Microgastrine wasps are among the most species-rich and numerous parasitoids of caterpillars (Lepidoptera). They are often host-specific and thus are extensively used in biological control efforts and figure prominently in trophic webs. However, their extraordinary diversity coupled with the occurrence of many cryptic species produces a significant taxonomic impediment. We present and release the results of 8 years (2004-2011) of DNA barcoding microgastrine wasps. Currently they are the best represented group of parasitoid Hymenoptera in the Barcode of Life Data System (BOLD), a massive barcode storage and analysis data management site for the International Barcoding of Life (iBOL) program. There are records from more than 20 000 specimens from 75 countries, including 50 genera (90% of the known total) and more than 1700 species (as indicated by Barcode Index Numbers and 2% MOTU). We briefly discuss the importance of this DNA data set and its collateral information for future research in: (1) discovery of cryptic species and description of new taxa; (2) estimating species numbers in biodiversity inventories; (3) clarification of generic boundaries; (4) biological control programmes; (5) molecular studies of host-parasitoid biology and ecology; (6) evaluation of shifts in species distribution and phenology; and (7) fostering collaboration at national, regional and world levels. The integration of DNA barcoding with traditional morphology-based taxonomy, host records, and other data has substantially improved the accuracy of microgastrine wasp identifications and will significantly accelerate further studies on this group of parasitoids.

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In this study, we investigated the influence of cultivar type, fruit ripeness, and damage by conspecific larvae on the attraction of Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart) (Diptera: Tephritidae) to and oviposition on carambola fruit (Averroha carambola L.). The attraction of both sexes of A. obliqua to fruit of different quality was evaluated through cage experiments in the field, and the oviposition preferences of mated females were examined in laboratory tests. Both sexes, mated or virgin, were more attracted to the "Maha" fruit than to the "Golden Star" fruit, and the females oviposited more frequently on the Maha cultivar than the Golden Star cultivar. Both sexes were more attracted to ripe and half-ripe Maha fruits than to mature green fruit, and although females did not show a preference for ovipositing on half-ripe or ripe fruits, they did not oviposit on mature green fruits. Males did not show a preference for the volatiles from uninfested, artificially damaged, or infested Maha fruits, but females were more attracted to uninfested fruits than to artificially damaged and infested Maha fruits. Furthermore, females preferred to oviposit on uninfested fruits compared with artificially damaged fruit, and they did not oviposit on infested fruits.

Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 56(1): 95-100, março, 2012 The coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), is the most important insect pest for coffee growers in tropical America. This species spends most of its life feeding inside the coffee berries, affecting the quantity and quality of coffee. Cephalonomia stephanoderis Betrem (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) is an African parasitoid that has been introduced in several Latin American and Caribbean countries during the past 20 years for biological control of H. hampei (Barrera et al. 1990a(Barrera et al. , 1990bMurphy & Moore 1990;Baker 1999). C. stephanoderis is a solitary ectoparasitoid that attacks eggs, larvae, prepupae and pupae of H. hampei. Female parasitoid enters into the infested fruit through the CBB entrance hole and if there is enough host population, it establishes there permanently. The female parasitoid feeds on all developing stages of the coffee borer and starts parasitizing prepupae or pupae only until it has developed mature eggs. After the onset of the oviposition period, parental females remain with their broods until completion of offspring development. Young C. stephanoderis females disperse after mating and search for new hosts to repeat the cycle. It is assumed that females can feed on sugary substances if the searching period is prolonged. It takes from 16 to 20 days at 27°C for the parasitoid to develop from egg to adult. Female parasitoids live longer than males, and oviposit an average of 66 eggs during a lifetime of 80 days (Barrera et al. 1989(Barrera et al. , 1993Abraham et al. 1990;Lauzière et al. 2001).Several field studies have been performed to assess the impact of inoculative and inundative releases of C. stephanoderis Influence of age and diet on the performance of Cephalonomia stephanoderis (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) a parasitoid of the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) ABSTRACT. Influence of age and diet on the performance of Cephalonomia stephanoderis (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) a parasitoid of the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera, Curculionidae). The importance of age and feeding on the performance of Cephalonomia stephanoderis (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae), a parasitoid of the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) was investigated in the laboratory. Groups of female parasitoids were subject to the following treatments: a group fed during one, five and ten days after emergence of adults with coffee borer larvae; another group fed only with honey solution during five days after emergence; and as a control, a third group was kept without food for five days. At the end of each treatment, survivorship, parasitoid activity (walking and flying capacity in an arena), search capacity for finding coffee borer-infested berries, host feeding and oviposition (on immature hosts), were assessed. Unfed females showed a significant decrease in survivorship compared to individuals that were fed. The type of meal (insec...

In this paper, we show the results of investigating the presence of organochlorine pesticides in honey and pollen samples from managed colonies of the honey bee, Apis mellifera L. and of the stingless bee Scaptotrigona mexicana Guérin. Three colonies of each species were moved into each of two sites. Three samples of pollen and three samples of honey were collected from each colony: the first collection occurred at the beginning of the study and the following ones at every six months during a year. Thus the total number of samples collected was 36 for honey (18 for A. mellifera and 18 for S. mexicana) and 36 for pollen (18 for A. mellifera and 18 for S. mexicana). We found that 88.44% and 93.33% of honey samples, and 22.22% and 100% of pollen samples of S. mexicana and A. mellifera, respectively, resulted positive to at least one organochlorine. The most abundant pesticides were Heptaclor (44% of the samples), γ-HCH (36%), DDT (19%), Endrin (18%) and DDE (11%). Despite the short foraging range of S. mexicana, the number of pesticides quantified in the honey samples was similar to that of A. mellifera. Paradoxically we found a small number of organochlorines in pollen samples of S. mexicana in comparison to A. mellifera, perhaps indicating a low abundance of pollen sources within the foraging range of this species.

-The coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is the most important coffee pest worldwide. Beauveria bassiana is a generalist entomopathogenic fungus widely used by coffee farmers to control this pest and Phymastichus coffea LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is an African endoparasitoid of H. hampei adults, recently imported to several Latin American and Caribbean countries to aid in the coffee berry borer control. The objective of this study was to determine if B. bassiana is detrimental to P. coffea. The susceptibility of the parasitoid was evaluated in terms of adult survivorship, mean lethal concentration (LC 50 ), mean lethal time (LT 50 ), reproduction and immature mortality. The main effect of the fungus resulted in reduction of adult longevity and mortality of 100% for immature stages of this parasitoid. The LC 50 for adults was 0.11% equivalent to 9.53 x 10 7 conidia/ml of B. bassiana and a LT 50 of 29.4h, equivalent to reduction of 22% of its normal longevity as an adult. P. coffea was capable of disseminating spores of B. bassiana to non-infected H. hampei adults, which could indirectly cause the death of its own progeny. These results could be valuable when considering the use of both organisms in the fi eld, especially in an integrated pest management program.KEY WORDS: Coffee, Hypothenemus hampei, entomopathogenic fungus RESUMEN -La broca del café, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), es la plaga mas importante del cultivo de café en el mundo. Beauveria bassiana es un hongo entomopatógeno generalista ampliamente utilizado por los productores de café para controlar a H. hampei. Phymastichus coffea LaSalle es un endoparasitoide africano de adultos de la broca, recién importado a varios países de Latinoamérica y del Caribe para el control de esta plaga. En el presente estudio se realizaron bioensayos de laboratorio con el objetivo de determinar si B. bassiana es detrimental para el parasitoide P. coffea. La susceptibilidad del parasitoide fue evaluada en términos de supervivencia de adultos, concentración letal media (CL 50 ), tiempo letal medio (TL 50 ), reproducción y mortalidad de su progenie. El principal efecto del hongo resultó en la disminución de la longevidad de los adultos y en la mortalidad del 100% de los inmaduros del parasitoide. La CL 50 para adultos de P. coffea fue de 0.11% equivalente a 9.53 x 10 7 conidias/ml de B. bassiana y una TL 50 de 29.4h, equivalente a la reducción del 22% de su longevidad normal como adulto. P. coffea fue capaz de transmitir esporas de B. bassiana a brocas no infectadas con el hongo y originar indirectamente la muerte de su progenie. Este trabajo servirá de referencia cuando se contemple el empleo de ambos organismos a nivel de campo, especialmente dentro de un plan de manejo integral de la plaga.PALABRAS CLAVE: Café, Hypothenemus hampei, hongo entomopatógeno El cultivo del café (Coffea arabica y C. canephora) tiene importancia económica, social, cultural y ambiental en todo el mundo. La br...