(温度27±1℃, 光周期16L∶8D, 相对湿度RH 70%～80%)下, 观察了浅黄恩蚜小蜂Encarsia sophia寄生B型和Q型烟粉虱若虫的行为, 研究了浅黄恩蚜小蜂对B型和Q型烟粉虱若虫的选择性、 烟粉虱生物型对浅黄恩蚜小蜂取食数量及个体发育的影响。结果发现, 浅黄恩蚜小蜂体外检测时间在B型和Q型烟粉虱若虫间差异不显著, 而寄生Q型烟粉虱若虫时的体内检测和产卵时间(190.2±14.6 s）显著高于寄生B型时所用时间(140.0±7.5 s)。在非选择条件下, 浅黄恩蚜小蜂寄生B型烟粉虱若虫的数量(8.1±0.5头)及总产卵量（9.3±0.6粒）显著高于仅提供Q型烟粉虱的寄生数量(6.3±0.5头)及总产卵量(7.0±0.6粒); 而被寄生若虫单头着卵量在处理间差异不显著。在选择性条件下, 该蜂寄生B型烟粉虱若虫量(3.1±0.4头)、总产卵量(3.8±0.5粒)及被寄生若虫单头着卵量(1.2±0.1粒)都显著高于寄生Q型烟粉虱时的情况(1.8±0.3头、1.8±0.4粒、0.7±0.1粒)。被寄生蜂取食的B型与Q型烟粉虱数量间差异不显著, 但对于同一生物型而言, 交配过的雌蜂能够取食更多的烟粉虱若虫。以B型烟粉虱为寄主时, 浅黄恩蚜小蜂雌蜂卵-黑蛹(7.2±0.1 d)、黑蛹-羽化(5.2±0.1 d)的发育时间与以Q型烟粉虱若虫为寄主时的相应发育时间(7.3±0.1 d, 5.6±0.1 d)间无显著性差异。以B型烟粉虱为寄主时寄生蜂的羽化率（73.55%±1.42%）与以Q型烟粉虱为寄主时的羽化率（68.42%±13.01%）间差异不显著。这些结果表明, 虽然浅黄恩蚜小蜂发育时间、 羽化率在烟粉虱2种生物型间无显著差异, 但该小蜂倾向于B型烟粉虱若虫作为寄主, 而且, 以B型烟粉虱若虫为寄主时, 小蜂的产卵量和寄生若虫数量均增加。但田间浅黄恩蚜小蜂的存在是否有助于Q型烟粉虱成为B型和Q型混合种群的优势种群, 还需进一步研究。     

Suitability ofBusseola fuscaandSesamia calamistis(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) for the Development of Two Populations ofCotesia sesamiae(Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Kenya

The suitability ofSesamia calamistisHampson andBusseola fusca(Fuller) for the development of two geographical populations ofCotesia sesamiae(Cameron) was examined in the laboratory. One population of the parasitoid was collected from the coast of Kenya and the other from the inland. Both populations of the parasitoid could develop onS. calamistis.OnB. fusca,the inland population ofC. sesamiaewas able to develop, while the population from the coastal area of Kenya was encapsulated. Mating studies revealed that the two parasitoid populations were partially reproductively isolated. Unidirectional incompatibility, possibly caused by theWolbachiainfection, was observed when males from the infected coastal population were mated with females from the uninfected inland population.     

In vitro bioassay for the effect of Ajuga reptans phytoecdysteroids on Trialeurodes vaporariorum larval development

A rapid and reliable in vitro bioassay method to test the effects of synthetic and natural compounds on the development of greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood (Homoptera Aleyrodidae) is described.Leaf fragments of Nicotiana glauca Graham infested with eggs of whitefly were cultured under aseptic conditions on half-strength Murashige-Skoog medium. The development of the insect in vitro and in vivo were comparable except for a higher mortality rate in the first larval instar.Ecdysteroids from Ajuga reptans L. were applied to leaf fragments by immersion in aqueous solution of the compounds or by addition to the culture medium. A high mortality rate of first larval instars was detected with 29-norsengosterone and ajugalactone treatments. This effect was specially pronounced when the products were incorporated in the medium. A significant increase in mortality was also recorded in the pupal state with a 20-hydroxyecdysone treatment. This effect was never observed before, because all whitefly larvae on A. reptans leaves die in the first larval instar.     

Pre- and post-landing response of the parasitoid Encarsia formosa to whitefly hosts on Gerbera jamesonii

One of the factors that may complicate biological control of the greenhouse whitefly on Gerbera jamesonii by Encarsia formosa is the rosette shape of this ornamental, which differs from the vertical shape of most vegetable plants (cucumber, egg plant, tomato, etc.). Therefore, host-habitat location and the behaviour prior to landing on uninfested and infested leaves was studied. Attraction of E. formosa from a short distance by infested leaves could not be detected: the parasitoid females landed at random on uninfested and infested leaves. After the first landing, a redistribution of the wasps occurred on the leaves. After 24 h three times as many wasps were found on the infested leaves than on uninfested ones. In a dispersal experiment with four plants, E. formosa appeared to have no preference for landing on leaves of the medium age class, which is the age class on which most of the whiteflies in a suitable stage for parasitism occur. Twenty percent of the parasitoids were found on the plants 20 min after releasing them. These results were independent of the plant cultivar and the host density on the plants. In the course of 8 h, the number of E. formosa females recovered from plants increased linearly, and this increase was greater on plants where hosts were present and also greater on the plant cultivar with the lowest trichome density. After 24 h, the percentage of females was highest (56%) on plants with the highest host density. E. formosa females were arrested on leaves where hosts were present. Contrary to our expectation, the results from the two G. jamesonii cultivars that differed strongly in leaf hairiness were not significantly different in most experiments. Only at the high host density was parasitism found to be lower on the cultivar with the higher hair density. Parasitoids may walk on top of the `hair coverlet' of cultivars with high trichome density and, therefore, be hampered less than expected.     

Host Suitability of Four Cereal Stem Borers (Lepidoptera: Crambidae, Noctuidae) for Different Geographic Populations of Cotesia sesamiae (Cameron) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Kenya

This study focused on the suitability of four species of cereal stem borers for the development of five geographic populations of Cotesia sesamiae (Cameron). C. sesamiae, an indigenous larval parasitoid of gramineous stem borers, is widespread in Africa. Four stem borers, Chilo partellus (Swinhoe), Chilo orichalcociliellus Strand (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), Busseola fusca Fuller, and Sesamia calamistis Hampson (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), were offered to C. sesamiae for oviposition. Parasitoid individuals originated from five locations in Kenya. Biological parameters such as developmental time, percentage parasitism, progeny production, mortality of immature parasitoids, and proportion of female progeny were compared across host species. The two populations from western Kenya developed well on B. fusca. However, populations from the coast and the Eastern Province could not successfully parasitize B. fusca. With the exception of B. fusca, the percentage of hosts successfully parasitized by the different C. sesamiae populations was not different. The size of the host appeared to be an important factor influencing the development and reproductive potential of the parasitoid. We conclude that the different parasitoid populations were adapted to location-specific characteristics. Parasitoid–host compatibility must be evaluated before release for better establishment and colonization.     

寄主植物对双斑恩蚜小蜂的发育、存活和繁殖的影响

研究了茄子和扶桑两种不同寄主植物对烟粉虱寄生性天敌双斑恩蚜小蜂Encarsia bimaculata发育、存活和繁殖等特性的影响。在26±0.5℃的条件下,在扶桑上,双斑恩蚜小蜂卵至成虫的发育历期为13.6天,2龄幼虫至成虫的存活率为93.2%;而在茄子上双斑恩蚜小蜂卵至成虫的发育历期和2龄幼虫至成虫的存活率分别为12.1天和91.1％。扶桑上双斑恩蚜小蜂雌性成虫的平均寿命为8.0天,平均单雌产卵量为35.9粒;而在茄子上雌性成虫的平均寿命为6.6天,平均单雌产卵量为27.6粒。双斑恩蚜小蜂在扶桑和茄子植物上的种群内禀增长率分别为0.2081和0.892。两种不同寄主植物对双斑恩蚜小蜂在若虫发育历期和存活率、成虫寿命和平均产卵量以及内禀增长率等方面均存在着显著差异。研究结果表明,寄主植物对双斑恩蚜小蜂的发育、存活和繁殖有较大的影响。     

Parasitism in diversified agroecosystems: Phenology ofTrichogramma minutum [Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae]

Parasitism ofOstrinia nubilalis egg masses byTrichogramma minutum was observed in maize-bare ground monocultures and polycultures of maize/bean/squash and maize/clover. Parasitism rates were 1.9 times higher in monocultures than in polycultures; seasonal phenology of parasitism, however, was similar in both. Parasitism first occurred during the late whorl/early tassel stage of maize; peak parasitism occurred during the mid to late tassel stage, and then dropped off rapidly. We speculate that direct predation of egg masses, and ammensal preemptive competition for egg masses byColeomegilla maculata may have contributed to the decline in parasitism rates in both monocultures and polycultures during the latter part of the season.      

Growth and development of Encarsia formosa (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) in the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae): effect of host age

The tiny parasitoid wasp, Encarsia formosa, has been used successfully to control greenhouse whiteflies (GHWFs) in greenhouses in many countries throughout the world. Therefore, there has been considerable interest in developing methods for artificially rearing this wasp. However, little information is available concerning the regulation of its development including the host-parasitoid interactions that are required for the parasitoid to complete its life cycle. Here we confirm that parasitoid developmental rates differ significantly based upon the host instar parasitized. Development was faster when 3rd and 4th instar GHWFs were offered for parasitization than when 1st or 2nd instars were used. Our results show that it is primarily the embryo and the first two parasitoid instars that exhibit prolonged developmental times when 1st and 2nd instar whiteflies are parasitized. Although percent emergence was not affected by host age at the time of parasitization, adult longevity as well as adult emergence pattern varied greatly depending upon the instar parasitized. When 3rd and 4th instar GHWFs were selected for oviposition, adult wasps lived significantly longer than when 1st or 2nd instars were used; also, there was a sharp emergence peak on the 2nd day after emergence was first observed (reduced or absent when 1st or 2nd instar GHWFs were parasitized) and the emergence period was reduced from between 8 and 11 days to 5 days. In general, the younger the host instar parasitized, the less synchronous was parasitoid development. Previous reports that E. formosa will not molt to the 2nd instar until the host has reached its 4th instar were not confirmed. When 1st instar host nymphs were parasitized, 2nd instar parasitoids were detected in 3rd instar hosts. Importantly, however, no matter which instar was parasitized, the parasitoid never molted to its last instar until the host had reached Stage 5 of its last instar, a stage in which host pharate adult formation has been initiated. It appears, then, that a condition(s) associated with host pharate adult formation is required for the parasitoid's final larval molt. Results reported here should facilitate the development of in vitro rearing systems for E. formosa.     

Interactions betweenAcyrthosiphon kondoi [Homoptera: Aphidoidea] andAphelinus asychis [Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea] and other parasites and hosts

In laboratory trials to investigate the parasite/host spectra of certain aphid pests and hymenopterous parasites, the aphidAcyrthosiphon kondoi Shinji encapsulated the egg of the aphelinid parasiteAphelinus asychis Walker. The resultant brown, sclerotic capsule was formed within 24 h of exposure of the aphid to parasitization and as far as is known prevented the development of the parasite to the larval stage. The capsule remained throughout the life of the aphid, whose longevity and fecundity were apparently not seriously impaired. A small number ofAphelinus escaped encapsulation, especially in aphids already containing capsule(s), and developed into normal, reproductive adults.A. kondoi did not encapsulate, andA. asychis was not encapsulated by any other species. However, thoughA. asychis readily parasitizedAphis citricola van der Goot,A. nerii Boyer de Fonscolombe andToxoptera citricidus (Kirkaldy), most of its progeny ceased development in these aphids before reaching the mummification stage, and died within the dead or dying, non-mummified aphid host.     

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.