Influence of liquid food on fecundity and longevity of <i>Microctonus hyperodae</i> Loan

Abstract

Microctonus hyperodae Loan (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is an introduced parasitoid of the pasture pest Argentine stem weevil, Listronotus bonariensis (Kuschel) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). This paper describes the effect of providing honey solution to caged M. hyperodae females derived from three South American geographic populations (ecotypes) on their fecundity and longevity. Both the longevity and fecundity of parasitoids from all three ecotypes was increased when they had access to honey. There was no significant difference between ecotypes in either overall fecundity or longevity. There was evidence of an interaction between the honey and ecotype treatments in the fecundity data. The fecundity of females from the Concepcion ecotype (Chile) tended to be lower than that of the Mendoza (Argentina) and Colonia ecotypes when honey was not available, while all ecotypes had similar fecundities when they had access to honey.