scholarly journals Host Specificity of the Parasitic Wasp Anaphes flavipes (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) and a New Defence in Its Hosts (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Oulema spp.)

Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 175
Author(s):  
Alena Samková ◽  
Jiří Hadrava ◽  
Jiří Skuhrovec ◽  
Petr Janšta

The parasitic wasp Anaphes flavipes (Förster, 1841) (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) is an important egg parasitoid of cereal leaf beetles. Some species of cereal leaf beetle co-occur in the same localities, but the host specificity of the wasp to these crop pests has not yet been examined in detail. A lack of knowledge of host specificity can have a negative effect on the use of this wasps in biological control programs addressed to specific pest species or genus. In this study, laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the host specificity of A. flavipes for three species of cereal leaf beetles (Oulema duftschmidi Redtenbacher, 1874, Oulema gallaeciana Heyden, 1879 and Oulema melanopus Linnaeus, 1758) in central Europe. For the first time, a new host defence against egg parasitoids occurring in O. gallaeciana from localities in the Czech Republic, a strong dark sticky layer on the egg surface, was found and described. The host specificity of A. flavipes was studied in the locality with the presence of this defence on O. gallaeciana eggs (the dark sticky layer) (Czech Republic) and in a control locality (Germany), where no such host defence was observed. Contrary to the idea that a host defence mechanism can change the host specificity of parasitoids, the wasps from these two localities did not display any differences in that. Respectively, even though it has been observed that eggs with sticky dark layer can prevent parasitization, the overall rate of parasitization of the three species of cereal beetles has not been affected. However, in our view, new host defence can influence the effects of biological control, as eggs of all Oulema spp. in the locality are protected against parasitization from the wasps stuck on the sticky layer of the host eggs of O. gallaeciana.

2008 ◽  
Vol 44 (No. 3) ◽  
pp. 108-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Jeloková ◽  
J. Gallo

Cereal leaf beetles are serious animal pests of crops in many areas of western and eastern Slovakia. Research was carried out in these areas in order to receive knowledge on occurrence of natural enemies of <I>Oulema gallaeciana</I>. We were detecting particular species of parasitoids parasitising <I>Oulema gallaeciana</I> and their spreading in particular area. The results showed that dominant parasitoid was <I>Necremnus leucarthros</I>. Other parasitoids with bigger proportion on parasitisation were<I> Pteromalus vibulenus</I> and <I>Diplazon</I> spp. with parasitisation up to 30%. In respect of significant parasitisation of <I>Oulema gallaeciana</I> by parasitoid <I>Necremnus leucarthros</I>, it would be appropriate to use this species for biological control of cereal leaf beetle.


2004 ◽  
Vol 57 ◽  
pp. 248-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.D. Murphy ◽  
M.K. Kay

The new association theory of biological control predicts that novel enemies may be more effective in controlling pest species than their natural enemies This theory was tested using the egg parasitoid Enoggera nassaui Girault (Hymenoptera Pteromalidae) on the Acacia tortoise beetle Dicranosterna semipunctata (Chapuis) (Coleoptera Chrysomelidae) in New Zealand In no choice laboratory bioassays parasitism on the new host was significantly lower than on a natural host Paropsis charybdis Stål (Coleoptera Chrysomelidae) (57 cf 89 eggs/h P002) The fecundity and oviposition rate of D semipunctata were approximately half that of P charybdis A field release of 1500 E nassaui directed against D semipunctata did not result in sustained field parasitism It is suspected that E nassaui will not normally encounter D semipunctata because it searches Eucalyptus not Acacia species The ability of biological control agents to locate the target species in the field needs to be considered when evaluating new association biological control


2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 543-549
Author(s):  
Sándor Koczor ◽  
Andrej Cokl

AbstractThe European tarnished plant bug (Lygus rugulipennis Poppius) is among the most serious pests in the family Miridae, and therefore there is increasing interest in understanding the behaviour of this species. In the present study, laboratory recordings were taken using a laser vibrometer on adult males and females to ascertain whether acoustic signals are involved in intraspecific communication. Recordings were both carried out on plant and loudspeaker membrane substrates. Males and females emitted vibratory signals and the present results indicate that these signals are important during courtship. The basic signal characteristics measured were the dominant frequency, pulse duration, repetition time and number of pulses per group within the signal. Male and female signals did not differ in respect to any of these characteristics. Plant recorded signals were longer because of different mechanical properties of substrates. Additionally, the high frequency components were attenuated due to the low-pass filtering properties of plants. As this is the first study on vibratory communication of the European tarnished plant bug, we believe these findings may contribute considerably to the better understanding of the mating behavior of this important pest species.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document