Australian Journal of Entomology (2013) 52, 277-281

Ted Deveson and James D. Woodman (2013)
Longevity relative to temperature of Scelio fulgidus (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) emerging from Australian plague locust (Chortoicetes terminifera) eggs
Australian Journal of Entomology 52 (3), 277-281
Abstract: Scelio fulgidus (Crawford) is a widely distributed endoparasitoid in the eggs of the Australian plague locust, Chortoicetes terminifera (Walker), that can exert considerable influence on locust population dynamics. The present study quantifies S. fulgidus longevity from different seasonal histories at five day/night temperature regimes in the laboratory. Longevity was sensitive to temperature, and means ranged from 5 days to 28 days in males and from 10 days to 33 days in females at 35/20°C and at 15/0°C (day/night), respectively. There was no significant difference in the longevity of S. fulgidus sampled from different seasonal populations, or those from host diapause eggs exposed to 15°C in soil for 100 days before hatching. These data report the average longevity of S. fulgidus at different day/night temperature regimes and considerably increase the previously reported individual maximum longevity for the species. The effects of temperature on wasp longevity may have important host-parasitoid implications at different times of the year.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution
environment/habitat manipulation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Chortoicetes terminifera
Scelio fulgidus (parasitoid)	Chortoicetes terminifera