Environmental Entomology (1996) 25, 703-707

Y.Q. Tang and R.K. Yokomi (1996)
Effect of parasitism by Aphelinus spiraecolae (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) on development and reproduction of spirea aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae)
Environmental Entomology 25 (3), 703-707
Abstract: The effect of parasitism by Aphelinus spiraecolae Evans and Schauff on development, survival, reproduction, and population growth of different life stages of the spirea aphid, Aphis spiraecola Patch, was assessed in the laboratory. Differences in aphid population growth were related to the life stage attacked. Aphids parasitized as 1st and 2nd instars and 40% of those parasitized as 3rd instars died as 4th instars. Approximately 60% of aphids parasitized as 3rd instars and all parasitized as 4th instars and adults reached maturity and produced a variable number of offspring, with those stung as adults producing more. Parasitized adult aphids stopped producing offspring ~6 d after parasitoid attack. Parasitism by A. spiraecolae decreased life span, fecundity, and intrinsic rate of increase of the spirea aphid and increased aphid doubling time at rates dependent on the host stage parasitized. These data indicate that this parasitoid has potential as as a natural enemy of the aphid and should be further evaluated.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Raymond K. Yokomi

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.
	Aphis spiraecola		U.S.A. (SE)
Aphelinus spiraecolae (parasitoid)	Aphis spiraecola		U.S.A. (SE)