Environmental Entomology (1998) 27, 759-766
R.L. Meagher Jr., J.W. Smith Jr., H.W. Browning and R.R. Saldana (1998)
Sugarcane stemborers and their parasites in southern Texas
Environmental Entomology 27 (3), 759-766
Abstract: Approximately 40,000 stemborer larvae, pupae, and parasite cocoons were collected during 1982-1995 from commercial sugarcane fields and allowed to complete development under laboratory conditions, Eoreuma loftini (Dyar) and Diatrea saccharalis (F.) comprised 92.4% (36,897/39,945) and 5.2% (2,057/39,945) of the stemborers collected. More than 65% of field-collected stemborer larvae completed development and emerged as adults after being transferred to artificial diet; however, 27.5% died during development. Average seasonal parasitization of E. loftini larvae and pupae (including parasites collected during sampling and those that completed development) was 6.2 ± 1.0%. The most numerous parasites collected from E. loftini included 2 indigenous braconids Chelonus sonorensis Cameron and Digonogastra solitaria Wharton and Quicke, and 2 exotic braconids, Albagrus stigma (Brullé) [= Agathis stigmatera (Cresson)] and Allorhogas pyralophagus Marsh. Average seasonal parasitization of D. saccharalis was 8.9 ± 1.6%, caused mostly by Cotesia flavipes (Cameron).
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Robert L. Meagher
Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
surveys/distribution/isolation
