Environmental Entomology (1988) 17, 293-298
Zvi Mendel (1988)
Effects of food, temperature, and breeding conditions on the life span of adults of three cohabitating bark beetle (Scolytidae) parasitoids (Hymenoptera)
Environmental Entomology 17 (2), 293-298
Abstract: The study deals with the adult life span of three hymenopterous parasitoids of bark beetles (Scolytidae) - Dendrosoter caenopachoides Ruschka, D. protuberans Nees (Braconidae), and Metacolus unifasciatus Foerster (Pteromalidae) - investigated under three temperature and two nutrition treatments. Longevity decreased significantly with increasing temperature and absence of carbohydrate in the diet. Regardless of species, life span was about 2 mo with honey plus water at 18°C compared with 20-30 d at 30°C; with water only, the life span was 15-30 d at 18°C and dropped to about 4-8 d at 30°C. Longevity was significantly related to body length of males and females of all tested species when kept on water, but usually not when honey was available. Marked differences between longevities in the same species were attributed to breeding conditions (i.e., differences in host size of parasitoids reared from scolytids of different size). Ecological and silvicultural implications of the findings are discussed. It is suggested that an increase in tree species diversity in the stands might have diversified and increased food sources for adult parasitoids.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Zvi Mendel
Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution
