Behavioral Interactions Between the Hyperparasitoid Mesochorus discitergus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) and Four Species of Noctuid Caterpillars: Evasive Tactics and Capture Efficiency

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The hyperparasitoid, Mesochorus discitergus (Say), oviposits into larvae of primary parasitoids while the latter are developing inside various lepidopteran hosts. To accomplish hyperparasitism, M. discitergus must capture the lepidopteran larvae. We studied the evasive behaviors of 2nd-, 3rd-, and 4th instar Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (corn earworm), Pseudoplusia includens (Walker) (soybean looper), Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (fall armyworm), and 2nd- and 4th-instar Plathypena scabra (Fabricius) (green cloverworm), as well as the effectiveness of these tactics in eluding capture by M. discitergus females. Most individuals of all instars of corn earworm and fall armyworm made minimal efforts to escape. Although not commonly used by corn earworm and fall armyworm, their occasional vigorous responses were effective in deterring M. discitergus females. Dropping from a leaf, either unattached or attached by a thread, was also effective for preventing capture of those two noctuid species. Soybean loopers and green cloverworms responded much more actively. Second-instars of both species dropped off the leaf on a thread, while 3rd- and 4th-instar soybean loopers commonly used vigorous responses. Fourth-instar green cloverworms used vigorous responses and dropping off the leaf. Overall, 68% of the caterpillars using the vigorous response were captured, while 39% of those dropping on a thread and about 26% of those dropping off a leaf, unattached by a thread, were captured. Green cloverworms and soybean loopers were more difficult to capture than corn earworms and fall armyworms.