Aspects of the biology and reproductive strategy of two Asian larval parasitoids evaluated for classical biological control of Drosophila suzukii

Publication date: Available online 10 February 2018 Source:Biological Control Author(s): Xin-Geng Wang, Alexandra H. Nance, John M.L. Jones, Kim A. Hoelmer, Kent M. Daane Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is native to eastern Asia, but has established in Europe, North and South America, where it is a pest of numerous berry and other small fruit crops. As a part of a classical biological control program, two larval D. suzukii parasitoids, Ganaspis brasiliensis Ihering and Leptopilina japonica Novković & Kimura (Hymenoptera: Figitidae), were imported from South Korea to a California quarantine for evaluation. Here, we report on aspects of their reproductive strategy, including egg maturation dynamics, host age preference and suitability, and life-time fecundity. Adult females of both species emerged with a high mature egg-load that peaked 1–2 days post emergence. Both parasitoid species preferred to attack young host larvae (1–2 day old), although host age did not affect the parasitoid offspring’s sex ratio or fitness (survival, developmental time and body size of female wasps). Held at 22 ± 2 °C with honey-water and D. suzukii larvae in artificial diet, as well as a constant source of adult males, G. brasiliensis adult females survived 17.7 ± 1.4 days and produced 98.3 ± 11.8 offspring per female, while L. japonica survived 18.7 ± 1.1 days and produced 107.2 ± 9.9 offspring per female. The proportion of female progeny decreased w...
Source: Biological Control - Category: Biology Source Type: research