Some biological interactions between the parasitoid Anagyrus pseudococci (Girault) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and its host Planococcus ficus (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae)

Abstract

The development, longevity, fecundity and life-table parameters of the endoparasitoid Anagyrus pseudococci (Girault) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), 15 d.o. (3rd-instar nymphs) and 21 d.o. (young adult females) of the vine mealybug, Planococcus ficus (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) at 28 ± 1°C, 65 ± 10%RH and 16:8h L:D under laboratory conditions. The developmental time of female parasitoids within the host was 17.7 ± 0.39 days in 15 d.o. and 16.65 ± 0.25 days in 21 d.o. hosts; for males, development time was 16.85 ± 0.29 and 15.25 ± 0.09 days, respectively. The average number of offspring per female was 22.35 ± 1.68 in 15 d.o. and 34.8 ± 2.56 in 21 d.o. vine mealybugs. The longevity of female parasitoids was 14.8 ± 0.98 days in 15 d.o. and 15.65 ± 0.92 days in 21 d.o. mealybugs, respectively; for males, longevity was determined as 7.3 ± 0.43 and 6.7 ± 0.54 days, respectively. The mean time of pupation was 7.85 ± 0.003 days in 15 d.o. mealybugs and 8.65 ± 0.003 days in 21 d.o. mealybugs. The aggregate encapsulation rate in the parasitized 15 d.o. mealybugs was 49.73 and 60.36% in 21 d.o. mealybugs. Furthermore, effective encapsulation was 24.82% in 15 d.o. mealybugs and 37.50% in 21 d.o. mealybugs. Population growth rate (r m) for A. pseudococci was 0.0999 female/female/days in 15 d.o. mealybugs and 0.1269 female/female/days in 21 d.o. mealybugs. The mean population generation time was 23.49 days for parasitoids reared in 15-days-old and 22.39 days when reared in 21 d.o. mealybugs.