Florida Entomologist (2018) 101, 399-403

Jose E. Gonzalez-Zamora and Maria L. Castillo (2018)
Analyzing the mass-rearing system of the California red scale parasitoid Aphytis melinus (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae)
Florida Entomologist 101 (3), 399-403
Abstract: Results from studies to improve mass rearing production of the parasitoid Aphytis melinus De Bach (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) are presented. Parasitoid production was carried out following standard commercial procedures using an alternative host, Aspidiotus nerii Bouché (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), infesting Cucurbita moschata (Duchesne) (Cucurbitaceae), butternut squash. We found that the initial number of A. melinus adults introduced into rearing cages to start production and the scale/parasitoid ratio in those cages profoundly influenced future parasitoid production. We also observed that scale parasitism was positively correlated with the production of parasitoid adults, but this relationship was negatively correlated if > 2.6 parasitoids per d, per cm², were used in the cages to start parasitism. Supplemental honey (provided on the squash surface) had no clear impact on parasitoid production or survival, but improved host parasitism. Approximately 47% of the host scale population on squash was parasitized, with another 43.1% of the population recorded as dead. We found that < 10 host scales per cm² on squash was an adequate density for mass production purposes.
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Database assignments for author(s): Jose Enrique Gonzalez-Zamora

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
rearing/culturing/mass production

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
Aphytis melinus (parasitoid)			Spain (continental)