Abstract
Controlling the cosmopolitan pest Drosophila suzukii (spotted wing drosophila) is a challenge for fruit growers. A promising agent for biological control of that pest are parasitoid wasps. Especially the widespread pupal parasitoid Trichopria drosophilae had shown the ability to parasitise the pest fly. However, as a biocontrol agent, parasitoids can only be effective when they prefer the pest to other insects. Until now studies have been inconsistent concerning the preference of T. drosophilae for D. suzukii and whether the preference depends on pupal volume. To clarify this inconsistency, we used video recordings of parasitisation experiments with a set up to observe the direct host preference of the parasitoid. Additionally, the volume of each host pupa was measured. We found significant preference of T. drosophilae for D. suzukii pupae independent of the pupal size and of the host species the wasps were reared on. The article also discusses the sex ratio and the success of the parasitoid in the different pupae characteristics.
Highlights
Controlling the cosmopolitan pest Drosophila suzukii is a challenge for fruit growers
We studied the host preference of T. drosophilae for D. suzukii taking the size of the pupae and the immune response of the fly into account
The T. drosophilae < suzukii > preference was not influenced by the pupal size of D. suzukii (p = 0.89)
Summary
Controlling the cosmopolitan pest Drosophila suzukii (spotted wing drosophila) is a challenge for fruit growers. Enormous populations can be build up quickly and infest fruit crops, where they cause massive economic d amage[7] The control of this Drosophila is still firmly based on the use of insecticides due to the lack of effective alternatives. The most promising native parasitoids in Europe and North America that can successfully reproduce on D. suzukii, are the pupal parasitoids Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae Rondani (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) and Trichopria drosophilae Perkins (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae)[19]. These wasps should be implemented in an IPM approach
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