AbstractThe ability of the egg parasitoid, Trichogramma minutum Riley, to suppress outbreak populations of the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens), was studied annually near Hearst, Ont., from 1982 through 1986. Timing of broadcast parasitoid-releases was linked to spruce budworm moth emergence and oviposition. These phenological relationships were predicted from a regression based on larval development at least 2 weeks before expected emergence; this allowed sufficient time to regulate (program) parasitoid emergence during mass-rearing. Emergence of caged spruce budworm adults was used to monitor moth eclosion in the field. Pheromone traps provided daily information on the activity of male moths and helped to synchronize the parasitoid releases with spruce budworm oviposition. Information on parasitoid activity was obtained from sentinel (laboratory-reared) and naturally occurring spruce budworm egg masses. A curvilinear relationship between the rate of parasitoid release and parasitism of sentinel egg masses was developed. Two parasitoid releases, 1 week apart, early in the oviposition period of spruce budworm, significantly increased parasitism of host eggs by 14–83% and reduced larval populations correspondingly from 42 to 82%. Single releases were less effective and increased parasitism by 0.3–52% (single ground release, 1986). Two parasitoid releases, combined with a spring application of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner to larval populations, was the most effective strategy and resulted in 83% egg parasitism and 93% larval reduction. Release rates greater than 12–16 × 106 ♀ ♀ T. minutum per hectare were not warranted based on impact and costs. The effects of release timing, weather, host density, and parasitoid quality on the future successful use of T. minutum are discussed.
