Assessing non-target effects and host feeding of the exotic parasitoid Apanteles taragamae, a potential biological control agent of the cowpea pod borer Maruca vitrata

Abstract To support efforts to manage and contain spotted lanternfly (SLF), Lycorma delicatula White (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae), research is being conducted to develop classical biological control methods. To date, two potential biocontrol agents from China have been identified: an egg parasitoid, Anastatus orientalis, and a nymphal parasitoid, Dryinus sinicus Olmi (Hymenoptera: Dryinidae). The research detailed here focuses on investigating the biology and rearing of A. orientalis to assess its potential efficacy in a biocontrol program and optimize its rearing. Female wasps lived significantly longer than male wasps (68 and 23 d, respectively) and females produced an average of 94 total progeny that successfully emerged as adults, with most progeny produced between weeks one and four of the females’ lives. The sex ratio of the progeny, with no re-mating, was initially highly female-biased but became progressively more male-biased, likely due to sperm depletion. There was no evidence of additional mortality to SLF eggs from wasp host feeding, but the data were highly variable and the sample size was small. There was high parasitoid emergence when oviposition conditions mimicked mid-September Beijing temperature and photoperiod; however, there was little emergence under 25°C and long-day conditions because most progeny entered a diapause. Storage of parasitized eggs in 5°C chill lowered parasitoid emergence rates. Lastly, there was no evidence that storing field-collected SLF egg masses in 5°C for 10 mo prior to parasitization affected parasitism rates. These findings inform our rearing protocol for A. orientalis and facilitate our testing of this species as a potential biological control agent for SLF.

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Assessment of potential non-target effects of Tetrastichus julis, a biological control agent of the cereal leaf beetle, Oulema melanopus

BioControl ◽

10.1007/s10526-016-9722-7 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 61 (4) ◽

pp. 399-411 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Vincent A. D. Hervet ◽

Héctor A. Cárcamo ◽

Lloyd M. Dosdall ◽

Terry D. Miller ◽

Swaroop V. Kher

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Biological Control Agent ◽

Leaf Beetle ◽

Control Agent ◽

Cereal Leaf Beetle ◽

Oulema Melanopus ◽

Target Effects

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PARASITOID COMPLEX OF ZEIRAPHERA CANADENSIS (LEPIDOPTERA: TORTRICIDAE) AND EVALUATION OF TYCHERUS OSCULATOR (HYMENOPTERA: ICHNEUMONIDAE) AS A BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENT

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/ent131465-4 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 131 (4) ◽

pp. 465-474 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

R.J. West ◽

M. Kenis ◽

G.W. Butt ◽

S.M. Bennett

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Biological Control Agent ◽

Control Agent ◽

Natural Host ◽

Host Feeding ◽

Ovarian Maturation ◽

Parasitoid Complex ◽

Zeiraphera Diniana ◽

Nearctic Region ◽

European Populations

AbstractA survey of larval and pupal populations of the spruce bud moth, Zeiraphera canadensis Mutuura and Freeman (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), conducted from 1994 to 1996 in eastern Newfoundland, disclosed that the incidence of endemic parasitism by Hymenoptera was up to 50% for Tycherus osculator (Thünberg) (Ichneumonidae), up to 15% for Earinus zeirapherae (Walley), under 3% for Ascogaster (Wesmael 1835) sp. and Clinocentrus (Haliday 1833) sp. (Braconidae), and under 1% for Lamachus (Foerster 1868) sp. and Triclistus (Foerster 1868) sp. (Ichneumonidae). Tycherus osculator, E. zeirapherae, Ascogaster sp., and Clinocentrus sp. represent new distributional range extensions to Newfoundland, and to the nearctic region in the case of T. osculator. The biology of European populations of T. osculator was studied on a natural host, Zeiraphera diniana (Guenée). Only females overwintered and ovarian maturation did not occur until after several months of exposure to near-freezing temperatures. Tycherus osculator successfully parasitized prepupae and pupae of Z. diniana of all ages but, in the laboratory, appeared to prefer pupae. Host feeding by T. osculator was common but not necessary for ovarian maturation. Tycherus osculator imported from Europe attacked and successfully developed within the spruce bud moth host in laboratory screenings. Morphological comparisons indicated that T. osculator reared from Z. canadensis were smaller than those reared from Z. diniana. Tycherus osculator obtained from either Newfoundland or Europe may have potential as a biological control of Z. canadensis in mainland Canada, where it is presently absent.

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An Insight in the Reproductive Biology of Therophilus javanus (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, and Agathidinae), a Potential Biological Control Agent against the Legume Pod Borer (Lepidoptera, Crambidae)

Psyche A Journal of Entomology ◽

10.1155/2017/3156534 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Djibril Aboubakar Souna ◽

Aimé Bokonon-Ganta ◽

Marc Ravallec ◽

Antonino Cusumano ◽

Barry Robert Pittendrigh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Biological Control Agent ◽

Mass Rearing ◽

Control Agent ◽

Egg Load ◽

Potential Fecundity ◽

Pod Borer ◽

Legume Pod Borer ◽

The Moment ◽

Practical Implications

Therophilus javanus is a koinobiont, solitary larval endoparasitoid currently being considered as a biological control agent against the pod borer Maruca vitrata, a devastating cowpea pest causing 20–80% crop losses in West Africa. We investigated ovary morphology and anatomy, oogenesis, potential fecundity, and egg load in T. javanus, as well as the effect of factors such as age of the female and parasitoid/host size at oviposition on egg load. The number of ovarioles was found to be variable and significantly influenced by the age/size of the M. vitrata caterpillar when parasitized. Egg load also was strongly influenced by both the instar of M. vitrata caterpillar at the moment of parasitism and wasp age. The practical implications of these findings for improving mass rearing of the parasitoid toward successful biological control of M. vitrata are discussed.

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Establishment of Black Ant (Dolichoderus thoracicus)on Cocoa Plantation and Its Effects on Helopeltisspp. Infestation

Pelita Perkebunan (a Coffee and Cocoa Research Journal) ◽

10.22302/iccri.jur.pelitaperkebunan.v23i1.50 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Soekadar Wiryadiputra

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Key Words ◽

Biological Control Agent ◽

Gliricidia Sepium ◽

Control Agent ◽

Control Plot ◽

Pod Borer ◽

Ant Nest ◽

Cocoa Plantation

Black ant (Dolichoderus thoracicus)is the efficient biological control agent in suppressing main cocoa pests. It was reported that besides controlling the cocoa mirids, Helopeltisspp., this agent also can be used for biological control of cocoa pod borer (Conopomorpha cramerella)and rodents pest. Nevertheles, establishment of black ant in cocoa plantation is difficult. The objectives of research were to obtain the best method of black ant establisment and to know its effect on suppressing population and infestation of Helopeltis spp. The experiment was conducted on two cocoa ecosystems, namely cocoa plantation with coconut shading trees and with Gliricidia sepium shading trees. There were six methods of black ant establisment tried using a combination between black ant nest types and innoculation of mealybug (Cataenococcus hispidus). A control plot also added on these trial, therefore seven treatments were tried in this experiment and each treatmentwasreplicated three times. The results revealedthat on cocoa shaded by coconuts, ant establishment by the nests of coconut leaves combined with mealybug(Cataenococcus hispidus)inoculation on husk wedges were the best method and could effectively control Helopeltis infestation. Good results of ant establishment also occurred on cocoa shaded by Gliricidia but its effect on Helopeltis infestation has not been significant. Four months after establishment of black ant on cocoa with coconut shading trees, Helopeltisspp. population on the plots treated by coconut leaves nest combined with innoculation of mealybug using husk wedges were very low, namely only one Helopeltisper 36 cocoa trees, whereas on control plot reaches of 85 Helopeltis. Infestation of Helopeltis measured by percentage of trees occupied by Helopeltisper 36 cocoa trees in the same period and treatment plot revealed also very low, namely 1.04% compared to 27.86% on that of the control plot. Key words : Cocoa, black ant (Dolichoderus thoracicus), coconut, Gliricidia sepium, mealybug(Cataenococcus hispidus), Helopeltis spp.

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Current Distribution of the Olive Psyllid, Euphyllura olivina, in California and Initial Evaluation of the Mediterranean Parasitoid Psyllaephagus euphyllurae as a Biological Control Candidate

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects11030146 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 146

Author(s):

Evelyne Hougardy ◽

Xingeng Wang ◽

Brian N. Hogg ◽

Marshall W. Johnson ◽

Kent M. Daane ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Current Distribution ◽

Biological Control Agent ◽

Central Valley ◽

Control Agent ◽

Host Feeding ◽

Euphyllura Olivina ◽

Choice Tests ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Production Areas

The olive psyllid, Euphyllura olivina, is a newly invasive species to California with the potential to become an economical pest if it reaches the olive production regions of California’s Central Valley. Here, we report on surveys undertaken in California to assess the psyllid’s current distribution and the occurrence of parasitism. Additionally, we present results of foreign collections of its parasitoids and initial non-target studies of a possible biological control agent, the Mediterranean parasitoid Psyllaephagus euphyllurae. The current distribution of the psyllid appears to be limited to the California coast between Monterey and San Diego; there have been no reports of infestations on olives in the major production areas of central and northern California. Psyllaephagus euphyllurae was the major primary parasitoid found in our foreign collections. The potential non-target impact of P. euphyllurae was tested on three native North American psyllid species: Neophyllura arctostaphyli, Euglyptoneura nr. robusta, and Calophya nigrella. No P. euphyllurae developed on the non-target species during no-choice tests. Behavioral observations in choice tests confirmed no attack on the non-target hosts, although the parasitoid did remain longer on N. arctostaphyli-infested manzanita plants, and revealed no host feeding behavior.

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