Dynamic host-feeding and oviposition behavior of an aphid parasitoid Aphelinus asychis

AbstractConspecific host discrimination and larval competition in two aphid parasitoid species were studied in the laboratory using the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) (Homoptera: Aphididae), as a host. Aphidius ervi Haliday (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) used internal host cues to discriminate between unparasitized and conspecific parasitized hosts. When only parasitized hosts were available, females oviposited into recently parasitized ones where their progeny had a good chance to survive, but rejected those parasitized ≥24 h earlier where their offspring normally died. Competitions occurred only after both eggs had hatched. Larvae eliminated supernumeraries by means of physical combat and physiological suppression. In Aphelinus asychis Walker (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), factors, or changes in host internal condition, associated with hatching of the first egg resulted in suppression of conspecific competitors which could be in either larval or egg stage. The older larvae always won competitions through physiological means. A wasp’s oviposition decision is shown to be influenced by the probability of its progeny’s survival. Species that have different reproductive strategies may respond differently to identical host conditions.

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Suitability of Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA for Genetic Markers in the Aphid Parasitoid, Aphelinus asychis Walker

Biological Control ◽

10.1006/bcon.1995.1060 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 5 (4) ◽

pp. 503-512 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

D.J. Kazmer ◽

K.R. Hopper ◽

D.M. Coutinot ◽

D.G. Heckel

Keyword(s):

Genetic Markers ◽

Random Amplified Polymorphic Dna ◽

Aphid Parasitoid ◽

Aphelinus Asychis

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Unsuccessful Host Stinging by Aphelinus asychis (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) Impacts Population Parameters of the Pea Aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

Journal of Economic Entomology ◽

10.1093/jee/toaa025 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 113 (3) ◽

pp. 1211-1220 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Yu-Jie Jia ◽

Bo Wang ◽

Tong-Xian Liu

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Life Table ◽

Acyrthosiphon Pisum ◽

Mass Rearing ◽

Host Feeding ◽

Strongly Correlated ◽

Laboratory Conditions ◽

Aphelinus Asychis ◽

Survival And Reproduction ◽

Host Life

Abstract The biocontrol values of natural enemies are strongly correlated to their ability to regulate the density of their host/prey. For parasitoids, apart from parasitism and host feeding, unsuccessful host stinging (i.e., stings that were aborted, abandoned, or discontinued without oviposition or host feeding) can also negatively affect their hosts and host populations. Although several studies have reported unsuccessful host stinging and its impacts on hosts, the effects of this type of attack on host life table parameters are still unclear. In the present study, we used the parasitoid Aphelinus asychis Walker (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) and its host Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) to investigate the influence of unsuccessful host stinging on host populations under laboratory conditions at. Biological parameters of A. pisum were analyzed using an age stage, two-sex life table. The results of this study showed that unsuccessful host stinging was prevalent under laboratory conditions, and the frequency of this type of attack on third- and fourth-instar hosts was higher than the frequencies of parasitism and host feeding. Unsuccessful host stinging adversely impacted aphid populations, by decreasing aphid survival and reproduction, and impacts were greatest in hosts attacked at the first and fourth instars. These results indicate that unsuccessful host stinging enhances the biological control impact of A. asychis attacking A. pisum, and its effect on host populations should also be considered when selecting and mass rearing of parasitoids for biological control.

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Biological Control May Fail on Pests Applied with High Doses of Insecticides: Effects of Sub-Lethal Concentrations of a Pyrethroid on the Host-Searching Behavior of the Aphid Parasitoid Aphidius colemani (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) on Aphid Pests

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture11060539 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 539

Author(s):

Armando Alfaro-Tapia ◽

Jeniffer K. Alvarez-Baca ◽

Eduardo Fuentes-Contreras ◽

Christian C. Figueroa

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Natural Enemies ◽

Insect Pests ◽

Oviposition Behavior ◽

Rapid Evolution ◽

Parasitoid Wasp ◽

Host Searching ◽

Aphid Parasitoid ◽

Aphidius Colemani ◽

Lethal Doses

The use of synthetic insecticides may cause failures in the biological control of insect pests due to undesired side effects on natural enemies and the rapid evolution of insecticide resistance in agroecosystems. Residues of neurotoxic insecticides can interfere with the recognition of chemical cues used by natural enemies to find pests. We investigated the effects of sub-lethal concentrations of the pyrethroid lambda-cyhalothrin on the interaction between the aphid parasitoid wasp Aphidius colemani and the peach potato aphid Myzus persicae. We studied changes in host-searching and oviposition behavior through laboratory bioassays when susceptible and kdr-resistant aphids are offered to parasitoid females, evaluating the effect of applying insecticides on the interacting species. The patch residence time, exploration, oviposition, and grooming were significantly disturbed when the parasitoids were offered resistant aphids sprayed with sub-lethal doses, but not when the parasitoids were offered susceptible M. persicae exposed to sub-lethal doses. We discuss how the effects of insecticides on parasitism behavior may result in failures of biological control if natural enemy populations are not adequately managed, particularly for the management of insecticide-resistant pest populations. Efforts to introduce biological control in integrated pest management (IPM) programs are also discussed.

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Performance of the parasitoid species Aphelinus asychis Walker (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), Aphidius ervi (Haliday) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Diaeretiella rapae (McIntosh) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), using Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) as host

Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control ◽

10.1186/s41938-020-00309-x ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Surjeet Kumar ◽

Shruti Kashyap ◽

Saurbh Soni

Keyword(s):

Myzus Persicae ◽

Control Program ◽

Diaeretiella Rapae ◽

North India ◽

Aphidius Ervi ◽

Host Feeding ◽

Host Age ◽

Parasitoid Species ◽

Developmental Duration ◽

Aphelinus Asychis

Abstract Three parasitoid species viz. Aphelinus asychis Walker (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), Aphidius ervi (Haliday) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Diaeretiella rapae (McIntosh) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) parasitizing the aphid species Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in mid-hills of north India were studied. At different locations and times of the year, the parasitization by A. asychis, A. ervi, and D. rapae ranged from 7.53 to 37.58, 4.26 to 80.45, and 74.25 to 80.48%, respectively. All the 3 parasitoids successfully completed their development on different nymphal instars of the aphid host and the total developmental duration of A. asychis, A. ervi, and D. rapae ranged 10.4–14.6, 24.2–29.6, and 10.2–15.2 days, respectively. It was significantly longer on the 1st nymphal instar of the host. The longevity of the female parasitoids was significantly longer than their counterparts. Differences in host age significantly influenced the longevity of female parasitoids and it was more on 1 to 2-day-old nymphs than that on 4 to 5-day-old nymphs. Fecundity and ovipositional periods of the parasitoids on younger (1–2 days old) host age group were considerably prolonged than on the older ages of the aphid. Average total fecundity of A. asychis and D. rapae was significantly higher when parasitizing 1–2-day-old nymphs. In A. asychis, host feeding behavior was also observed by a total host feeding of 89.2 aphids (1–2 days old) and 43.4 aphids (4–5 days old) during its life span. It is concluded that A. asychis, A. ervi, and D. rapae can be mass reared using M. persicae as host and can be utilized successfully in augmentative biological control program.

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HOST DISCRIMINATION BY THE APHID PARASITOID APHELINUS ASYCHIS (HYMENOPTERA: APHELINIDAE): WHEN SUPERPARASITISM IS NOT ADAPTIVE

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/ent122363-3 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 122 (2) ◽

pp. 363-372 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

B. Bai ◽

M. Mackauer

Keyword(s):

Egg Production ◽

Acyrthosiphon Pisum ◽

Host Acceptance ◽

Parasitoid Species ◽

Aphid Parasitoid ◽

Egg Deposition ◽

Aphelinus Asychis ◽

Solitary Parasitoid ◽

Long Time ◽

Host Rejection

AbstractFemales of the solitary parasitoid Aphelinus asychis Walker discriminated between unparasitized and parasitized second-instar nymphs of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris). Wasps normally avoided superparasitism, except when they were confined with few hosts for a long time. Parasitoid females did not need previous experience with unparasitized aphids (learning) in order to discriminate. They probed with the ovipositor any aphids encountered, a behaviour suggesting that host acceptance and rejection were determined by internal cues. Prolonged ovipositor insertion (>80 s) was correlated with host acceptance and egg deposition, but short insertion times (≤80 s) generally indicated host rejection. Females tended to reject both self- and conspecific-parasitized aphids when provided with two of each kind. We consider hypotheses mat conspecific superparasitism may be adaptive and give examples to show exceptions. We propose that, in egg-limited parasitoid species such as A. asychis, a reproductive strategy based on the regulation of egg production and on oosorption can explain the equal avoidance of self and conspecific superparasitism.

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