The biology of the ectoparasitoid wasp Eulophus pennicornis (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) on host larvae of the tomato moth, Lacanobia oleracea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

1995 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
pp. 507-513 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.C. Marris ◽  
J.P. Edwards

AbstractThere is a need to identify potential biological control agents for use against noctuid pests in greenhouses. The gregarious ectoparasitoid Eulophus pennicornis (Nees) attacks a limited range of macrolepidopterous larvae, including those of some important horticultural pest species. Laboratory trials designed to investigate the biology of E. pennicornis on larvae of the tomato moth, Lacanobia oleracea Linnaeus, reveal that wasps preferentially parasitize penulitmate (fifth) or final (sixth) instar hosts. More than two-thirds of wasps lay viable eggs, and individual females oviposit on up to four hosts during their lifespan. Wasp fecundity is high, preadult development is rapid, and offspring show a markedly female-biased sex ratio. Parasitized fifth instar L.oleracea hosts do not grow as quickly as unparasitized larvae, and neither do they undergo normal ecdysis to the final larval stadium. Furthermore, the consumption of artificial diet by parasitized fifth instar hosts is greatly reduced in comparison to that of unparasitized larvae (overall feeding-reduction over a 12 day period was 64.7%). Our results suggest that E. pennicornis affects both the developmental and feeding physiology of host larvae, and that inoculative releases of this parasitoid could provide effective biological control for L. oleracea and other greenhouse pests.

2000 ◽  
Vol 90 (4) ◽  
pp. 299-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.A. Bell ◽  
G.C. Marris ◽  
J. Bell ◽  
J.P. Edwards

AbstractThere is a need to identify potential biological control agents for use against lepidopterous pests in greenhouses. The solitary endoparasitoid Meteorus gyrator(Thunberg) attacks a range of macrolepidopterous larvae, including those of some important horticultural pest species. Laboratory trials designed to investigate the biology of M. gyrator on larvae of the tomato moth, Lacanobia oleraceaLinnaeus, reveal that this parasitoid is capable of parasitizing all larval stages of its host, third instars being parasitized most frequently. Each female parasitoid lives for up to 40 days (at 25°C), ovipositing into an average of 78 hosts. Preadult development is rapid (~ 2 weeks), and the sex ratio of offspring is 1:1. Parasitism by M. gyrator suppresses the growth of both early and late host instars, and there is a concomitant reduction in the amount of food consumed (overall feeding reduction over a 12 day period is 68%). Our results indicate that inoculative releases of M. gyrator could provide effective biological control of L. oleracea and other noctuid pests of greenhouses.


2016 ◽  
Vol 148 (S1) ◽  
pp. S239-S269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris J.K. MacQuarrie ◽  
D.B. Lyons ◽  
M. Lukas Seehausen ◽  
Sandy M. Smith

AbstractBiological control has been an important tactic in the management of Canadian forests for over a century, but one that has had varied success. Here, we review the history of biological control programmes using vertebrate and invertebrate parasitoids and predators against insects in Canadian forests. Since roughly 1882, 41 insect species have been the target of biological control, with approximately equal numbers of both native and non-native species targeted. A total of 161 species of biological control agents have been released in Canadian forests, spanning most major orders of insects, as well as mites and mammals. Biological control has resulted in the successful suppression of nine pest species, and aided in the control of an additional six species. In this review, we outline the chronological history of major projects across Canadian forests, focussing on those that have had significant influence for the development of biological control. The historical data clearly illustrate a rise and fall in the use of biological control as a tactic for managing forest pests, from its dominance in the 1940s and 1950s to its current low level. The strategic implementation of these biological control programmes, their degree of success, and the challenges faced are discussed, along with the discipline’s shifting relationship to basic science and the environmental viewpoints surrounding its use.


2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Sindhura Bhairavi ◽  
Badal Bhattacharyya ◽  
Gitanjali Devi ◽  
Sudhansu Bhagawati ◽  
Partha Pratim Gyanudoy Das ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are one of the widely studied biological control agents. The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of two EPNs species, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Poinar) (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae) and Steinernema aciari (Qui, Yan, Zhou, Nguyen and Pang) (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae), isolated locally from soils of Majuli river island, Assam, India against two important subterrenean pests; Odontotermes obesus (Rambur) (Isoptera: Termitidae) and Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) under laboratory conditions. Results In case of O. obesus, mortality percent was recorded by H. bacteriophora after 72 h. at 300 IJs/termite and by S. aciari at 250 and 300 IJs/termite after 96 h. The lowest LD50 and LT50 values obtained for H. bacteriophora were 13.054 IJs/termite and 26.639 h., respectively, while those of S. aciari were 42.040 IJs/termite and 31.761 h., respectively. With respect to A. ipsilon, H. bacteriophora registered a highest mortality rate at 300 IJs/larvae after 144 h. S. aciari showed 100 percent mortality at 300 IJs/larva after 168 h. The lowest values of LD50 and LT50 for H. bacteriophora were 35.711 IJs/larva and 83.050 h., respectively. The lowest values of LD50 and LT50 for S. aciari were 71.192 IJs/larvae and 97.921 h., respectively. Overall, H. bacteriophora displayed more virulence toward O. obesus and A. ipsilon than S. aciari. Conclusion Both native EPNs were found effective against O. obesus and A. ipsilon. However, H. bacteriophora was more virulent toward O. obesus and A. ipsilon than S. aciari under the laboratory conditions.


Author(s):  
Mohammad Muslim ◽  
M. Shafiq Ansari ◽  
Fazil Hasan

Bracon hebetor is a Lepidopteran parasitoid which is used in IPM program as biological control agents. Corcyra cephalonica is fictitious host for mass rearing of B. hebetor in laboratory, rest hosts reared on their respective hosts i.e. Corcyra cephalonica, Plodia interpunctella, Ephestia kuehniella were reared on wheat flour, Galleria mellonella on its artificial diet, Helicoverpa armigera on chickpea pods, Earias vitella on okra fruits, Spodoptera litura and Spodoptera littoralis on castor leaves. The results of this study showed that the paralysis and parasitisation potential of B. hebetor were found higher on C. cephalonica followed by G. mellonella, E. kuehniella, P. interpunctella while it was shortest on S. litura and S. littoralis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. e48187
Author(s):  
Oniel Jeremias Aguirre Gil ◽  
Leandro Aparecido de Souza ◽  
Marina Funichello ◽  
Antonio Carlos Busoli

 The natural parasitic behavior of parasitoids should be known by those in charge of planning strategies for the biological control of pests; therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the larval instar of Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner parasitized by Microcharops anticarsiae Gupta in the field and the implication of such parasitic behavior in the sex ratio in the laboratory environment. The length of each larval instar of A. gemmatalis parasitized by M. anticarsiae in the field was determined, and the egg-to-pupa period of the parasitoid and its larval instar lengths were plotted in Gantt charts. According to the chart, A. gemmatalis was parasitized at the first (15%) and second (85%) larval instars in the field, but the length of the first, second and third larval instars of this species was not affected by the parasitism by M. anticarsiae in the field; however, its fourth larval instar was extended and the fifth one was shortened in 2015 but not affected in 2016. The sex ratio of A. gemmatalis larvae parasitized by M. anticarsiae in the field was female-biased, and the sex ratio of early parasitized larvae (3-day old) in the laboratory environment was also female-biased for three cultivated generations. The ‘generation’ factor has affected the egg-to-pupa, pupal and egg-to-adult periods of M. anticarsiae, since females pupated earlier than males in the egg-to-pupa period. Based on the results, M. anticarsiae mostly parasitized the second larval instar of A. gemmatalis in the field, and parasitism in 3-day old larvae in the laboratory environment produced female-biased sex ratio in M. anticarsiae, regardless of the generation.


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