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Survey for parasites ofSesamia calamistis (Lep.: Noctuidae) andEldana saccharina (Lep.: Pyralidae) in southwestern Nigeria

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Abstract

Field surveys were conducted during 1990–92 to document the relative abundance of different species of parasites of the lepidopterous stem borersSesamia calamistis Hampson andEldana saccharina Walker in maize fields in southwestern Nigeria. Species of parasitoids detected on both stem borers included the larvalpupal parasitoidsSturmiopsis parasitica Curran (Diptera: Tachinidae) andBrachymeria feae Masi (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae), and the larval parasitoidDolichogenidea polaszeki Walker (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). The braconidCotesia sesamiae (Cameron) was found attackingS. calamistis. The hyperparasitoidExoristobia dipterae (Risbec) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) was detected on a pupa ofS. parasitica. Parasitic nematodes belonging toMermis sp. and/orHexamermis sp. were found infesting larvae of both stem borers. Overall, larval/pupal parasitization levels at Ibadan were low and ranged from 4.2 to 22.8% forS. calamistis and 1.2 to 13% forE. saccharina. Of the parasites found,S. parasitica was the most common, followed by nematodes.

Four hymenopteran egg parasitoids were found attackingS. calamistis: Telenomus busseolae Gahan,T. isis Polaszek (Scelionidae),Lathromeris ovicida Risbec, andTrichogrammatoidea eldanae Viggiani (Trichogrammatidae). Egg parasitization ranged from 13.4 to 41.5%. The only egg parasitoid detected onE. saccharina wasTelenomus applanatus Bin and Johnson, which inflicted only 5% parasitization.

Résumé

Des enquêtes sur le terrain ont été effectuées entre 1990 et 1992 en vue d'étudier les espèces présentes et l'abondance relative des parasites des lépidoptères foreurs des tigesSesamia calamistis Hampson etEldana saccharina Walker dans des champs de maïs du sud-ouest du Nigéria. Parmi les espèces de parasitoïdes découvertes sur les deux foreurs de tiges figuraient les parasitoïdes des larves et pupes,Sturmiopsis parasitica Curran (Diptera: Tachinidae) etBrachymeria feae Masi (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae), ainsi que le parasitoïde des larves,Dolichogenidea polaszeki Walker (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Des attaques du braconidéCotesia sesamiae (Cameron) ont été observées surS. calamistis. L'hyperparasitoïdeExoristobia dipterae (Risbec) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) a été observé sur une pupe deS. parasitica. Des nématodes parasites appartenant àMermis sp. et/ouHexamermis sp. ont été observés sur des larves des deux foreurs des tiges. Dans l'ensemble, le parasitisme larvaire était faible avec des valeurs comprises entre 4.2 et 22.8% pourS. calamistis, et 1.2 et 13% pourE. saccharina. Parmi les parasitoïdes observés, l'espèce la plus courante étaitS. parasitica.

Des attaques de quatre hyménoptères parasitoïdes des oeufs ont été observées surS. calamistis: Telenomus busseolae Gahan,T. isis Polaszek (Scelionidae),Lathromeris ovicida Risbec, etTrichrogrammatoidea eldanae Viggiani (Trichogrammatidae). Les oeufs étaient parasités à des valeurs comprises entre 0 et 33%. L'unique parasitoïde des oeufs observé surE. saccharina étaitT. applanatus Bin et Johnson (Scelionidae) qui ne provoquait qu'un parasitisme de 5%.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Health Management Division, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, PMB 5320, Ibadan, Nigeria

    N. A. Bosque-Pérez

  2. Department of Entomology, Wageningen Agricultural University, The Netherlands

    J. A. Ubeku & A. Polaszek

  3. International Institute of Entomology (an Institute of Cab International), 56, Queen's Gate, London, UK

    J. A. Ubeku

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  1. N. A. Bosque-Pérez
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  2. J. A. Ubeku
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  3. A. Polaszek
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Bosque-Pérez, N.A., Ubeku, J.A. & Polaszek, A. Survey for parasites ofSesamia calamistis (Lep.: Noctuidae) andEldana saccharina (Lep.: Pyralidae) in southwestern Nigeria. Entomophaga 39, 367–376 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02373042

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