New Lepidoptera-Parasitoid Associations in Weedy Corn Plantings: A Potential Alternate Host for \u3ci\u3eOstrinia Nubilalis\u3c/i\u3e (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Parasitoids

Larvae of the common sooty wing, Pholisora catullus, and pupae of the yellow-collared scape moth, Cisseps Fulvicollis, were collected in corn plantings containing different manipulated, indigenous weed communities to determine if these Lepidoptera had parasitoid species in common with the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis. Pholisora catullus larvae were collected from lambsquarter, Chenopodium album, and redroot pigweed, Amaranthus retroflexus, whereas pupae of C. Julvicollis were obtained from corn. Four parasitoid species were reared from P. catulIus: Cotesia pholisorae, Oncophanes americanu (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Gambrus ultimus, and Sinophorus albipalpus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). Of these, O. americanus and S. albipalpus represent new host records. Gambrus ultimus, however, was probably parasitizing a primary parasitoid of P. catullus. Itoplectis conquisitor and Vulgichneumon brevicinctor (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) were reared from C. fulvicollis; V. brevicinctor had not previously been associated with this host. Both species reared from C. fulvicollis and Gambrus ultimus have been reported from O. nubilalis

Simultaneous Parasitism of Field-Collected Green Cloverworm, \u3ci\u3eHypena Scabra\u3c/i\u3e (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Larvae by Endoparasitioids and an Entomopathogenic Fungus

The impacts of entomopathogens (e.g., fungi, bacteria, protists and viruses) on larval Lepidoptera and their associated insect parasitoids have been examined in laboratory studies but field studies of interaction between these two mortality factors are rare. We present field observations of concurrent insect parasitism and fungal disease infection in larvae of the green cloverworm, Hypena scabra, a sporadic pest of soybean (Glycine max) in North America. We reared ten parasitoid species from H. scabra larvae during our three-month study. Three parasitoid species were dominant and overlapped the period of infection by the entomopathogenic fungus Nomuraea rileyi: Aleiodes nolophanae, Cotesia plathypenae and Campylochaeta plathypenae. Two of the three parasitoid species, Co. plathypenae and Ca. plathypenae, completed development within H. scabra larvae infected by N. rileyi. Overall incidence of simultaneous parasitism and fungal infection was low, averaging 6.7% of H. scabra larvae parasitized by Ca. plathypenae and 3.3% of those parasitized by Co. plathypenae

The Parasitoid Complex of First Generation \u3ci\u3eOstrinia Nubilalis\u3c/i\u3e (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Larvae in Northwest Ohio

A survey of first generation European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) larvae was conducted during 1997 in six cornfields located in northwestern Ohio in order to determine the larval parasitoid complex utilizing this host. Collected larvae were held under constant conditions until the larvae completed development or parasitoids emerged. The following species were recorded: Eriborus terebrans (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), Macrocentrus grandii (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Sympiesis viridula (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), and Lixophaga sp. (Diptera: Tachinidae), Levels of parasitism in the different fields ranged from 14.3 to 83.3%. Future research will include surveys of additional fields and sampling of O. nubilalis over the entire season in the northwest Ohio region

Parasitism of \u3ci\u3ePlathypena Scabra\u3c/i\u3e (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) by \u3ci\u3eSinophorus Teratis\u3c/i\u3e (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

(excerpt) A study was conducted at the Ecology Research Center, Miami University, Butler County, Ohio, during the summer of 1990 to examine the effects of strip intercropping sorghum and soybean on the occurrence of parasitoids and incidence of disease in larvae ofthe green cloverworm, Plathypena scabra (F.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), a sporadic pest of soybeans. The details of the experimental design and results are reported elsewhere (Williams et al. 1995)

The Parasitoid Complex of First Generation \u3ci\u3eOstrinia Nubilalis\u3c/i\u3e (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Larvae in Northwest Ohio

A survey of first generation European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) larvae was conducted during 1997 in six cornfields located in northwestern Ohio in order to determine the larval parasitoid complex utilizing this host. Collected larvae were held under constant conditions until the larvae completed development or parasitoids emerged. The following species were recorded: Eriborus terebrans (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), Macrocentrus grandii (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Sympiesis viridula (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), and Lixophaga sp. (Diptera: Tachinidae), Levels of parasitism in the different fields ranged from 14.3 to 83.3%. Future research will include surveys of additional fields and sampling of O. nubilalis over the entire season in the northwest Ohio region

Habitat configuration matters when evaluating habitat-area effects on host–parasitoid interactions

Citation: With, K. A., & Pavuk, D. M. (2019). Habitat configuration matters when evaluating habitat-area effects on host–parasitoid interactions. Ecosphere, 10(2), e02604. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.2604Higher trophic levels tend to be more sensitive to habitat fragmentation than lower trophic levels, which is why parasitism rates should decline in fragmented landscapes. Habitat loss and fragmentation (the subdivision of habitat) are typically interrelated processes, and thus, their effects are confounded in most studies. To address this, we quantified parasitism rates in pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum) within an experimental model landscape system, in which we independently controlled the amount vs. the fragmentation of habitat (red clover, Trifolium pratense) within individual landscape plots (16 × 16 m). Aphid densities were generally unaffected by landscape pattern, except at the local scale for interior habitat cells within fragmented landscapes, which had significantly lower aphid densities than all other cell types. Aphid parasitism rates averaged about 40% and were significantly—albeit weakly—correlated with aphid density. Habitat amount had the greatest overall effect on parasitism rates, but fragmentation effects were evident in a shift in parasitism at intermediate habitat levels: Parasitism rates were higher in fragmented landscapes with 50% habitat. Edge effects alone did not explain this shift in parasitism rates. Parasitism rates were uniformly high within edge habitat and fragmented landscapes, and thus, the shift in parasitism at intermediate habitat levels was driven by increasing parasitism rates within interior cells and clumped landscapes at higher habitat amounts. Habitat configuration is thus important for evaluating habitat-area effects on species interactions, as habitat amount only affected parasitism rates within less-fragmented landscapes in this system

First Scarab Host for \u3ci\u3eStrongygaster Triangulifer\u3c/i\u3e (Diptera: Tachinidae): the Dung Beetle, \u3ci\u3eAphodius Fimetarius\u3c/i\u3e (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

We report Strongygaster (=Hyalomyodes ) triangulifer as a solitary primary parasite of the adult introduced dung beetle, Aphodius fimetarius. This is the first record of this tachinid fly parastizing scarab

First Occurrence of \u3ci\u3eHippodamia Variegata\u3c/i\u3e (Goeze) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in Ohio

(excerpt) Ladybird beetles, or coccinellids (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), are significant arthropod predators in a variety of terrestrial ecosystems. Numerous classical biological control projects undertaken over the last 120 years in North America have involved importation of exotic ladybird beetle species for the control of invasive insect species in annual and perennial agricultural production systems