Refuge Releases ofCotesia flavipes(Hymenoptera: Braconidae) into the Louisiana Sugarcane Ecosystem

Abstract

Abstract After 15 failures to establish Cotesia flavipes (Cameron) as a parasitoid of the sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.), in Louisiana sugarcane fields (Saccharum spp.), four release refuges were established as sites for an intensive study of the crop, host, and parasitoid interaction for a full crop cycle. These refuges were maintained with minimal disturbance from June 2001 to June 2002 to encourage the establishment of C. flavipes. Refuges were managed in a manner such that (1) sugarcane borer larvae were abundant, (2) predation of parasitoids by the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta (Buren), was minimized, (3) host and parasitoid were not exposed to insecticide applications used to control economically damaging sugarcane borer infestations, (4) presence of parasitoids was insured through repeated releases during the growing season, and (5) the sugarcane was not harvested to enhance overwintering opportunities for C. flavipes. C. flavipes was successfully recovered in all establishe...