Report of two fly parasitoids of carob moth, Ectomyelois ceratoniae (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

A study on larval parasitoids of carob moth, Ectomyelois ceratoniae Zeller, in pomegranate orchards in Ghale-Cham, Qom province and Tarom-e-sofla, Zanjan province was carried out in 2006-2007. Two species of fly parasitoids belonging to the family Tachinidae were collected and identified as Fischeria bicolor Robineau-Desvoidy and Clausicella suturata Rondani. The latter species is newly recorded from Iran

First report of Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae (Hym.: Pteromalidae) from Iran

In the course of study on larval parasitoids of carob moth, Ectomyelois ceratoniae Zeller (Lep.: Pyralidae), an hyperparasitoid wasp, Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae Rondani, was collected from pupae of Apanteles sp. (Hym.: Braconidae). The latter species is the larval parasitoid of the carob moth. The P. vindemmiae belongs to the family Pteromalidae and is a new record for Iran insect fauna

Olfactory learning and memory retention in Venturia canescens (Hym.: Ichneumonidae)

Learning new cues in all branches of biological organisms, ranging from unicellular organisms to mammals, occurs in different ways. In spite of their small size and short life span, insects have an extraordinary ability to learn, memorize and use environmental cues associated with the hosts and their food sources. Having the ability to learn and recalling the cues associated with the presence of prey / host is a key factor that increases the performance and foraging capacity of biocontrol agents including the ichneumonid parasitoid wasp Venturia canescens which is one of the most important parasitoids of the family Pyralidae in the world. In this research the learning ability of V. canescens in presence of peppermint and lemon odors was investigated by Y- Olfactometer. Results showed that the wasp had no significant preference towards peppermint or lemon, but after conditioning the female wasp, a meaningful difference was observed between her response to the conditioned odor (peppermint) and unconditioned odors (lemon). Her memory's lasting period continued for 27 hours after conditioning in the absence of the learned cues. Recognizing the learning ability and memory retention of the biocontrol agent V. canescens helps improve the efficiency of its application in biological control programs

First report of two ichneumonid wasp species from Iran

طی بررسـی‌های انجام‌شده جهت شناسایی پارازیتوئیدهای لارو شب‌پره‌ی کرم گلوگاه انار،Ectomyelois ceratoniae Zeller (Lep.: Pyralidae)، در باغات انار استان قم‌، منطقه‌ی قله‌چم واقع در 15 کیلومتری جنوب غربی شهر قم و استان مرکزی‌، منطقه‌ی ساوه‌، که در طی سال‌های 86-1385 صورت گرفت‌، 2 گونه زنبور پارازیتوئید از خانواده‌ی Ichneumonidae از روی لاروهای شب‌پره‌ی فوق جمع‌آوری گردید که برای اولین بار از ایران گزارش می‌شوند

The effect of host nutritional quality on multiple components of Trichogramma brassicae fitness

For parasitoids, the host represents the sole source of nutrients for the developing immature. Subsequently, host quality is an important factor affecting immature development and the resulting fitness of the emerging parasitoid, with impacts on fecundity, longevity and offspring sex ratio. Host age is an integral component of host quality and a key factor in host selection by the female parasitoid. The current study aimed to investigate the effect of decreasing host quality (determined by increasing host age) on adult life history traits (size, wing loading, longevity, and fecundity) and nutritional reserves (protein, lipid and glycogen concentrations) of the parasitoid Trichogramma brassicae. Higher quality hosts resulted in the production of larger offspring with increased resource reserves and enhanced mobility. One-day-old eggs contained significantly more protein and triglyceride than 25- and 45–day-old eggs. Quality of host and fitness of reared wasps decreased due to host aging. Parasitoids reared on 1-day-old hosts were larger, with greater fecundity and longevity, a reduced wind loading index, and produced a higher proportion of female offspring when compared with those reared on 25- and 45-day-old hosts. In addition, wasps reared on 1-day-old hosts contained higher energy resources, as determined by triglyceride, glycogen and protein reserves, which are essential to successful offspring production. One-day-old hosts can therefore be considered as the best age for producing wasps with greater fitness, since they contain the highest amount of protein, glycogen, and triglyceride. This has implications for the mass rearing of T. brassicae and enhancing the efficacy of this biological control agent