Journal of Biological Control

The PDF file you selected should load here if your Web browser has a PDF reader plug-in installed (for example, a recent version of Adobe Acrobat Reader).

If you would like more information about how to print, save, and work with PDFs, Highwire Press provides a helpful Frequently Asked Questions about PDFs.

Alternatively, you can download the PDF file directly to your computer, from where it can be opened using a PDF reader. To download the PDF, click the Download link above.

Fullscreen Fullscreen Off


The effect of host stage on parasitisation and biological characteristics of Aenasius bambawalei Hayat (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), a parasitoid of Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley, was studied under laboratory conditions at 26-31°C and 46-73.6 per cent relative humidity. Mealybugs were reared on sprouted potato tubers and different stages of the pest were used in the host preference studies. Third instar and pre-reproductive adult females of the pest were most preferred by A. bambawalei for parasitization both under choice and no-choice conditions. First instars were not parasitized. Development of both male and female A. bambawalei was faster in large sized hosts (adult females). There was no significant difference in the adult emergence from different host stages. Emergence of adults from different stages ranged from 87.15 to 93.49 per cent. Maximum (73.39%) females emerged from reproductive adult females as compared to other stages of the pest. Parasitoid progeny emerging from second instar hosts consisted mostly (91.23%) of males.

Keywords

Aenasius bambawalei, Biology, Host Stage Preference, Solenopsis Mealybug.
User
Notifications