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Residence times of the whitefly parasitoid Encarsia formosa Gahan (Hym., Aphelinidae) on tomato leaflets
Author(s) -
Roermund H. J. W.,
Lenteren J. C.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of applied entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.795
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1439-0418
pISSN - 0931-2048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0418.1995.tb01319.x
Subject(s) - aphelinidae , honeydew , biology , parasitoid , whitefly , hymenoptera , botany , horticulture
Individual Encarsia formosa parasitoids were observed continuously on either clean, honeydew‐contaminated or whitefly‐infested tomato leaflets until the parasitoids flew away. The residence time on clean leaflets was about 20 min at 20, 25 and 30°C, and was the same on infested leaflets when no hosts were encountered. Encounters with unparasitized and parasitized whitefly larvae, and contact with honeydew prolonged the residence time of the parasitoid on the leaflet. Even when many parasitized black whitefly pupae (unsuitable hosts) were encountered and rejected, the parasitoid was still arrested on that leaflet. Encarsia formosa's walking pattern seemed to be random, and parasitoids showed no preference for searching on the upper or lower leaf side when no hosts were encountered. There is also no preference for the edge or for the middle of a leaf. Walking and flight activity of the parasitoids was hardly observed at 15 and 18°C. Many parasitoids became inactive during periods when the barometric pressure decreased but did not when it was stable or increasing.