Field parasitism of Trichopoda giacomelli (Diptera: Tachinidae) on winter Nezara viridula (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) adults

WERDIN GONZÁLEZ, J.O.; GUTIÉRREZ, M.M.; STEFANAZZI, N.; FERRERO, A.A.

Congreso; Reunión Conjunta de Sociedades de Biología de la República Argentina; 2011

In Argentina, N. viridula is attacked by T. giacomelli, a species wich has shown to regulate populations of this soybean pest. This is the first study about the parasitization by T. giacomelli on overwintered adults of N. viridula from Rivera city (27º 09? 38? S, 63º 14? 48? N), Buenos Aires, Argentina. The studies were carried out from 2005 to 2009. The oviposition pattern, superparasitism and its relationship with the Apparent Parasitism (AP) and the Effective Parasitism(EP) were studied. Along this study, eggs of T. giacomelli were found on host bodies. The percentage of parasitism was 13.7% ranging from 8.6% to 18.1% and males consistently had a higher parasitization levels than females. Supernumerary oviposition was found to be common on both genders but males showed a higher incidence of tachinid eggs and higher numbers of eggs per individual. The highest tachinid eggs concentration was found on the thorax, mostly on the pronotum and on the ventral surface for males and females, respectively. A significant correlation between number of tachinid eggs on host body and the EP was found, so field estimation of N. viridula adult parasitization could be done using the AP