Multitrophic Interaction between Cucumber Moth Diaphania indica Saunders, (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) and Its Natural Enemies

Abstract

Multitrophic interactions provide an information on how plant-insects interact in the field mediated by biotic and/or abiotic factors. This study measures the effect ofApanteles taragamae parasitism toward Diaphania indica, and the rate of A. taragamae themselves being parasitized by hyperparasitoid. The insects were collected periodically at 3, 4, and 5 weeks after planting from cucumber fields in Bogor, Indonesia during the growing season in 2014 and 2015. Sampled insects were reared in the lab and the incidence of parasitism and hyperparasitism was calculated. The relationship between D. indica, its primary parasitoids and hyperparasitoids, was also analyzed. Older cucumber plants harbored larger populations of D. indica and higher rates of primary parasitism by A. taragamae. Other D. indica parasitoids, Ichneumon sp., and Elasmus sp., showed lower parasitism rates. The hyperparasitoid species found in greatest abundance were Stictopisthus sp. and Ceraphron sp., with other hyperparasitoids present i.e., Tetrastichus sp., Eurytoma sp., Orasemasp., and Brachymeria sp. The overall population of D. indica found in Bogor was low. A. taragamae have a significant suppressive effect on the population of D. indica. But, the presence of hyperparasitoids may disrupt parasitization of D. indica by A. taragamae thereby reducing the suppressive effect.