Annals of the Entomological Society of America (1996) 89, 96-102

Tong-Xian Liu and Philip A. Stansly (1996)
Oviposition, development, and survivorship of Encarsia pergandiella (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) in four instars of Bemisia argentifolii (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae)
Annals of the Entomological Society of America 89 (1), 96-102
Abstract: Oviposition, development, and mortality of Encarsia pergandiella Howard in the 4 instars of Bemisia argentifolii Bellows and Perring were evaluated under choice and no-choice conditions in the laboratory. E. pergandiella oviposited in all nymphal stages of B. argentifolii, but preferred 3rd and 4th instars. Regardless of host stage parasitized, adult wasps emerged from host pupae. The costs of oviposition in younger instars were delayed development, presumably to allow for growth and maturation of the host, and increased mortality of both parasitoid and host. Our results indicate that E. pergandiella can successfully exploit whitefly populations of both high and low densities by favoring large hosts, of high quality when abundant, but shifting to, and successfully exploiting younger instar hosts of lower quality when necessary.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Tong Xian Liu, Philip A. Stansly

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution
population dynamics/epizootiology

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Bemisia tabaci biotype MEAM1
Encarsia pergandiella (parasitoid)	Bemisia tabaci biotype MEAM1	Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)	U.S.A. (SE)