Environmental Entomology (1992) 21, 760-766

Y.C. Drost and R.T. Cardé (1992)
Host switching in Brachymeria intermedia (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae), a pupal endoparasitoid of Lymantria dispar (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae)
Environmental Entomology 21 (4), 760-766
Abstract: Brachymeria intermedia (Nees) was reared on its most prevalent host, Lymantria dispar L., and on Holomelina lamae (Freeman), not a natural host of B. intermedia. Host acceptance levels for L. dispar were much higher than for H. lamae. Rearing on H. lamae or adult experience with pupae of this species did not elevate its acceptability. When B. intermedia were deprived of hosts from emergence, the acceptance levels for L. dispar and H. lamae increased with age of the parasitoid, although more so for L. dispar. In single-choice tests, H. lamae pupae contaminated with kairomone of L. dispar were accepted at the same rate as L. dispar pupae. Experience with the contaminated H. lamae pupae increased the acceptance levels for clean H. lamae. The degree of polyphagy of B. intermedia is discussed.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Ring T. Cardé

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.
	Lymantria dispar
Brachymeria tibialis (parasitoid)	Lymantria dispar