Environmental Entomology (1984) 13, 787-793
K.M. Soteres, R.C. Berberet and R.W. McNew (1984)
Parasitic insects associated with lepidopterous herbivores on alfalfa in Oklahoma
Environmental Entomology 13 (3), 787-793
Abstract: These studies were conducted to identify species and estimate relative incidence of parasitic insects which attack lepidopterous herbivores in alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., in Oklahoma. At least 40 species of parasites were reared from eight herbivorous hosts collected from 1979 to 1981. The most common parasite(s) and respective hosts were: Microplitis croceipes (Cresson), Heliothis zea (Boddie); Rogas nolophanae Ashmead, Plathypena scabra (F.); Apanteles marginiventris (Cresson) and Chelonus insularis Cresson, Spodoptera ornithogalli (Guenée); C. insularis and Zele melea (Cresson), Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith); C. insularis, Spodoptera exigua (Hübner); Apanteles militaris (Walsh) and Campoletis flavicincta (Ashmead), Pseudaletia unipuncta (Haworth); Apanteles flaviconchae Riley, Colias eurytheme Boisduval; Cremnops vulgaris (Cresson) and Nemorilla psyte (Walker), Achyra rantalis (Guenée). Those parasitic species which attacked six or more host species included: A. marginiventris, C. flavicincta, C. insularis, Chetogena "claripennis Macquart," Pristomerus spinator (F.), and Z. melea. Over the 3-year period of this study, total parasitism averaged from 6.6% for P. scabra to 38.3% for S. ornithogalli. Hyperparasites of the genera Mesochorus and Perilampus were reared from a number of primary parasitic species.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
surveys/distribution/isolation
