Reproductive capacity and host handling behavior of Gryon philippinense (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), a solitary egg parasitoid of the winter cherry bug, Acanthocoris sordidus Thunberg (Hemiptera: Coreidae)

Abstract

The reproductive capacity and host handling behavior of Gryon philippinense (Ashmead), an egg parasitoid of Acanthocoris sordidus Thunberg, were investigated under laboratory conditions. The reproductive capacity was studied at 25.0Ϯ1°C, LD 16 : 8. The highest daily average progeny production of the mated G. philippinense was recorded on the first and second days after emergence from the host eggs. The fecundity of 1-d and 2-d-old females of G. philippinense was 48.5% of the total fecundity. The estimated average survival rate of the immature stage of the female G. philippinense was 95.0%. The intrinsic rate of natural increase r m was 0.174. The females of G. philippinense mostly deposited the male egg in the first host found. After every successful oviposition, the females of G. philippinense marked the parasitized egg.

Oviposition behaviour of Gryon gallardoi (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae) on eggs of different ages of Spartocera dentiventris (Hemiptera, Coreidae)

“…Such processes corroborate those observed for G. gallardoi by SOLIS et al (2001) in eggs of L. zonatus and WIEDEMANN et al (2003) on one-day-old eggs of S. dentiventris, being similar to other gryonineans as Gryon cravigrallae Mineo, 1984(ROMEIS et al, 2000, Gryon obesum Masner, 1983(HIROSE et al, 2003 and Gryon philippinense (Ashmead, 1904) (DASILAO & ARAKAWA, 2004).…”

“…In this context, a series of researches have been developed worldwide, both with egg parasitoids of solitary or semi-gregarious habits (STRAND & VINSON, 1983;NAVASERO & OATMAN, 1989;COLAZZA et al, 1996;CONTI et al, 1997;ROSI et al, 2001;SOLIS et al, 2001;HIROSE et al, 2003;WIEDEMANN et al, 2003;DASILAO & ARAKAWA, 2004) and with those of gregarious habits SCHIMIDT & SMITH, 1987;HINTZ & ANDOW, 1990;RUBERSON & KRING, 1993).…”

Morphology and distribution of antennal sensilla of Gryon gallardoi (Brèthes) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) females

“…During oviposition, G. gallardoi females continuously touch the surface of the host egg with their antenna, a behavior known as drumming. Such behavior seems to be determinant in the choice processes for this parasitoid, being also registered for other species of Scelionidae (Weber et al 1996, Field & Keller 1999, Dasilao & Arakawa 2004.…”

Interactions between the winter cherry bug Acanthocoris sordidus (Hemiptera: Coreidae) and its egg parasitic wasps

“…In our nochoice experiment investigating the effects of host age on host acceptance, parasitism rates by O. nezarae, O. acastus and G. philippinense were not significantly affected by host age for up to at least 8-day-old eggs. However, in a study of acceptance rates by G. philippinense in 0-to 14-day-old eggs of A. sordidus, Dasilao and Arakawa (2005b) showed that G. philippinense females more frequently rejected older eggs of A. sordidus. Further studies are necessary to understand the effects of host age on host acceptance in parasitoid species, including Ooencyrtus spp.…”

“…First, the parasitoids may differ in the number of eggs laid in a host egg (i.e., solitary or gregarious parasitism). Gryon philippinense is a solitary parasitoid (Dasilao and Arakawa 2004), whereas one or more adults of Ooencyrtus spp. emerged from one A. sordidus egg (Table 6), indicating that they are gregarious parasitoids in A. sordidus eggs.…”