Reproductive attributes and functional response ofAnastatus japonicuson eggs ofAntheraea pernyi, a factitious host

Abstract

BACKGROUND Anastatus japonicus Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) is a solitary egg endoparasitoid that has been studied for inundative biological control of Halyomorpha halys Stål (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in China. In this study, we assessed the reproductive attributes and functional response of Anastatus japonicus on a factitious host, Antheraea pernyi (Guérin‐Méneville) (Lepidoptera: Anthelidae) at 25 ± 1 °C, 70 ± 5% relative humidity and 16 h:8 h light/dark photoperiod. RESULTS The mean lifetime fecundity of Anastatus japonicus females was 404.3 progeny produced over an average oviposition period of 42.3 days. The sex ratio of adult progeny was slightly male biased (51.2%), whereas more female progeny were produced before day 20 of a female's life. Single 1‐day‐old mated Anastatus japonicus females exhibited a type II functional response to increasing host densities (1–50 eggs), with an inverse host density‐dependent pattern of percent parasitism. The upper limit to the daily attack rate was estimated as 7.6 Antheraea pernyi eggs. Furthermore, mutual interference among Anastatus japonicus females occurred when increasing densities of parasitoids (1, 2, 4, 8, 16) were exposed to 30 host eggs. CONCLUSION Laboratory functional response result revealed that individual Anastatus japonicus might be unable to respond effectively to increasing host density in the field, which could be compensated by releasing larger numbers of wasps. Strong mutual interference among foraging Anastatus japonicus females should be considered in any future inundative biological control programs for the sustainable management of Halyomorpha halys or other host insect pests. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Advantages of diapause in Anastatus japonicus Ashmead mass production on eggs of the Chinese oak silkworm, Antheraea pernyi

“…A study reported that the sex ratio of adult progeny of Anastatus japonicus was slightly male-biased (51.2%) when the parasitoids were reared on Antheraea pernyi. 34 Our results which showed a progeny sex ratio of 53.51% is consistent with that of this study.…”

Comparative demographics, population projections and egg maturation patterns of four eupelmid egg parasitoids on the factitious host Antherae pernyi

“…The reported oviposition period (30.17 days) and female adult longevity (45.17 days) of M. albitarsis in this study are consistent with a previous study 48 (actually M. albitarsis, but it was mistakenly identified as Anastatus albitarsis), 4 but the fecundity (330.90 offspring/female) of this parasitoid on COS eggs in this study was lower than that reported in the previous study (380.20 offspring/female). Mi et al 49 reported that A. japonicus produced 404.3 progeny on COS eggs during 42.3 days of the oviposition period; both the fecundity and the oviposition duration were slightly higher than found in this study (372.73 eggs/female, 38.74 days). When A. japonicus was reared on R. pedestris, it could parasitize only 15.65 host eggs and lived 31.36 days.…”

“…However, there could also be costs associated with multiple mating in terms of energy demand and harassment by males, and all these factors could come at a cost to longevity and/or fecundity 45 . Although males were provided throughout the female's life span, mating might not occur or the mating rate likely decreased due to the weakness of the females in late life, as found in congeners parasitoids such as A. japonicus , A. orientalis and A. bifasciatus 12,42,43,49 . This suggests that provision of adult food could be essential for these parasitoids to prolong their life span and continuously produce eggs to parasitize their hosts.…”

“…45 Although males were provided throughout the female's life span, mating might not occur or the mating rate likely decreased due to the weakness of the females in late life, as found in congeners parasitoids such as A. japonicus, A. orientalis and A. bifasciatus. 12,42,43,49 This suggests that provision of adult food could be essential for these parasitoids to prolong their life span and continuously produce eggs to parasitize their hosts. Therefore, egg-limitation could be a major constraint on the reproductive success of these parasitoids in the field if there is a lack of food resources.…”

Identification and Comparative Expression Profiles of Candidate Olfactory Receptors in the Transcriptomes of the Important Egg Parasitoid Wasp Anastatus japonicus Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae)

“…Studies concerning the ORs and IRs of parasitoid wasps are essential for understanding the mechanisms of the olfactory system that finds the host pests and for developing an olfactory-based integrated pest management (IPM) strategy. Previous research on A. japonicus focused primarily on its morphology, ecology, and raising [ 1 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 35 , 36 , 37 ]; little information is available on its chemosensory mechanisms. Two previous studies have reported transcriptome datasets from female A. japonicus antennae [ 38 , 39 ], but neither of these studies involved the female abdominal and male antennal transcriptomes.…”