The Great Lakes Entomologist (1998) 31, 173-179

J.H. Lee and N.C. Elliott (1998)
Temperature effects on development in Aphelinus albipodus (Hymenoptera : Aphelinidae) from two geographic regions
The Great Lakes Entomologist 31 (3-4), 173-179
Abstract: Aphelinus albipodus Hayat and Fatima was imported to the United States for classical biological control of the Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko). Temperature effects on development of A. albipodus from two geographic regions (hereafter referred to as strains) were measured using the Russian wheat aphid as host. Temperature thresholds for egg to mummy, mummy to adult, and egg to adult development were 8.9, 10.9, and 9.7°C for A. albipodus collected near Pingluo, China, and were and 8.5, 10.3, and 9.6°C for A. albipodus collected near Urumqi, China. The time required to develop from egg to adult did not differ among strains. However, when total immature development was partitioned into egg to mummy and mummy to adult, the time required for development through these two periods differed among strains. The Urumqi strain developed faster than the Pingluo strain from egg to mummy, while the Pingluo strain developed faster from mummy to adult. Degree-day requirements for egg to mummy development were 135 and 104 for the Pingluo and Urumqi strains, respectively. Corresponding requirements for mummy to adult development were 70 and 101 degree-days. The ability to vary immature development rate in response to climate or other factors could have adaptive significance because it would permit the parasitoid to exploit environments over a broad geographic range.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
environment/habitat manipulation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Diuraphis noxia		U.S.A. (SW)
	Diuraphis noxia		U.S.A. (NW)
Aphelinus albipodus (parasitoid)	Diuraphis noxia		U.S.A. (SW)
Aphelinus albipodus (parasitoid)	Diuraphis noxia		U.S.A. (NW)
Aphelinus albipodus (parasitoid)	Diuraphis noxia		China (NE)
Aphelinus albipodus (parasitoid)	Diuraphis noxia		China (NW)