BioControl (2000) 45, 139-153

A.K. Al-Wahaibi and G.P. Walker (2000)
Oviposition behavior of Anagrus nigriventris, an egg parasitoid of beet leafhopper, Circulifer tenellus
BioControl 45 (2), 139-153
Abstract: Oviposition behavior of Anagrus nigriventris,a parasitoid of the eggs of the beetleafhopper, Circulifer tenellus, was described on sugar beet. Ovipositor probes ofrelatively long duration were accompanied by a periodof abdominal vibrations toward the end of the probe. These periods began as high frequency, low amplitudevibrations in the abdomen, and climaxed as a tremblingof the whole body in an up and down direction.Oviposition by the parasitoid was associated with the occurrence of abdominal vibrations during a probe andwith probe durations > 50 s; however the presence/absence of abdominal vibrations during aprobe was considered a more reliable indicator ofoviposition than was a threshold probe duration of 50s. The majority of probes (63% of all probes) were inempty plant tissue, lasted 15 s, and were notassociated with abdominal vibrations. While probeswithout abdominal vibrations at host egg sites (14%of all probes) lasted an average of 48 s, probes withabdominal vibrations at host egg sites (23% of allprobes) lasted an average of 102 s, and all were > 50s. It is hypothesized that the relative frequency ofthe 3 types of probes could be affected by the degreeof wasp experience, by the level of host cues on the substrate, and by the relative importance of ovipositor probing (vs. antennation) in the host detection process. Data from the study suggest that A. nigriventris is able to discriminate against previously attacked host eggs.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Ali K. Al-Wahaibi, Gregory P. Walker

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Circulifer tenellus	Beet/sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris)
Anagrus nigriventris (parasitoid)	Circulifer tenellus	Beet/sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris)