Parasitoids Attacking Larvae of a Recently Introduced Weed Biological Control Agent, Neomusotima conspurcatalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae): Key to Species, Natural History, and Integrative Taxonomy

• Published in: Annals of the Entomological Society of America Vol. 105; no. 6; pp. 753 - 767
• Main Authors: Boughton, Anthony J, Kula, Robert R, Gates, Michael, Zhang, Yali, Nunez, Melissa, O'connor, Jaqui, Whitfield, James B, Center, Ted D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Entomological Society of America 2012
• Subjects: adulthood; adults; biological control agents; Cotesia; Crambidae; host range; larvae; Mesochorus; natural enemies; natural history; parasitism; parasitoids; population; rearing; taxonomic keys; weeds; Florida
• ISSN: 0013-8746; 1938-2901
• DOI: 10.1603/AN11157

The extent to which introduced weed biocontrol agents are subject to attack by generalist natural enemies within the area of introduction is believed to be an important determinant of program success. We monitored larval populations of a recently introduced weed biocontrol agent, Neomusotima conspurcatalis Warren, at field sites in Florida to investigate parasitism by native parasitoids and to assess the overall rate of parasitism. Of six native parasitoid species reared from wild larvae of N. conspurcatalis, five, Rhygoplitis choreuti (Viereck), Stantonia pallida (Ashmead), Elasmus apanteli Gahan, Hyphantrophaga sellersi (Sabrosky), and an unidentified Cotesia sp. were primary parasitoids of the biocontrol agent. The sixth species, Mesochorus apantelis Dasch, is likely a hyperparasitoid of R. choreuti. From 1,100 N. conspurcatalis larvae collected from three sites, adult parasitoids emerged from 6.8% of those larvae and 73.6% of the N. conspurcatalis developed to adulthood. R. choreuti was the most common parasitoid, accounting for 81% of adults reared. Photographs of parasitoid species are provided, aspects of their natural histories and host ranges are described, and accumulation of native parasitoids on introduced weed biocontrol agents is discussed.