Premium
Interaction between Apanteles ruficrus Hal. and Meteorus rubens Nees on larvae on Agrotis ipsilon (Hufn.)
Author(s) -
Awadallah K. T.,
Zaki F. N.,
Gesraha M. A.
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.tb01347.x
Subject(s) - agrotis ipsilon , biology , instar , apanteles , larva , braconidae , parasitoid , botany , zoology , noctuidae , cutworm
The two internal gregarious parasitoids Apanteles ruficrus Hal. and Meteorus rubens Nees attack larvae of Agrotis ipsilon (Hufn.) and they naturally co‐exist during the period from end April to end May. The present paper deals with the interaction between these two parasitoids. First and late 6th instar (3‐day old) of A. ipsilon never attacked by either A. ruficrus or M. rubens. No sort of direct competition between the two parasitoids existed around 2nd, 3rd and early 6th instars, because of the unique instar attacked by each. Fourth instar larva is adequate for both parasitic species, but when being exposed simultaneously to females of both species, no progeny are obtained owing to the early death of the host. Fifth instar of Agrotis larva is highly preferable for Meteorus compared to Apanteles and thus, when being exposed simultaneously, the survivor is Meteorus. In nature the two parasitic species were never obtained together from a 4th instar larva, and no Apanteles individuals were secured from 5th instar larvae.