Influence of honey and maternal age on egg load of lab-cultured Cotesia marginiventris

Abstract

Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the impact of feeding status and maternal age on egg load of Cotesia marginiventris (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a solitary, koinobiont endoparasitoid of noctuid pests. Egg load was defined as the number of mature (i.e., fully-chorionated) eggs found in the ovaries and oviducts. Significantly more mature eggs were stored in honey-fed than starved females. For honey-fed females, egg load increased within several days of isolation from hosts. This study suggests that C. marginiventris is weakly synovigenic because females emerge with a considerable number of mature eggs and are capable of maturing many more eggs. Feeding on a suitable source of carbohydrate should increase the egg load (i.e., potential fecundity) of this insect within 3-4 days in an in vivo rearing system.

Effect of beebread on the reproductive performance ofCotesia vestalis

“…Riddick (2007) observed a significant increase in the rate of egg maturation when host-deprived Cotesia marginiventris (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was given pure honey. Conversly, the rate of egg maturation in another host-deprived braconid, Macrocentrus grandii (Goidanich), was slightly less in sugar-fed than in starved females (Olson et al 2000).…”

Efeito de diferentes fontes de carboidrato e da privação de alimento sobre aspectos biológicos de Telenomus remus Nixon (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae)

“…Para Chrysocharis laricinellae Ratzeburg (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) (Quednau 1967) e Cotesia marginiventris (Cresson) (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) (Riddick 2007) foi demonstrado que muitas vezes a maturidade sexual está associada à necessidade de ingestão de alimentos ricos em açúcares e aminoácidos, pois fêmeas destes parasitóides alimentadas apresentaram mais óvulos maduros em menos tempo. Contudo, T. remus não mostrou-se dependente de alimentos para a maturidade sexual, pois mesmo fêmeas não alimentadas, apesar de sobreviverem por apenas um dia, ovipositaram e produziram descendentes (Tabela I e Figura 1).…”

“…Há casos em que o amadurecimento de ovos da fêmea é dependente deste recurso (Quednau 1967;Olson & Andow 1998;Riddick 2007). Garcia (1991) relatou que néctar e pólen representam, em muitos casos, as principais fontes de nutrientes exigidos pela fêmea; assim como excretas de alguns hemípteros (honeydew) que também pode representar uma forma de alimento para adultos de parasitóides (Lee et al 2004).…”

Sting frequency and progeny production of lab-cultured Cotesia marginiventris

“…Consequently, a number of eggs deposited in hosts that were stung two or three times were wasted. Egg wastage may or may not reduce, significantly, the net fecundity of C. marginiventris because females emerge with more than enough mature eggs, ready to oviposit into hosts, and honey-fed females can mature many more eggs in several days in the laboratory (Riddick 2007).…”