Insects (2021) 12 (4 - 345)

Luis de Pedro, Ahlem Harbi, José Tormos, Beatriz Sabater-Muñoz and Francisco Beitia (2021)
A minor role of host fruit on the parasitic performance of Aganaspis daci (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) on medfly larvae
Insects 12 (4 - 345)
Abstract: Host fruit is known to strongly affect the performance of both fruit pests and their potential natural enemies. This is particularly important in the control of tephritid fruit flies, whose larvae develop inside the fruit and thus create a set of foraging problems for parasitoids. In the present study, we assessed the response of female Aganaspis daci (Weld) (Hymenoptera: Figitidae), one of the most promising parasitoids for tephritid biocontrol in the Mediterranean Basin, to different potential host fruit species. We measured the olfactory response to medfly-infested and uninfested fruits, and several biological parameters of A. daci when different infested fruits were offered under both laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Our results showed that this parasitoid was significantly more attracted to apples and uninfested fruit. Moreover, parasitic activity was similar among the tested fruits under both conditions, showing very high values in the laboratory and a much poorer performance when conditions were variable. This suggests that A. daci may be a good candidate to be included in mass releases against the medfly regardless of the affected crop, but only when climate conditions are not expected to hinder its normal activity.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Full text of article
Database assignments for author(s): José Tormos, Beatriz Sabater-Munoz

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
evaluation - screening - selection
general biology - morphology - evolution

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Ceratitis capitata	Ficus (crop)	Spain (continental)
Aganaspis daci (parasitoid)	Ceratitis capitata		Spain (continental)