HOST SEARCHING BEHAVIOUR OF MAIN INSECT PARASITOIDS ASSOCIATED WITH OLEANDER SCALE, Aspidiotus nerii (BOUCHE) (HOMOPTERA: DIASPIDIDAE).

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Economic Entomology Dept., Faculty of Agric., Mansoura Univ., Mansoura, Egypt

Abstract

Searching rate, mutual interference, functional response and killing power of
two hymenopterous parasitoids (Encarsia citrin a Craw. and Habro/ep < /em>is asp < /em>idioti
Com per & Annecke) as bio- control agents against the diaspidid scale, Aspidiotus
nerii (Bouche) were estimated, at Mansoura district.
The endoparasitoids, E. citrina and H. asp < /em>idioti showed differences in their
searching interfered rates and interfered values with increasing parasitoid density.
Encarsia citrina females showed relatively higher searching rate in comparison with H.
asp < /em>idioti, while the mutual interference value of E. citrina was decreased by increasing
parasitoid density in comparison with H. aspidioti under laboratory and field condition.
Encarsia citrin a females exhibited a weak functional response to increasing
host density by laying increasing numbers of eggs. While H. asp < /em>idioti females
exhibited a high positive functional responses to increasing host density.
Encarsia citrina recorded the highest k- value at the lowest host density, while
the lowest value was obtained at the highest host density. In respect to H. aspidioti,
the efficiency of the parasitoid was increased by increasing the host density. However,
the killing power (k- value) was increased by host increase.
Journal of Plant Protection and Pathology
Volume 29, Issue 10
October 2004
Pages 5847-5854

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