Environmental Entomology (1990) 19, 859-865

Juli R. Gould and Joseph S. Elkinton (1990)
Temperature-dependent growth of Cotesia melanoscela (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a parasitoid of the gypsy moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae)
Environmental Entomology 19 (4), 859-865
Abstract: Temperature-dependent developmental rate curves for larvae and pupae of Cotesia melanoscela (Ratzeberg), a parasitoid of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), were developed using linear and nonlinear models. There were small but statistically significant differences among developmental rates of parasitoids reared in first, second, and third host instars when the hosts fed on oak foliage. Differences in developmental rate between parasitoid larvae developing in first-instar hosts feeding on foliage versus artificial diet and between male versus female parasitoid pupae were more substantial. Although the r² values for the linear model were high, the deviations from regression were significant. Two nonlinear models fit well (high r²) for all treatments of parasitoid larvae and pupae, and the deviations from regression were not significant. Cumulative Weibull functions were fit to the data from all treatments to model the distribution of developmental time. Applications of these models are discussed.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Juli R. Gould

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.
	Lymantria dispar	Oak (Quercus)	U.S.A. (NE)
Cotesia melanoscela (parasitoid)	Lymantria dispar	Oak (Quercus)