Dispersal behavior of the parasitic wasp Cotesia urabae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): A recently introduced biocontrol agent for the control of Uraba lugens (Lepidoptera: Nolidae) in New Zealand |
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| Institution: | 1. School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand;2. Scion (New Zealand Forest Research Institute Limited), Private Bag 3020, Rotorua 3046, New Zealand;1. Department of Entomology and Nematology, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel;2. Department of Ornamental Horticulture, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel;3. Eden Experimental Farm, Bet Shean Valley 11710, Israel;1. Department of Parasitology and Animal Diseases, National Research Centre, El Bohouth Street, Dokki, P.O. Box 12622, Giza, Egypt;2. Biology Department, Almikhwah College, Faculty of Science, Al Bahah University, Saudi Arabia;3. Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia;1. USDA/ARS Invasive Plant Research Laboratory, 3225 College Ave., Ft Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA;2. SCA/AmeriCorps, 3225 College Ave., Ft Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA;3. Canadian National Collection of Insects, 960 Carling Ave, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0C6, Canada;4. Regional University of Blumenau, Forestry Department, Blumenau, Santa Catarina 89030-000, Brazil;5. Fundación para el Estudio de Especies Invasivas, Bolívar 1559, 1686 Hurlingham, Argentina;1. Council for Agricultural Research and Economics CREA – Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, via della Navicella 2/4, 00184 Rome, Italy;2. Department of Agriculture and Forestry Science DAFNE, Tuscia University, via San Camillo de Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy;1. Agricultural Research Council-Plant Protection Research Institute, Private Bag X6006, Hilton, 3245, South Africa;2. School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa;3. Agricultural Research Council-Plant Protection Research Institute, Private Bag X134, Queenswood, 0121, South Africa |
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| Abstract: | Estimates of the dispersal range of a recently introduced biocontrol agent in its new environment are vital to understanding its relative searching capacity, and to foresee the maximum area that could be covered in a release event. In New Zealand, the solitary endoparasitoid Cotesia urabae Austin and Allen (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was first released in January 2011 as a biological control agent for the gum leaf skeletoniser, Uraba lugens Walker (Lepidoptera: Nolidae). The objective of this study was to utilize an experimental approach to quantify the dispersal behavior of one generation of C. urabae. In our experiment, which used sentinel larvae as target hosts, parasitoids dispersed up to 20 m away from the release point but parasitism was highest within 5 m of the release site. A high level of parasitism was observed at the release tree (87.6%) which suggests that most of the females released may have stayed there. According to the dispersal model developed from the data collected, Cotesia would be able to disperse up to 53 m in one release event. In addition, significant differences were found between the different directions tested for dispersal, showing a clear downwind effect on dispersal suggesting that wind has a direct effect on the dispersal behavior of C. urabae in the field. |
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| Keywords: | Endoparasitoid Braconid wasps Microgastrinae Parasitism Parasitoid dispersal |
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