Abstract
AbstractBiological control efficiency can be improved by developing effective mass‐rearing systems to produce large numbers of high‐quality parasitoids. This study explored an alternative host for rearingSclerodermus brevicornis(Kieffer) (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae), a potential biocontrol agent for the suppression of exotic and invasive wood‐boring longhorn beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) populations in the European agroforestry ecosystems. We tested larvae of the rice moth,Corcyra cephalonicaStainton (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), as host for the parasitoid. We quantified the probability and timing of host attack and parasitism as well as reproductive success, offspring production, and the characteristics of adult offspring. AsS. brevicornisis a quasi‐social species (multiple females, communally produced offspring broods), we also explored the effects of varying the number of females to which individual hosts were presented, with the aim of determining the optimal female‐to‐host ratio. As time to host attack can be a limiting factor inS. brevicornisrearing protocols, we tested the use of adult females of another bethylid species,Goniozus legneriGordh, to paralyseC. cephalonicalarvae prior to presentation. We identified the conditions within our experiment that maximized offspring production per host and offspring production per adult female parasitoid. We found thatC. cephalonicais suitable as a factitious host and, as it is considerably more straightforward for laboratory rearing than cerambycid species, it is a good candidate for adoption by futureS. brevicornismass‐rearing and release programmes.
Highlights
Members of the genus Sclerodermus Latreille, 1809 (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) are small-sized (1.5– 6 mm) parasitoid wasps (Evans, 1978)
We have shown that larvae of the rice moth, Corcyra cephalonica, can be utilized as factitious hosts for Sclerodermus brevicornis
Sclerodermus brevicornis is native to Europe and has potential to counter invasion by Asian wood-boring long-horned beetles, especially if mass-reared for subsequent inundative field release (Lupi et al, 2017)
Summary
Members of the genus Sclerodermus Latreille, 1809 (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) are small-sized (1.5– 6 mm) parasitoid wasps (Evans, 1978). 1990; Lanes & Azevedo, 2008) Species of this genus are idiobiont ectoparasitoids (Li & Sun, 2011; Hu et al, 2012), typically of coleopteran larvae. In China, Sclerodermus species have formed an integral part of effective and successful forest pest-management programs (Chen & Cheng, 2000; Yang, 2004; Kaishu, 2006; Tang et al, 2012; Yang et al, 2014; Jiang et al, 2015). Several Asian species of long-horned beetles have invaded Europe (Jucker and Lupi, 2011) and some of the 17 recorded species of Sclerodermus (Andre, 1881; Kieffer, 1914ab), have been reported as associated with these invasive pests (Hérard et al, 2007; Lupi et al, 2014)
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