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Title: Survey for hymenopteran and dipteran parasitoids of the fall armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Chiapas, Mexico

Author
item RUIZ-NAJERA, R - CHIAPAS, MEXICO
item MOLINA-OCHOA, J - MEXICO/NEBRASKA
item Carpenter, James
item ESPINOSA-MORENO, J - CHIAPAS, MEXICO
item RUIZ-NAJERA, J - TABASCO, MEXICO
item LEZAMA-GUTIERREZ, R - COLIMA, MEXICO
item FOSTER, JOHN - LINCOLN, NEBRASKA

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Urban Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/3/2007
Publication Date: 10/3/2007
Citation: Ruiz-Najera, R.E., Molina-Ochoa J., Carpenter J.E., Espinosa-Moreno, J.A., Lezama-Gutierrez R., Foster, J.E. 2007. Survey for hymenopteran and dipteran parasitoids of the fall armyworm (Lepidoptera:Noctuidae) in Chiapas, Mexico. Journal of Agricultural and Urban Entomology. 24(1):35-42.

Interpretive Summary: A survey of parasitoids of the fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) larvae was conducted to determine their occurrence and parasitism rates in Western Chiapas, Mexico. FAW larvae were collected from whorl-stage cornfields in Chiapas in the region called “La Frailesca” during the summer of 2002. Nine wasp parasitoids and five fly parasitoids were found attacking FAW larvae. Fly parasitoids produced a parasitism rate of 6.3%, and were mostly recovered from 5th and 6th FAW instars. Overall rate of parasitism was 20.1%. Most of the parasitoid species were recovered from FAW larvae that were collected from corn plants in the V3 growth stage. Results from this survey reveal that these parasitoids are well adapted to the environmental conditions of Western Chiapas, MX and frequently occurred in most of the localities sampled. Because rates of parasitism was usually less than 6%, there is an excellent potential that increased parasitism rates and a greater role in an IPM or Biological Control program of this important pest could be realized through additional studies of their biology, ecology, and possibly mass reproduction.

Technical Abstract: A survey of hymenopteran and dipteran parasitoids of the fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) larvae was conducted to determine their occurrence and parasitism rates in Western Chiapas, Mexico. FAW larvae were collected from whorl-stage cornfields in Chiapas in the region called “La Frailesca” during the summer of 2002. Five braconids were recovered from FAW larvae, Rogas vaughani Muesebeck, R. laphygmae Viereck, Chelonus insularis Cresson, C. cautus Cresson, and Glyptapanteles militaris Walsh. Two ichneumonids, Neotheronia sp., and Ophion flavidus Brulle, and one eulophid, Euplectrus plathypenae Howard were recovered. Dipteran parasitoids were also recovered from last instars. These were the tachinids Archytas marmoratus Towsend, Lespesia archippivora Riley, Archytas sp., and Winthemia sp. Megaselia scalaris Low was a unique phorid recovered. Dipteran parasitoids produced a parasitism rate of 6.3%, and were mostly recovered from 5th and 6th FAW instars. Overall rate of parasitism was 20.1%. Most of the parasitoid species were recovered from FAW larvae that were collected from corn plants in the V3 growth stage. In this survey, O. flavidus, E. plathypenae, Chelonus spp., and species of Rogas (Syn: Aleiodes) were the most frequently recovered species in “La Frailesca”.