Supernumerary Larvae Elimination and Effects of Superparasitism in Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). .

DEVESCOVI, ; VISCARRET, ; CONTE,; CLADERA, J; DF SEGURA

Bangok

Simposio; 9th International Symposium on Fruit Flies of Economic Importance; 2014

Superparasitism (SP) is seen as a potential problem when producing parasitoids for pest management. As to evaluate whether SP in D. longicaudata reared in Ceratitis capitata affects adult fitness through larval competition, we determined the moment of supernumerary larvae elimination and evaluated the impact of SP on biological parameters. Methods Larvae elimination: we recorded the number of dead/alive larvae within host pupae dissected at 72, 96 and 120 h after parasitization. Impact of SP: Effects were evaluated through parasitoid emergence, male and female survival, fecundity and progeny sex ratio at increasing levels of SP [LSP: 0 (ctrl), 1 (ctrl), 2, 3, 5 and 10 D. longicaudata eggs per C. capitata larva]. There is a clear trend toward complete larvae elimination before 2nd instar is reached (120h, Fig. 1 and 2). Elimination is slowed down at higher LSP (Fig. 3). Overall, we found only one host containing two alive 2nd instar (LSP 3, data not shown).