Distributional patterns of fall armyworm parasitoids in a corn field and a pasture field in Florida

Publication date: Available online 8 February 2016 Source:Biological Control Author(s): Mirian M. Hay-Roe, Robert L. Meagher, Rodney N. Nagoshi, Yoana Newman An assessment of parasitoids and their selective patterns among Spodoptera frugiperda corn and rice host strains was performed from August 2008-August 2010 in a corn crop and a grass pasture in northern Florida under different seasonal conditions (spring and fall). Sentinel larvae from our laboratory were placed in both habitats. Results obtained in the corn crop differed from those in the pasture due to poor recovery rate of larvae in the pasture habitat. In corn fields, we found that the parasitoid community was composed of eight species of Hymenoptera and one Diptera species, which represented four families and two guilds. The more abundant parasitoid species in the corn field included Aleiodes laphygmae, Meteorus autographae, Cotesia sp., Euplectrus platyhypenae and Ophion flavidus while the Diptera species constituted the most abundant parasitoid in pastures. Among the parasitoid species collected in pastures were three Diptera species and four hymenoptera species. Parasitoid species did not discriminate among fall armyworm host strains, however they varied among the different habitats in the corn field. The ectoparasitoid Euplectrus platyhypenae and an unknown ichneumonid species were found primarily at the edges of the crop (in areas adjacent to the woods); while the endoparasitoids Cotesia sp. and Met...
Source: Biological Control - Category: Biology Source Type: research