Journal of Economic Entomology (1994) 87, 929-932

J.E. Carpenter, S.D. Pair and G.P. Fitt (1994)
Ichneumon promissorius (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae): Development on North American hosts
Journal of Economic Entomology 87 (4), 929-932
Abstract: Ichneumon (=Pterocormus) promissorius (Erichson) is native to Australia where it has been collected from Helicoverpa spp. This pupal parasitoid searches the soil surface for host pupation sites, burrows into the pupal gallery, and oviposits into the host pupa. I. promissorius developed successfully on several indigenous lepidopteran species, including Helicoverpa, Heliothis, and Spodoptera spp. Rearing I. promissorius in the laboratory was accomplished by exposing uncovered host pupae to female wasps for 24-48 h. Eggs hatched about -36 h after oviposition, and larvae molted to the pupal stage ~8 d after oviposition. I. promissorius has four larval instars. The developmental time of I. promissorius varied with the host species and the age of the host pupa at the time of oviposition. Data from this study should be useful in developing laboratory rearing techniques for I. promissorius and in predicting the possible establishment of I. promissorius on indigenous noctuid pests.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): James E. Carpenter

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
classical biocontrol/new introduction
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Helicoverpa zea
Ichneumon promissorius (parasitoid)	Helicoverpa zea