Collecting, Rearing, Shipping, and Monitoring \u3ci\u3eOlesicampe Benefactor\u3c/i\u3e (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), a Parasite of the Larch Sawfly, \u3ci\u3ePristiphora Erichsonii\u3c/i\u3e (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae)

Procedures are described for collecting, rearing, shipping, and monitoring the intro- duced ichneumonid, Olesicampe benefactor, a valuable parasite of the larch sawfly, Pristiphora erichsonii

Effects of host switching on gypsy moth ( Lymantria dispar (L.)) under field conditions

Effects of various single and two species diets on the performance of gypsy moth ( Lymantria dispar (L.)) were studied when this insect was reared from hatch to population on intact host trees in the field. The tree species used for this study were red oak ( Quercus rubra L.), white oak (Q. alba L.), bigtooth aspen ( Populus grandidentata Michaux), and trembling aspen ( P. tremuloides Michaux). These are commonly available host trees in the Lake States region. The study spanned two years and was performed at two different field sites in central Michigan. Conclusions drawn from this study include: (1) Large differences in gypsy moth growth and survival can occur even among diet sequences composed of favorable host species. (2) Larvae that spent their first two weeks feeding on red oak performed better during this time period than larvae on all other host species in terms of mean weight, mean relative growth rate (RGR), and mean level of larval development, while larvae on a first host of bigtooth aspen were ranked lowest in terms of mean weight, RGR, and level of larval development. (3) Combination diets do not seem to be inherently better or worse than diets composed of only a single species; rather, insect performance was affected by the types of host species eaten and the time during larval development that these host species were consumed instead of whether larvae ate single species diets or mixed species diets. (4) In diets composed of two host species, measures of gypsy moth performance are affected to different extents in the latter part of the season by the two different hosts; larval weights and development rates show continued effects of the first host fed upon while RGRs, mortality, and pupal weights are affected strongly by the second host type eaten. (5) Of the diets investigated in this study, early feeding on red oak followed by later feeding on an aspen, particularly trembling aspen, is most beneficial to insects in terms of attaining high levels of performance throughout their lives.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47802/1/442_2004_Article_BF00323144.pd

Notes on the biology of two phycitines (Lepidoptera: pyrolidae) associated with Toumeyella pini (Homoptera: coccidae) on pine

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Larch sawfly, Pristiphora erichsonii (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae) and its parasitoids from Alaska

The larch sawfly and four parasitoids were reared in the laboratory from cocoons collected in Alaska for two consecutive years. Emergence of adult sawflies exceeded thirty percent each year. The number of parasitoids emerging was four times greater from the 1993 collection than from the subsequent year. Twelve Tritneptis klugii (Ratzeburg) emerged from one cocoon of the 1993 collection. The emergence of Delomerista laevis (Gravehorst) from the same collection established a new host record. Mesoleius tenthredinis Morley was the most common parasitoid that emerged from cocoons collected in 1993, and the only one that emerged from cocoons collected in 1994.Key words: Rearing; sawfly; Tachinidae; Ichneumonidae; Pteromalida