Pseudautomeris brasiliensis(Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) andStenomasp. (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae) Feeding on Crops ofCtenanthe kummeriana(Marantaceae) in Brazil and an Associate Parasitoid,Enicospilus tenuigena(Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

Abstract

Ctenanthe kummeriana (E. Morren) Eichler (Marantaceae) is a cosmopolitan ornamental plant with esthetically appealing color and leaf shape. Pseudautomeris brasiliensis Walker (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) and a nondescribed species of Stenoma (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae) defoliated this plant in the campus of the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), Viçosa, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, inspiring the study of the association that prevails among these organisms. This could be a rare event, as the association of Lepidoptera with Marantaceae is scarce, with only two previous reports. The aim of this study was to monitor the caterpillars on the two crops of C. kummeriana, one in the “Horto Botânico” (HB) and another in the “Recanto da Cigarra” (RC) for a period of 1 yr, with particular attention to the shelters and damage caused; to assess the gregarious nature and the emergence of parasitoid and lepidopterans; and to provide an accurate morphologic diagnosis of a parasitoid. P. brasiliensis and Stenoma sp. were recorded after the rainy season, exhibiting similar distribution between HB and RC. Enicospilus tenuigena Kriechbaumer, 1901 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) emerged from 76.25% of the P. brasiliensis pupae. P. brasiliensis and Stenoma sp. defoliated the C. kummeriana plants between March and June in the UFV campus, whereas the parasitoid E. tenuigena reduced the populations of the first species.

Infestation of Portulaca oleracea (Portulacaceae) plants by Neotuerta platensis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae in Brazil: evaluations for five consecutive years

“…The low number of larvae per plant may indicate environments with insufficient food availability for larger numbers of larvae, with the need to migrate to feed on other plants (Menezes et al, 2018a(Menezes et al, , 2018b. This explains the fact that larvae hang on silk threads soon after emergence, which can be an adaptation of migration to other plants to search for food (Tavares et al, 2014a).…”

“…Some insect pests of annual, succulent plants have a high damage capacity due to the rapid consumption of the aerial part with population and feeding peak for a short period (Tavares et al, 2014a;Menezes et al, 2019). The population of these insects decreases with food scarcity (Tavares et al, 2014b).…”