Competition, resource partitioning and coexistence of an endoparasitoid Encarsia perniciosi and an ectoparasitoid Aphytis melinus of the California red scale

Abstract

Abstract. 1. Laboratory experiments and field studies were conducted to explain the coexistence of an endoparasitoid, Encarsia perniciosi Tower, and an ectoparasitoid, Aphytis melinus DeBach, both of which were introduced into California to control the California red scale, Aonidiella aurantii (Mask.).2. Encarsia parasitized all scale stages but it preferred first and second instar scales. This is in contrast to Aphytis melinus, in which previous studies have shown that it parasitizes second and third instar females and second instar males but prefers third instar female scales. Encarsia developed most rapidly when it parasitized an early second instar and slowest when it parasitized the mature female scale. However, on early second instar scales it was about 80% as fecund as a wasp that emerged from a mature female scale.3. Second instar scales parasitized by Encarsia were accepted by Aphytis as readily as unparasitized scales.4. Encarsia did not distinguish between unparasitized hosts and those previously parasitized by Aphytis.5. Encarsia always outcompeted by Aphytis when both species parasitize the same host.6. Encarsia prefers scale on stems whereas Aphytis prefers those on leaves and fruits. This, too, may be a result of interspecific competition with Aphytis.7. The partitioning of the scale resource by the two species explains why they coexist in coastal southern California but it does not explain why Encarsia disappeared from citrus groves in the inland valleys coincident with the introduction of Aphytis melinus into southern California.