Abstract
The functional and numerical responses, reproductive characteristics, and viability of Campoletis flavicincta (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) as well as the mortality after parasitism of the host Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) were analyzed in the laboratory. Campoletis flavicincta pairs were maintained until female death with 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 caterpillars day-1 of the host S. frugiperda. A type III functional response curve was fitted to the average number of caterpillars supplied per day during the female wasp lifespan, as the explanatory variable. The handling time was 0.5940 ± 0.0875h, and the instantaneous search 0.0047 ± 0.0020 h-1. The functional response for each of the first five days of the host was a type III. The longevity at the five host densities and the parasitism rate showed a significant linear decrease with the host density. The offspring production showed an increasing quadratic variation with increased host density. The production of females by C. flavicincta, the offspring sex ratio, the viability of the parasitoid pupae and the percentage of mortality of S. frugiperda caterpillars were not affected by host density. The functional and numerical responses of C. flavicincta indicate that this parasitoid could be a candidate for biological control of S. frugiperda.
Highlights
This paper reports on the functional and numerical responses and the reproductive characteristics of C. flavicincta parasitizing S. frugiperda under different host caterpillar densities
The logistic regression results did not allow for an adequate discrimination between the functional responses models
The handling time increased with female age, while the instantaneous search rate increased until the fourth day after the initial exposure to S. frugiperda caterpillars and decreased on the fifth day (Table 1)
Summary
The family Ichneumonidae contains many important ecto- or endoparasitoids of immature insects that undergo complete metamorphosis (holometabolous), such as Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Neuroptera, and Trichoptera, as well as spiders (SOARES et al, 2006) They typically consume the entire host tissue and pupate within it (BRODEUR; BOIVIN, 2004). The functional and numerical responses of parasitoids can determine the potential of a species to act as a biological control agent (FERNANDEZARHEX; CORLEY, 2005). These functional responses define the parasitoid searching efficiency and provide an understanding of the host-parasitoid interactions (MONTOYA et al, 2000; GREENBERG et al, 2001). This paper reports on the functional and numerical responses and the reproductive characteristics of C. flavicincta parasitizing S. frugiperda under different host caterpillar densities
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