Host Influences on the Bionomics of Edovum puttleri (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae): Effects on Size and Reproduction

Abstract

Edovum puttleri parasitoids reared from eggs of Leptinotarsa texana Schaeffer were larger than parasitoids produced from eggs of L. decemlineata (Say), the Colorado potato beetle. Female parasitoids reared from eggs of L. texana had more mature oocytes in their ovaries than those reared from eggs of L. decemlineata when dissected 1–7 d after their last exposure to hosts. L. texana -reared females, isolated from host eggs for 2 d to permit ovigenesis, produced significantly more offspring when they attacked a host egg mass than similarly treated L. decemlineata -reared females. Despite this, lifetime fecundity, sex ratio, longevity, preoviposition period, and the duration of the egg-laying period were not significantly affected by host species when females were constantly exposed to hosts throughout their lifetimes. For parasitoids from both host species, 2 d was sufficient time for females to redevelop a full clutch of eggs after oviposition, and females maintained a full clutch of eggs for at least 5 d after their last exposure to host eggs.