Search

There is abundant evidence that parasitoids manipulate their hosts by envenomation to support the development and survival of their progeny before oviposition. However, the specific mechanism underlying host nutritional manipulation remains largely unclear. To gain a more comprehensive insight into the effects induced by the gregarious ectoparasitoid Iseropus kuwanae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) on the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae, we sequenced the transcriptome of both non‐envenomed and envenomed G. mellonella larvae, specifically targeting genes related to lipid metabolism. The present study revealed that 202 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and 9 DEGs were involved in lipid metabolism. The expression levels of these 9 DEGs relied on envenomation and the duration post‐envenomation. Further, envenomation by I. kuwanae induced an increase in triglyceride (TG) level in the hemolymph of G. mellonella larvae. Furthermore, silencing GmPLA2 in G. mellonella larvae 24 h post‐envenomation significantly decreased the content of 4 unsaturated fatty acids and TG levels in the hemolymph. The content of linoleic acid and α‐linoleic acid were significantly decreased and the content of oleic acid was significantly increased by exogenous supplement of arachidonic acid. Meanwhile, the reduction in host lipid levels impairs the growth and development of wasp offspring. The present study provides valuable knowledge about the molecular mechanism of the nutritional interaction between parasitoids and their hosts and sheds light on the coevolution between parasitoids and host insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevated concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), a consequence of anthropogenic global change, may profoundly interfere with natural ecological processes, perhaps even interactions across trophic levels. Even the survival prospects of organisms at higher trophic levels could be affected, as follows. We showed previously that the endoparasitoid Diaeretiella rapae, a specialized parasitoid of the cabbage aphid Brevicoryne brassicae, exposed to elevated CO2 concentrations (800 ppm) for up to 10 weeks, performed far worse (e.g., lower survival and parasitism rates) compared with ambient CO2 (400 ppm). To investigate whether these CO2‐related effects in the parasitoids were mediated by changes in the quality of the aphids as hosts, we measured the nutritional and energy content of cabbage aphids under the above conditions. Specifically, we measured lipid, protein and water‐soluble carbohydrate concentrations. We tested the hypothesis that when insects feed from plants with altered nutritional content, they incur a cost in dealing with such biotic stresses. That cost reduces their metabolic well‐being and, thus, reduces their nutritional status with respect to parasitoids developing at their expense. We found that CO2 had significant effects on aphid body mass (i.e., wet weight) and chemical composition, with elevated CO2 concentrations reducing aphid mass by more than 50%. Aphids grown under elevated CO2 also had significantly reduced soluble carbohydrates but significantly more lipids, on a weight‐per‐weight basis, than aphids grown under ambient CO2. A significant decrease in total energy reserves (i.e., the sum of total proteins, lipids, and water‐soluble carbohydrates) thus typified aphids grown under elevated CO2. Our results contribute to explaining the impaired performance of the aphid B. brassicae and its parasitoid D. rapae previously reported under elevated CO2, and provide evidence that under future climate change, host plants might affect the development and performance of parasitoids through their impacts on the nutritional quality of their herbivorous hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aphidius platensis Brèthes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a parasitoid of cereal aphids. Its foraging, recognition, and host acceptance processes may be related to chemical cues inherited from the host during development. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of the maternal host, that is, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) (Rp), Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) (Sg) (from the Aphidini tribe), Metopolophium dirhodum Walker (Md), and Sitobion avenae (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) (from the Macrosiphini tribe) (all Hemiptera: Aphididae) on parasitism and chemotactic responses of A. platensis. Parasitism by A. platensis was investigated in non‐choice bioassays along four generations, as well as in choice bioassays. Females originating from a S. graminum laboratory colony (SgLab) were reared for four generations on all four aphid species. Chemotaxis experiments were conducted in a four‐armed olfactometer with two A. platensis strains: one originated from SgLab and another after three generations on Rp (RpF4), both exposed to the four aphid species simultaneously. The highest SgLab A. platensis parasitism rates, in both choice and non‐choice tests, were observed on S. graminum, followed by R. padi and S. avenae. No parasitized hosts were found in M. dirhodum. Furthermore, SgLab A. platensis exhibited a stronger attraction to the odors emitted by S. graminum. However, after the third generation on R. padi (RpF4), A. platensis behavior altered, displaying a preference for R. padi over S. graminum, both in terms of parasitism and chemotactic responses. In conclusion, A. platensis showed a preference for hosts within the Aphidini tribe, indicating innate affinities. Nevertheless, its preference can be modified within this tribe based on the chemical cues inherited from the host during development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Competition arises for the monopolization of host resources when multiple parasitoid species attack the same host. This study focused on the competition between Chouioa cunea Yang and Tetrastichus septentrionalis Yang (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), two pupal parasitoid species of the fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea (Drury) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae). Experiments were conducted to investigate extrinsic and intrinsic competition. The results showed that both parasitoid species were capable of parasitizing hosts that were already parasitized by the competitor, with the first released species demonstrating superiority as an intrinsic competitor in multiparasitized hosts across various parasitoid release orders and time intervals between oviposition. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the interactions between the two parasitoids within the host pupae and offer insights into the biological control of H. cunea and other leaf-eating pests. The endoparasitoids Chouioa cunea Yang and Tetrastichus septentrionalis Yang (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) are both gregarious pupal parasitoids of the fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea (Drury) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae). In order to analyze the competitive interactions between both parasitoids exploiting H. cunea, we assessed both extrinsic and intrinsic competition. The search time, oviposition duration, and oviposition frequency were used as evaluation criteria for extrinsic competition. The number of survival days, female ratio, and number of parasitoids emerging from the host were used as evaluation criteria for intrinsic competition. The results indicated that both parasitoid species were able to parasitize hosts that were already parasitized by competitors. The first released species consistently emerged as the superior competitor in multiparasitized hosts. Both parasitoid release orders and time intervals between oviposition affect the competition of parasitoids and the parasitic efficiency. The results emphasize the parasitic abilities of both parasitoid species and provide a basis for future research on competition mechanisms and biological control of H. cunea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is projected to increase the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events, and may increase humidity levels, leading to coupled thermal and hydric stress. However, how humidity modulates the impacts of heat stress on species and their interactions is currently unknown. Using an insect host‐parasitoid interaction: the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella, and its endoparasitoid wasp, Venturia canescens, we investigated how humidity interacted with heat stress duration, applied at different host developmental stages, to affect life history traits. Hosts parasitized as 4th instar larvae and unparasitized hosts were maintained in high‐ (60.8% RH) or low‐humidity (32.5% RH) at constant 28°C. They were then exposed to a 38°C thermal stress with a duration of 0 (no heat stress), 6 or 72 h in either the 4th or 5th host instar. Neither humidity nor heat stress duration affected emergence of unparasitized hosts, but increasing heat stress duration during the 4th instar decreased parasitoid emergence irrespective of humidity. When applied during the 5th instar, increasing heat duration decreased parasitoid emergence under low humidity, but no effect of heat stress was found under high humidity. Moreover, experiencing longer heat stress in the 4th instar increased host larval development time and decreased body size under high humidity, but this effect differed under low humidity; increasing heat duration in the 5th instar decreased parasitoid body sizes only under low humidity. Larval stage and heat stress duration directly affected parasitized host survival time, with a concomitant indirect reduction of parasitoid sizes. We show that humidity modifies key life history responses of hosts and parasitoids to heat stress in species‐specific ways, highlighting the potential importance of humidity in regulating host‐parasitoid interactions and their population dynamics. Finally, we emphasize that interactions between environmental stressors need to be considered in climate change research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Koinobiont endoparasitoids regulate the physiology of their hosts through altering host immuno-metabolic responses, processes which function in tandem to shape the composition of the microbiota of these hosts. Here, we employed 16S rRNA and ITS amplicon sequencing to investigate whether parasitization by the parasitoid wasps, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmaed) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Psyttalia cosyrae (Wilkinson) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), induces gut dysbiosis and differentially alter the gut microbial (bacteria and fungi) communities of an important horticultural pest, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae). We further investigated the composition of bacterial communities of adult D. longicaudata and P. cosyrae to ascertain whether the adult parasitoids and parasitized host larvae share microbial taxa through transmission. We demonstrated that parasitism by D. longicaudata induced significant gut perturbations, resulting in the colonization and increased relative abundance of pathogenic gut bacteria. Some pathogenic bacteria like Stenotrophomonas and Morganella were detected in both the guts of D. longicaudata-parasitized B. dorsalis larvae and adult D. longicaudata wasps, suggesting a horizontal transfer of microbes from the parasitoid to the host. The bacterial community of P. cosyrae adult wasps was dominated by Arsenophonus nasoniae, whereas that of D. longicaudata adults was dominated by Paucibater spp. and Pseudomonas spp. Parasitization by either parasitoid wasp was associated with an overall reduction in fungal diversity and evenness. These findings indicate that unlike P. cosyrae which is avirulent to B. dorsalis, parasitization by D. longicaudata induces shifts in the gut bacteriome of B. dorsalis larvae to a pathobiont-dominated community. This mechanism possibly enhances its virulence against the pest, further supporting its candidacy as an effective biocontrol agent of this frugivorous tephritid fruit fly pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a generalist larval‐prepupal parasitoid of true fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae). During host‐seeking, females use visual information to locate the habitat of the host (fruit of various species). Previous studies have shown that females associate the colour of the host habitat with the availability of hosts through associative learning. In this study, we aimed to understand how this process is reinforced as the number of positive experiences increases and also how stable this association is, when the positive experiences cease. Additionally, under the hypothesis that associative learning has adaptive value, we evaluated the benefits of learning in two contexts: one in which host larvae are still associated with the learned colour and one where larvae are associated with a different colour. Repeated exposure to the unconditional stimulus for 1, 3, 5, and 7 consecutive training bouts influenced the preference response, as the percentage of females that preferred the stimulus increases with the number of training sessions. This preference seems to be reversible, as we found that the memory duration declines as time since the last training bout increased. The results obtained regarding the benefits of learning showed that females that learned a particular colour associated with the host, spent more time in that colour, made more oviposition attempts, and produced more offspring compared to females that learned a colour that is no longer associated with the host. This suggests that learning should not be fixed, and females would benefit from adjusting their behaviour to host availability. Such colour would allow females to find their host more efficiently, by associating cues that lead to host finding but also modifying their response when the cues are no longer associated with a reward, which seems a reasonable strategy for parasitoids of polyphagous hosts infesting ephemeral and changing habitats, such as fruit of different species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competition between parasitoids for available hosts is common in insects. These interactions are often negative and are believed to reduce the overall impact of top‐down population regulation. In the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), two parasitoid species are very common and often interact during the period of low‐density populations between outbreaks: the koinobiont endoparasitoid Tranosema rostrale (Brishke) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) and the idiobiont ectoparasitoid Elachertus cacoeciae (Howard) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Data collected from field‐implanted larvae of spruce budworm exposed in summer during a 35‐year period between 1987 and 2022 were used to estimate the response of these two parasitoids to the density of their spruce budworm host, and the nature and importance of competitive interactions between them. It was found that both parasitoids are most effective at very low host population density, and that a strong, density‐dependent, and negative correlation of frequencies exists between them. This negative correlation is evident both among and within years and indicates that the parasitoids have developed seasonal history and host choice behaviors that tend to minimize the negative impact of direct competition on their respective performance. It appears that the koinobiont T. rostrale manages, through those adaptive strategies, to avoid direct competition inside a larval host with the competitively superior idiobiont E. cacoeciae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parasitoids — insects that parasitize other insects — have fascinating biologies that have made them darlings of the science fiction genre, owing to their wide array of innovative and often gruesome strategies for living off other organisms. These insects do not sting, but rather lay eggs on or inside their hosts, typically another insect or spider. Unlike parasites, which feed off a host without killing it, parasitoids kill their hosts — and they typically do it slowly. Parasitoids carefully keep their hosts alive for extended periods while they feed on host hemolymph and/or tissues until they are close to completing their own development. The techniques parasitoids use to feed on and manipulate their hosts are wide ranging, demonstrating multiple evolutionary pathways to achieve successful development from egg to adult. Parasitoid wasps are the things of science fiction because of their wide array of innovative and gruesome strategies for living off other organisms. But they are also beneficial insects, silently controlling garden, crop, and forest pests. Burke and Sharanowski highlight the adaptive strategies and economic importance of these fascinating creatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The intricate coevolution between parasitoids and their hosts has long been a hot research topic. Parasitoids usually manipulate the host's metabolism and immunity to favor the development of their offspring. In this study, we employed RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis to explore the mechanisms of the manipulation strategy of Leptopilina myrica on its host Drosophila melanogaster. A total of 445 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in host larvae at 48 h post parasitization. Among them, a large proportion of DEGs plays essential roles in host nutrition metabolism and immunity. Furthermore, the reliability of our RNA-seq data was confirmed through a qRT-PCR analysis. Our findings help to elucidate the potential mechanism underlying wasp parasitization and provide insights into their applications in biological control and integrated pest management in agriculture. Parasitoids commonly manipulate their host's metabolism and immunity to facilitate their offspring survival, but the mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we deconstructed the manipulation strategy of a newly discovered parasitoid wasp, L. myrica, which parasitizes D. melanogaster. Using RNA-seq, we analyzed transcriptomes of L. myrica-parasitized and non-parasitized Drosophila host larvae. A total of 22.29 Gb and 23.85 Gb of clean reads were obtained from the two samples, respectively, and differential expression analysis identified 445 DEGs. Of them, 304 genes were upregulated and 141 genes were downregulated in parasitized hosts compared with non-parasitized larvae. Based on the functional annotations in the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) databases, we found that the genes involved in host nutrition metabolism were significantly upregulated, particularly in carbohydrate, amino acid, and lipid metabolism. We also identified 30 other metabolism-related DEGs, including hexokinase, fatty acid synthase, and UDP-glycosyltransferase (Ugt) genes. We observed that five Bomanin genes (Boms) and six antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) were upregulated. Moreover, a qRT-PCR analysis of 12 randomly selected DEGs confirmed the reproducibility and accuracy of the RNA-seq data. Our results provide a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of how L. myrica manipulates its host, laying a solid foundation for studies on the regulatory mechanisms employed by parasitoid wasps in their hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Spodoptera frugiperda is an invasive pest that causes serious damage to many economically important cereal crops worldwide. Telenomus remus is one of the most important egg parasitoids against S. frugiperda. Insect storage at certain conditions that temporarily halt development would facilitate effective commercial rearing and transportation, limiting the usual problems of hatching or emergence during shipping and aiding the inundative release of the parasitoids. We hypothesized that when parasitoid parasitizing host eggs are subjected to cold storage, their reproductive capacity would be affected by both the host quality and the cold storage. To confirm this hypothesis, the effects of cold storage on the reproductive capacity of T. remus reared on stored/non-stored S. frugiperda eggs and the hatching rate of S. frugiperda larvae were investigated. The results indicated that S. frugiperda eggs could only be stored at 10 °C for five days to be suitable for rearing T. remus. Telenomus remus pupae in non-stored S. frugiperda eggs were stored at 13 °C for 15 days without affecting the reproductive capacity of the parasitoid. However, the optimum cold storage conditions for T. remus parasitizing stored eggs were 7 °C for 5 days in the larval stage. The maximal shelf lives of T. remus parasitizing fresh and cold-stored S. frugiperda eggs were 15 and 10 days (including the storage duration of host eggs), respectively. Our study revealed that cold storage affected host eggs, thus further affecting the reproductive capacity of the parasitoid. Different storage conditions should be used when mass-rearing egg parasitoids on stored and non-stored eggs to reduce costs and obtain high-quality parasitoids. Spodoptera frugiperda is the preferred host of the parasitoid Telenomus remus. Cold storage can preserve a sufficient quantity of parasitoids and their hosts in a laboratory colony for mass release. First, the effects of cold storage on the reproductive capacity of T. remus reared on non-stored S. frugiperda eggs and the hatching rate of unparasitized S. frugiperda eggs were investigated. Further, the dual effects of cold storage and stored S. frugiperda eggs on the reproductive capacity of T. remus were studied to determine the optimal storage conditions and the maximal shelf life for both the host and the parasitoid. The emergence rate, the number of adults produced, and the female proportion of T. remus were affected by cold storage factors. Pupae stored at 13 °C for 15 days is optimum for T. remus reared on non-stored S. frugiperda eggs. Spodoptera frugiperda eggs could only be stored at 10 °C for five days to be suitable for rearing T. remus. The optimum cold storage conditions for T. remus parasitizing stored eggs were 7 °C for 5 days in the larval stage. The maximal shelf lives of T. remus parasitizing cold-stored S. frugiperda eggs were 10 days. Cold storage affected the hatching rate of S. frugiperda eggs, thereby further affecting the reproductive capacity of T. remus. The findings suggest that different storage conditions should be used when mass-rearing T. remus on stored and non-stored eggs. Telenomus remus should be reproduced using fresh laid S. frugiperda eggs for maximum shelf life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we extend the two-dimensional host–parasitoid model to a one-host–two-parasitoid model, whose dynamic behaviors are more complex. As evidence, exploring the dynamic interaction between a host and its parasitoids provides significant insight into the biological control. Specifically, we demonstrate the existence of equilibrium points and explore their local stability properties, which are concerned with the effective biological control project. Furthermore, the transition between population fluctuations and the steady state is achieved via a bifurcation process, and we derive the occurrence conditions of the Neimark–Sacker bifurcation in the proposed system using an explicit criterion. To control population fluctuations and chaotic behaviors, two feedback control strategies are implemented in this system. Finally, the numerical simulations support our theoretical results and show the related biological phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Range expansions of host species are likely to modify host–parasitoid interactions. Observational studies have indicated that host species in recently colonized areas are less frequently attacked by parasitoids; however, these studies did not determine whether traditional parasitoids can still use host populations in these areas. Thus, it is unclear why the host has escaped from their traditional parasitoids in their recently colonized areas. In this study, we examined the interaction between myrmecophilous lycaenid butterfly, Arhopala japonica , and its larval parasitoids in northern Japan, a recently colonised area. This region corresponds to a distribution of A. japonica , a myrmecophilous lycaenid butterfly. No parasitoids emerged from A. japonica larvae collected in the north, whereas six parasitoid species attacked the host larvae in native areas. Attacks from the braconid wasp Cotesia sp. near inducta were the most common; however, parasitism tests revealed that Cotesia sp. near inducta and other parasitoid species completed their development successfully regardless of origin of their butterfly hosts. Population genetic analyses supported the recent range expansion of both A. japonica and Cotesia sp. near inducta. These results suggest that both hosts and parasitoids have experienced recent population expansion; however, the more rapid range expansion of A. japonica has caused escape from the enemy in newly colonized areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The silkworm Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) is a lepidopteran model insect of great economic importance. The parasitoid Exorista sorbillans (Diptera, Tachinidae) is the major pest of B. mori and also a promising candidate for biological control. However, the molecular interactions between hosts and dipteran parasitoids have only partially been studied. Gene expression analysis by reverse-transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is indispensable to characterise their interactions. Accurate normalisation of RT-qPCR-based gene expression requires the use of reference genes that are constantly expressed irrespective of experimental conditions. In this study, the expression stability of 13 traditionally used reference genes was estimated by five statistical algorithms (ΔCt, geNorm, Normfinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder) to determine the best reference genes for gene expression studies in different tissues of B. mori under E. sorbillans parasitism. Specifically, TATA-box-binding protein was the best reference gene in epidermis and testis, while elongation factor 1α was the most stable gene in prothoracic gland and midgut. Elongation factor 1γ , ribosomal protein L3 , actin A1 , ribosomal protein L40 , glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4A were the most suitable genes in head, silk gland, fat body, haemolymph, Malpighian tubule and ovary, respectively. Our study offers a set of suitable reference genes for gene expression normalisation in B. mori under the parasitic stress of E. sorbillans , which will benefit the in-depth exploration of host-dipteran parasitoid interactions, and also provide insights for further improvements of B. mori resistance against parasitoids and biocontrol efficacy of dipteran parasitoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding fire effects on multitrophic levels is critical to the context of changes in fire regime and climate. Insects located at higher trophic levels, like parasitoids, are more vulnerable to habitat changes than insect herbivores because they need well‐established populations of their hosts to survive. Currently, fire effects on parasitoids and their interactions with their hosts are unknown.Our aim was to study the changes in abundance, richness and species composition, as well as the food web structure in a system involving parasitoids and galling insects under different fire scenarios. We asked whether potential changes in abundance, species richness and composition of parasitoid communities are explained by galled plant abundance, species richness and composition of galling insects, and how fire affects the structure of galling insect–parasitoid food webs.The highest parasitoid richness was found in the 9 years after fire scenario, whereas parasitoid abundance was not affected by fire. The parasitoid species composition in the 9 years after fire scenario was different from that in the unburned and 3 years after fire scenarios. Parasitoid communities were modulated by galled plant abundance, species richness and composition of galling insect communities. Vulnerability was significantly higher in 9 years after fire scenarios, but it increased with increasing network size.Fire affects the community of parasitoids through changes in their host communities. Differences in exclusivity to fire scenarios and diet specialisation of parasitoid species and galling insect richness may explain the patterns found. Our study supports evidence that fire creates habitats heterogeneous in the availability of hosts shaping the parasitoid communities, with a bottom‐up effect in food webs. Additionally, in burned areas were recorded unique galling insect–parasitoid interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The orange spiny whitefly, Aleurocanthus spiniferus, has invaded Greece and expanded its distribution in other countries in the European Union since 2008. It is a polyphagous pest that includes several highly important crop plants, such as citrus. Damage symptoms and effects on plants are identical to those of the citrus blackfly, Aleurocanthus woglumi (both Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). The species also share a complex of natural enemies that were successfully introduced to Hawaii during 1974–1998. A short expedition to the islands of Oahu, Hawaii, and Kauai was conducted to retrieve the prominent natural enemies for introduction into Greece. Hawaii was chosen because it does not have citrus diseases and because of the existence of connections to facilitate research and export permits. Infested leaves were shipped to a quarantine facility in Greece for parasitoid emergence and evaluation. The identity of emerged parasitoids and host testing on the orange-spiny whitefly Greece strain were conducted. Only one parasitoid was abundant, characterized using molecular analysis as Encarsis perplexa. A summary of infestation records, parasitism rates, and localities on the Hawaiian Islands has been reported here for the first time since the release of parasitoids. Results showed that the infestations of citrus trees were minimal on the islands of Hawaii and Oahu, primarily on pummelo and sweet orange. Citrus whiteflies were not detected on the island of Kauai during this survey. E. perplexa had parasitism rates ranging from 0 to 28% on the island of Hawaii and 11 to 65% on the island of Oahu. A starter colony of the parasitoids has been colonized in the Greece Quarantine Facility for evaluation. This was the first field survey of Hawaii since the introduction and release of citrus whitefly natural enemies. Further surveys should be repeated in different countries to eliminate the risk of disease introduction. Whitefly species of Aleurocanthus spiniferus (Quaintance) and A. woglumi Ashby (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) are serious pests of citrus and other important fruit crops. The problem of citrus has initiated the successful introduction of several natural enemies for biocontrol programs in Hawaii and many other countries. Here, we summarized the history of infestation and biocontrol efforts of the two whiteflies in Hawaii for possible parasitoid importation into Greece. Two Platygasteridae (Amitus hesperidum Silvestri, A. spiniferus (Brethes), and three Aphelinidae (Encarsia clypealis (Silvestri), E. smithi (Silvestri), E. perplexa Huang, and Polaszek) were released in Hawaii for biocontrol of the citrus whiteflies during the period 1974–1999. The aphelinid Cales noacki Howard, purposely released for Aleurothrixus flococcus (Maskell) in 1982, was also reported to attack other whiteflies, including Aleurocanthus species, on citrus. An additional aphelinid parasitoid, Encarsia nipponica Silvestri, native to Japan and China, was accidentally introduced and found to attack both citrus whiteflies on the islands. Since the colonization of introduced parasitoids in infested fields on four Hawaiian Islands, no survey has been conducted to evaluate their potential impact. We conducted two short surveys during September–November 2022 on the islands of Kauai, Hawaii, and Oahu to introduce the dominant parasitoids to Greece for the biocontrol of A. spiniferus. Results showed that the infestation level was very low on Kauai, Hawaii, and Oahu Islands, with a mean infestation level range of 1.4–3.1 on Hawaii and Oahu Islands, mostly on pummelo and sweet orange, with no detection on the island of Kauai. The dominant parasitoid was characterized as Encarsia perplexa, using molecular analysis. Its parasitism rates ranged from 0 to 28% on the island of Hawaii and 11 to 65% on the island of Oahu. Emerged parasitoids have been reared in Greece for evaluation. This was the first field survey of Hawaii since the introduction and release of citrus whitefly natural enemies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polyphagous larvae of Orgyia trigotephras cause considerable damages to the maquis. The aim of this work is to study the influence of host plants on larval growth, pupal development, female fecundity of O. trigotephras, and the natural enemies community on Quercus coccifera L. and Pistacia lentiscus L. in two Tunisian forests during a post-outbreak phase of the pest from 2013 to 2021. Eggs, larvae, and pupae were collected and reared until the emergence of parasitoids. Results showed that densities of egg batches, larvae, and pupae varied significantly among years, between forests and host plants. Fecundity of females varied between years and host species, but not between forests. Egg mortality was significantly different only between forests. However, there was a significant variation in larval mortality between host plants over years. General pupal mortality was significantly different only among years; 23.4% of pupae were dead, and the remaining ones (76.5%) become adults. The action of natural enemies on eggs and larvae was highly significant over years and differed between forests. Pupal parasitism varied between years and host plants but not between forests. Host plant and parasitoids allowed us to understand the mechanisms involved in the interaction between defoliating insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: How parasitoids distinguish hosts from non‐hosts remains an unknown question. Chouioia cunea Yang (Eulophidae) is an important fall webworm parasitoid that attacks many forest and agricultural pests. To study the differences in the chemical clues used by C. cunea to distinguish host and non‐host plants, we used gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to identify volatile compounds of two C. cunea hosts (Hyphantria cunea and Helicoverpa armigera) and two non‐hosts (Spodoptera exigua and Spodoptera frugiperda). Additionally, we used behavioral assays to compare the attraction of C. cunea to various compounds. RESULTS: The two natural host species were more attractive than the two non‐host species, in the following order: Hyphantria cunea > Helicoverpa armigera > S. exigua = S. frugiperda. The pupae of the natural hosts contained 1‐dodecene, which was not produced by the two natural non‐hosts. When the 'attractants' based on the difference between the species‐specific blend emitted by pupae and the optimal blend were sprayed onto the natural non‐host pupae, they significantly improved the attraction of C. cunea to the non‐host pupae. CONCLUSION: These results revealed that specific host‐produced volatile compounds guide C. cunea to distinguish between natural hosts and non‐hosts. Overall, this study provides a foundation for developing a behavior‐modifying strategy to re‐direct C. cunea attacks to control important non‐host pests. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The gut microbiota has an intimate relationship with insect hosts and this relationship can become complicated with parasitic organisms being involved with the host. To date there has been limited evidence for the relevance of parasitism of the host by parasitoids to host gut microbiota, especially in host insect predators. Here, our study examined gut microbiotas in larvae of the predaceous lady beetle, Coccinella septempunctata, in response to their parasitism by Homalotylus eytelweinii regarding the development progress of offspring parasitoids. RESULTS: Overall 58.5% of gut bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in the parasitized lady beetle were different from those in the unparasitized host. The phylum Proteobacteria abundance increased while Firmicutes decreased in parasitized hosts compared to the unparasitized. The abundance of genus Aeribacillus decreased substantially in the parasitized lady beetle across all stages of the offspring development compared to the unparasitized host. The α‐diversity of the gut microbiota in a parasitized lady beetle larva increased at the early stage of offspring parasitoids and then returned over the intermediate and later stages. Analyses of β‐diversity indicated that the gut microbial community in a parasitized lady beetle was distinct from that in an unparasitized one and different between early or middle and late stages of offspring parasitoids in parasitized hosts. CONCLUSION: Our results provide evidence for the relevance of the gut microbiota to interactions between a lady beetle host and its parasitoid. Our study provides a starting point for further investigations of the role the gut microbiota may play in host‐parasitoid interactions. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The macadamia felted coccid (MFC), Acanthococcus (=Eriococcus) ironsidei (Williams) (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae), is an invasive pest that has devastating impacts on the macadamia nut tree, in Hawaii and South Africa. MFC is a scale insect native to Australia where it has been recorded from smooth- and rough-shelled macadamia variants. Feeding causes discoloration and distortion of plant foliage, premature flower and nut drop, branch die back, and substantial reduction in nut production. Heavy infestations cause severe damage and death to large portions of trees. A survey conducted by Hawaii Department of Agriculture in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, found the undescribed endoparasitoid Metaphycus species is an important biotic factor for MFC. The parasitoid was imported to Hawaii for host specificity tests using closely related hemipterans, scale insect species, and other species of importance in Hawaii. Results indicated that this parasitoid is monospecific to MFC. This promising natural enemy was described as the new species, Metaphycus macadamiae Polaszek & Noyes sp. n (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae). Laboratory parasitism averaged 30.2%, and parasitoids can feed on their hosts. Field parasitism in Australia is 32.7%. Several coccinellid predators and the aphelinid parasitoid, Encarsia lounsburyi, are local natural enemies of MFC in Hawaii, but their impacts alone are insufficient to suppress MFC populations. Introduction of biological control by release of M. macadamiae is expected to result in an effective long-term, sustainable solution for controlling MFC on macadamia nut trees in Hawaii or other infested areas in South Africa. Macadamia felted coccid (MFC), Acanthococcus ironsidei (Williams) (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae), was first discovered in 2005 on the Island of Hawaii. Host plants are restricted to Macadamia species, with Macadamia integrifolia Maiden & Betche (Proteaceae) being grown in Hawaii for nut production. Approximately 6839 hectares macadamia nuts are harvested in Hawaii with an estimated farm value of USD 48.8 million (2019–2020 records). Exploration in Australia started in November 2013 for the evaluation of potential parasitoids being host specific for introduction into Hawaii. A dominant solitary endoparasitoid of MFC from New South Wales was discovered and described as Metaphycus macadamiae Polaszek & Noyes sp. n (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae: Encyrtinae). Biology and host specificity testing were conducted at the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, Insect Containment Facility, on nine hemipteran and three lepidopteran eggs. Results indicated that M. macadamiae is host specific to MFC. There has been no evidence of parasitism or host feeding on any of the non-target insect hosts that were tested. Parasitoid emergence from the control (MFC) averaged 30.2% compared to 0% on non-target hosts. A low rate of parasitoid emergence in the laboratory (average 30.2%) and an increased rate of MFC nymphal mortality was due to adult feeding. Field parasitism reached up to 32.7% emergence in Alstonville, New South Wales, Australia. We report on the parasitoid performance in native Australia, rearing biology, host specificity testing, and the extant natural enemies associated with MFC in Hawaii. A petition to release this parasitoid for the biocontrol of MFC in Hawaii is pending. Once permitted for release, the colony will be shared with South African Mac Nut Association for their biocontrol program of this invasive pest. They will conduct their own testing before approval for release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The genera Anastatus and Mesocomys (both Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) are important solitary egg endoparasitoids as biological control agents for lepidopterous and hemipterous pests worldwide. Here, we comparatively evaluated the demographic parameters of four important eupelmid egg parasitoids (Anastatus fulloi, A. japonicus, Mesocomys albitarsis and M. trabalae) reared on the factitious host eggs of the Chinese oak silkworm Antheraea pernyi, using age‐stage two‐sex life tables, their population projections as well as egg maturation patterns. RESULTS: Both the age‐specific net reproductive rate (lxmx) and reproductive value (vxj) increased initially and then gradually decreased with increasing age in all four parasitoid species. Overall, the two Mesocomys species had higher survival rates at stable age‐stage distribution, peak reproductive values, and intrinsic rates of increase than the two Anastatus species. Mesocomys albitarsis had the longest longevity, whereas A. japonicus had the longest oviposition days and mean generation time. The two Mesocomys species are thus projected to have faster population increase than the two Anastatus species. Adult females of all four parasitoid species emerged with only a few mature eggs (< 6 eggs) and most of their eggs were matured post‐emergence (strict synovigeny). The estimated 90% of lifetime complement of reproduction (offspring) and realized days were 374 and 32 for A. japonicus, 337 and 22 for M. trabalae, 330 and 19 for M. albitarsis and 147 and 28 for A. fulloi. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that the two Mesocomys species have higher control capacity than the two Anastatus species. Provision of adult food for these strictly synovigenic parasitoids would be essential to prolong their lifespan and continuously produce eggs for parasitizing their hosts for mass rearing or augmentative biological control programs. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This research investigated the reproductive characteristics of two egg parasitoids, Paratelenomus saccharalis and Ooencyrtus nezarae, which target Megacoptera cribraria eggs. We evaluated the impact of different food sources, host egg-to-adult parasitoid ratios, and host exposure times on the number and sex ratio of the parasitoid offspring. The findings showed that a honey solution was the preferred dietary source for O. nezarae. Furthermore, a 21:7 host-to-parasitoid ratio yielded the highest and predominantly female offspring for both parasitoids; a host exposure time of three to five days optimized parasitism by O. nezarae, whereas a one-day exposure time optimized parasitism by or P. saccharalis. These findings contribute to our understanding of the biology of both newly discovered egg parasitoids. Parasitoids forage for hosts in dynamic ecosystems and generally have a short period of time to access hosts. The current study examined the optimal reproductive attributes of two egg parasitoids, Paratelenomus saccharalis Dodd (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) and Ooencyrtus nezarae Ishii (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), of the kudzu bug, Megacopta cribraria Fabricius (Hemiptera: Plataspidae). The proportion of O. nezarae and P. saccharalis adult offspring that emerged from M. cribraria eggs and the sex ratio of the parasitoid offspring were compared among treatments for the effects of different adult parasitoid food sources, host egg-to-adult parasitoid ratios, and host exposure times. Our results suggest that honey solution as a food source, a 21:7 host-to-parasitoid ratio, and three-to-five days of exposure time optimized the production of female O. nezarae offspring. For P. saccharalis, honey solution as a food source, a 21:7 host-to-parasitoid ratio, and one day were optimal for maximizing female offspring production. These findings provide new information about the biology of these egg parasitoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature is a major driver of species interactions as it determines many physiological and behavioural parameters of ectothermic organisms such as insects. Examining the effects of elevated temperature and extreme temperature events within and between different trophic levels is crucial for understanding their broader implications for community and ecosystem level processes. We compared parasitism success of two hymenopteran parasitoid species, Diadegma semiclausum and Cotesia vestalis , under different temperature regimes when foraging intra- and interspecifically. Both parasitoid species can be found in the same habitat and are important biological control agents of the cosmopolitan lepidopteran pest Plutella xylostella , the host species in this study. Because parasitoid density may influence parasitism success through interference competition, we first investigated the effect of parasitoid density (one to four females of the same species) on parasitism success at 22 °C. In all assays, parasitoid females were released in cages with a single plant infested with 30 hosts placed in a greenhouse or climate cabinets set at 22, 27 or 33 °C and removed after 3 h. All cages were returned to 22 °C until pupation of the parasitoids or hosts, which were then counted. When females of the same species foraged together, parasitism success increased with parasitoid density. However, when both species were foraging together, parasitism success of D. semiclausum decreased with increasing temperature at both tested densities, whereas the opposite was found for C. vestalis. Nevertheless, parasitism success of D. semiclausum was always higher than that of C. vestalis , irrespective of parasitoid density or temperature, but competitive superiority of D. semiclausum decreased with increasing temperature. Increases in the magnitude and frequency of extreme temperature events under climate change are likely to have differential effects on species involved in intimate interactions, depending on community species composition, as species may differ in thermal resilience. • Temperature affects metabolism, physiology and behaviour of ectothermic organisms. • Temperature effects on host foraging success were studied in two parasitoid species. • Temperature only affected parasitism when the two species foraged interspecifically. • Competitive superiority of the less thermotolerant species decreased with temperature. • Short-term exposure to high temperatures can impact nontrophic interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The Guatemalan potato moth, Tecia solanivora, is an invasive pest that has spread to several countries of South America and reached Spain, arriving in Tenerife in 1999, now representing the most important pest in potato crops in the Canary Islands, where it causes significant crop losses, both in the field and in storage. In the field, the use of phytosanitary treatments to manage Guatemalan potato moth populations has been ineffective, and chemical control in warehouses has limited potential, as most insecticides cannot be applied to crops shortly before they are marketed, in addition to the current lack of authorized chemical product treatments. In this context, the search for biological control agents for Guatemalan potato moth pest has become especially important. In this sense, the evaluation of the potential use of Trichogramma species is of interest because egg parasitoids kill the host before hatching, resulting in a direct reduction in damage to the crop and harvest. In the present work, two species (T. achaeae and T. euproctidis) were evaluated under laboratory and semi-field conditions. T. achaeae was found to have potential as a biocontrol agent under field conditions, and T. euproctidis was found to be suitable for use under storage conditions. The Guatemalan potato moth (Tecia solanivora) is designated a quarantine pest by the European Union, causing severe production losses in potato crops. No effective chemical control alternatives are currently available, and cultural techniques are unable to reduce harvest losses to acceptable levels. With a focus on biological control, two egg parasitoids (Trichogramma euproctidis and Trichogramma achaeae) were selected and evaluated for use under field and storage conditions. Laboratory assays (choice and no-choice) indicated the preference of both parasitoids for T. solanivora vs. Phthorimaea operculella. Trichogramma euproctidis showed the highest parasitic activity for both moths. Analysis of functional response (at 15, 20, 25 and 27 °C) confirmed the high parasitic potential of T. euproctidis. Furthermore, in assays conducted under darkness conditions, T. achaeae was unable to parasitize eggs. However, in semi-field assays, T. achaeae was more efficient in searching for eggs in the soil than T. euproctidis. Based on these results, T. achaeae was selected to be tested under field conditions, and T. euproctidis was selected for testing under storage conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Telenomus remus (Nixon) is a dominant natural enemy controlling the invasive pest Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith). Continuous rearing of egg parasitoids on alternative hosts is crucial for mass production and cost reduction. However, to ensure the effectiveness of natural enemy products against target pests in the field, it is necessary to evaluate the parasitoid quality during the mass‐rearing process. Despite the successful rearing of this parasitoid on the alternative host Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) eggs, less attention has been paid to the quality of parasitoids continuously reared for multiple generations. Therefore, we evaluated the performance of T. remus reared on S. litura eggs for 30 generations via morphological characteristics, flight ability, and life table analysis. RESULTS: Wing length, wing width, body length, and right hind tibia length of T. remus did not differ among the different generations. However, the body length of female parasitoids was significantly longer than that of males for any generation. Although the proportion of 'flyers' and 'deformed' T. remus varied among generations, the flight ability did not decline significantly after rearing on S. litura eggs. Moreover, T. remus continuously reared on S. litura eggs maintained stable parasitism performance and life table parameters on the target host S. frugiperda eggs. CONCLUSION: S. litura eggs are suitable hosts for the mass‐rearing of T. remus. This study can be subsequently used to guide the production and facilitate the application of T. remus in the control of S. frugiperda. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological interactions among plants, insect herbivores, and parasitoids are pervasive in nature and play important roles in community assembling, but the codiversification of tri‐trophic interactions has received less attention. Here we compare pairwise codiversification patterns between a set of 22 fig species, their herbivorous pollinating and galling wasps, and their parasitoids. The parasitoid phylogeny showed significant congruence and more cospeciation events with host insects phylogeny than with host plants. These results suggest that parasitoid phylogeny and speciation is more closely related to their host insects than to their host plants. The pollinating wasps hosted more parasitoid species than gallers and indicated a more intense interspecific competition among parasitoids associated with pollinators. Closer matching and fewer evolutionary host shifts were found between parasitoids and galler hosts than between parasitoids and pollinator hosts. These results suggest that interspecific competition among parasitoids, rather than resource availability of host wasps, is the main driver of the codiversification pattern in this community. Therefore, our study highlights the important role of interspecific competition among high trophic level insects in plant–insect tri‐trophic community assembling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The genus Ceutorhynchus Germar (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is composed of canola pests, natural enemies of Brassicaceae, and other species associated with non-crop and non-weed plants. This study aimed to establish trophic associations of Ceutorhynchus with their host plants and with their parasitoids in the agricultural landscape, in order to assess the actual beneficial or noxious ecological roles of the insects. Trophic associations were established by identifying Ceutorhynchus species and their parasitoids emerging from collected Brassicaceae plants in areas adjacent to canola fields and other crops in 2019 and 2020. Two functional groups were distinguished: natural enemies of weeds and agricultural pests, and new trophic associations were described. The genus Ceutorhynchus Germar (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is composed of canola pests, natural enemies of Brassicaceae, and other species associated with non-crop and non-weed plants. This study aimed to establish trophic associations of Ceutorhynchus with their host plants and with their parasitoids in the agricultural landscape, in order to assess the actual beneficial or noxious ecological roles of the insects. Trophic associations were established by identifying Ceutorhynchus species and their parasitoids emerging from collected Brassicaceae plants in areas adjacent to canola fields and other crops in 2019 and 2020. Five Ceutorhynchus species were collected and identified as hosts of parasitoids in the families Pteromalidae and Eulophidae. Two functional groups were characterized: natural enemies of weeds and agricultural pests. The exotic wormseed wallflower, Erysimum cheiranthoides was identified as a new host plant of the invasive canola pest Ceutorhynchus obstrictus (Marsham), and the native tower rockcress, Arabis glabra, as a new host plant of the native Ceutorhynchus neglectus Blatchley. Association between the exotic Ceutorhynchus typhae (Herbst) and a parasitoid of the genus Elachertodomyia is reported for the first time. Finally, Ceutorhynchus neglectus and C. typhae hosted the exotic parasitoid Trichomalus perfectus, an important natural enemy of C. obstrictus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Classical biological control has been identified as the most promising approach to limit the impact of the invasive pest species Halyomorpha halys (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). This study investigated the parasitism rate at sites where the biocontrol agent Trissolcus japonicus (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) was released and where its unintentional introduction took place, in the Trentino–South Tyrol region. The effect of land‐use composition was studied to understand which factors favor the establishment of hosts and parasitoids, including native and exotic species. RESULTS: The released T. japonicus were detected a year after the start of the program, with a significant parasitoid impact and discovery, compared to control sites. Trissolcus japonicus was the most abundant H. halys parasitoid, and Trissolcus mitsukurii and Anastatus bifasciatus were recorded also. The efficacy of T. mitsukurii was lower in sites where T. japonicus was successfully established, suggesting a possible competitive interaction. Parasitism level by T. japonicus at the release sites was 12.5% in 2020 and 16.4% in 2021. The combined effect of predation and parasitization increased H. halys mortality up to 50% at the release sites. Landscape composition analysis showed that both H. halys and T. japonicus were more likely to be found at sites with lower altitude and with permanent crops, whereas other hosts and parasitoids preferred different conditions. CONCLUSION: Trissolcus japonicus showed a promising impact on H. halys, at release and adventive sites, with minor nontarget effects, mediated by landscape heterogeneity. The prevalence of T. japonicus in landscapes with permanent crops could support IPM in the future. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Arab Journal of Plant Protection is the property of Arab Society for Plant Protection and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Oilseed rape is frequently damaged by insect pests. Much attention is paid to the protection of oilseed rape against Brassicogethes aeneus (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), which is one of the most significant pests of spring and winter oilseed rape. The presence of different pollen beetle species was monitored in the Czech Republic in the years 2011–2013. A minimum of 500 individuals were captured at each site. Morphometric characteristics and the morphology of male and/or female genitalia were used to determine species. B. aeneus, B. subaeneus, B. viridescens and B. coracinus were most abundant. Other species presented in oilseed rape were B. coeruleovirens, B. czwalinai, B. matronalis, B. anthracinus, Boragogethes symphyti, Cychramus luteus, Fabogethes nigrescens, Genistogethes carinulatus, Meligethes atratus, Sagitogethes maurus, and Lamiogethes atramentarius. Our main conclusion is that the reason for the presence of the pollen beetle species associated with their development into non-cruciferous plants in oilseeds is the sufficiency of pollen as food for beetles. In addition, they may occur here incidentally, as they can be transported relatively long distances by air. Accompanying species of pollen beetles probably also have a positive effect on abundance reduction in species considered to be harmful as they are hosts to parasitoids of the oilseed rape pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Lonomia Walker, 1855 (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) is of particular interest to the medical community, since the scoli of these caterpillars harbor a venom that induces hemorrhaging in humans. In Colombia, deadly encounters with Lonomia achelous (Cramer, 1777), have been reported since 2000. There is little information on the main biological and ecological aspects of this genus to help better understand and develop prevention strategies. This study aimed to describe morphological and biological aspects (especially of immature stages) of four recently reported species of Lonomia in Colombia that pose a risk to humans. We collected caterpillars and adults from five localities and reared them under laboratory conditions. Specimens were identified using DNA barcoding and dissection of adult male genitalia. We provided the first description, to our knowledge, of part of the life cycles of Lonomia casanarensis Brechlin, 2017 and Lonomia orientoandensis Brechlin & Meister, 2011 and the complete life cycles of Lonomia columbiana Lemaire, 1972 and Lonomia orientocordillera Brechlin, Käch & Meister, 2013. We also present the first records of the parasitoids of L. orientocordillera, and L. casanarensis and new host plants. This information will guide not only their morphological recognition and the identification of their parasitoids and hosts, but also will guide rearing methods of these and other Lonomia species in new studies to prevent incidents with humans and create specific antivenoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf miners, Liriomyza spp., have developed as a severe pest in recent years, reducing the production of several ornamental and crops in Indonesia. As a result, monitoring and control mechanisms have been proposed. This research aimed to investigate community structure and identify Liriomyza spp., which impacts crops and natural parasitoids in Bali Province. Leaf samples of vegetables, ornamental plants, and related species were collected in all regencies/cities of Bali Province in 2019 and 2020 and preserved in the laboratory for observation and counting of leaf miners and related parasitoids. The findings revealed that four Liriomyza spp. were detected in host plants, namely Liriomyza sativae Blanchard (Diptera: Agromyzidae), Liriomyza huidobrensis Blanchard (Diptera: Agromyzidae), Liriomyza chinensis Kato (Diptera: Agromyzidae), and Liriomyza trifolii Burgess (Diptera: Agromyzidae). Asteraceae species were the most common host plants attacked by leaf miners in the field. The same occurrence was discovered at both heights (high and lowlands). The dry season is the most crucial component in the abundance of Liriomyza spp. In addition, parasitoids of the type Opius cromatomiyae Belokobylskij and Wharton (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Hemiptarsenun varicornis Girault (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) were identified in abundance in Asteraceae plants. Similarly, the parasitization rate of the two parasitoids was found to be high in plants of the Asteraceae and Brassicae families. This approach highlights the decision-making process for controlling Liriomyza spp. on diverse host plant families by developing ecologically beneficial and sustainable parasitoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The mass rearing of parasitoids is a basic prerequisite for their use in biological control. If parasitoid rearing is effective, host/parasitoid mixtures will not form. In this study, we used an irradiated Drosophila melanogaster host to supply parasitoids and assessed whether all adults that emerged after parasitization were Trichopria drosophilae. The results of this study showed that irradiation of host pupae for 6 h is the preferred treatment for promoting the emergence and therefore the potential application of T. drosophilae in the control of Drosophila pests. At the same time, the results also serve as an important reference for reducing costs and improving the efficiency of biological pest control. The pupal parasitoid, Trichopria drosophilae Perkins (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae), is an ectoparasitoid of the genus Drosophila with great potential for application in biological control based on its excellent control efficiency for Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae), and it has has even been commercialized by biofactories. Due to its characteristics of short life cycle, large number of offspring, easy rearing, rapid reproduction, and low cost, Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is currently being utilized as a host to mass produce T. drosophilae. To simplify the mass rearing process and omit the separation of hosts and parasitoids, ultraviolet-B (UVB) was used as an irradiation source to irradiate D. melanogaster pupae, and the effects on T. drosophilae were studied. The results showed that UVB radiation significantly reduces host emergence and affects the duration of parasitoid development (female: F0 increased from 21.50 to 25.80, F1 from 23.10 to 26.10; male: F0 decreased from 17.00 to 14.10, F1 from 17.20 to 14.70), which has great significance for the separation of hosts and parasitoids as well as of females and males. Of the various studied conditions, UVB irradiation was ideal when the host was supplied with parasitoids for 6 h. The selection test results showed that the female-to-male ratio of emerging parasitoids in this treatment was highest at 3.47. The no-selection test resulted in the highest rates of parasitization and parasitoid emergence rate, maximized inhibition of host development, and allowed the omission of the separation step. Finally, the results of the semi-field test showed that the parasitoids bred in this treatment could search for their hosts normally and could therefore be directly applied in the biological control of Drosophila pests in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goniozus legneri Gordh (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) is a larval ectoparasitoid of lepidopterans, with a worldwide history as a biocontrol agent of various agricultural pests. By means of extensive monitoring, this wasp was found in four distant districts of Mendoza province parasitizing three lepidopteran pests: Lobesia botrana (Den. et Shiff.) in grapevine, Ectomyelois ceratoniae (Zeller) in walnut and "espinillo" (Vachellia caven (Molina) Seigler et Ebinger) and Cydia pomonella (L.) in walnut. To corroborate the parasitoid species identification and to analyze its population viability in this region, studies of male genitalia and sexual crossings between wild and laboratory-reared wasps were conducted. Further, we report for the first time the natural host-parasitoid interaction of L. botrana with this parasitoid in vineyards from Argentina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controlling host behaviour can be costly for parasites. In some parasitic systems, such as insect parasitoids, this physiological cost can be paid for by the mother parasite, her offspring or both.Parasitoid wasps provide examples of how individual parasites in a host–parasite system can vary in their opportunity, means and motive (i.e. fitness benefits) for manipulating host behaviour.Changes in host behaviour that occur very soon after infection are typically paid for by the mother parasitoid. She has the greatest opportunity (offspring are often still eggs), the means (neuroactive venoms) and benefits by promoting her offspring's success.Changes in host behaviour that occur late in the development of the offspring (e.g. host bodyguard behaviour) often hinge on some behaviour of the offspring (e.g. the exiting of the host). In these cases, the cost is paid largely by the offspring. The offspring have the greater opportunity, the means (e.g. secreting compounds into the host) and directly benefit by their increased survival.Gene delivery agents, such as symbiotic viruses, allow a reduction in the direct cost of parasitic manipulation to the parasite because the host is induced to use its own resources to produce the compounds needed to alter its behaviour. However, this method leads to indirect costs that are paid for by the offspring, due to a reduction in the host's resources that are available for their own growth.In gregarious systems, the possibility of cheating among the offspring (i.e. some individuals paying less than others to alter host behaviour) may select for modes of control that make cheating difficult.Determining who pays the physiological cost of manipulating host behaviour, and why, promises exciting insights into the evolution of parasitic manipulation in these systems. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parasitoids are small insects, (e.g., small wasps or flies) that reproduce by laying eggs on or within host arthropods. Parasitoids make up a large proportion of the world's biodiversity and are popular agents of biological control. Idiobiont parasitoids paralyze their hosts upon attack and thus are expected to only target hosts large enough to support offspring development. Host resources generally impact host attributes and life histories including size, development, and life span. Some argue slow host development in response to resource quality increases parasitoid efficacy (i.e., a parasitoid's ability to successfully reproduce on or within a host) due to longer host exposure to parasitoids. However, this hypothesis is not always supported and does not consider variation in other host traits in response to resources that may be important for parasitoids (e.g., variation in host size is known to impact parasitoid efficacy). In this study we test whether trait variation within host developmental stages in response to host resources is more important for parasitoid efficacy and life histories than trait variation across host developmental stages. We exposed seed beetle hosts raised on a food quality gradient to mated female parasitoids and measured the number of hosts parasitized and parasitoid life history traits at the scale of host stage- and age-structure. Our results suggest host food quality does not cascade to impact idiobiont parasitoid life histories despite large food quality effects on host life history. Instead, variation in host life histories across host developmental stages better predicts parasitoid efficacy and life histories, suggesting finding a host in a specific instar is more important for idiobiont parasitoids than finding hosts on or within higher quality resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parasitoids are important biological control agents for many agricultural pests. Mating and parasitizing hosts are the two most prominent behaviors of parasitoids and are essential for their reproduction and survival. Therefore, the identification of the infochemicals involved in mating and parasitizing is an important first step to understanding the chemical ecology of these species. In recent decades, state-of-the-art chemical analysis techniques, such as gas chromatographyelectroantennographic detection (GC-EAD), has resulted in the identification of an increasing number of infochemicals that regulate parasitoid behavior. Herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) and host-derived kairomones are two major categories of chemical cues guiding host detection. Based on this, the concept of "tritrophic" (plant-pest-parasitoid) interactions has been developed, significantly deepening our understanding of the mechanisms underlying host identification by parasitoids. Identification of parasitoid sex pheromones has been challenging due to their small body size and the correspondingly small amounts of sex pheromones released. The sex pheromone communication mechanism in a parasitoid, Campoletis chlorideae, has recently been elucidated. The results indicate that sex pheromones can enhance the parasitizing capacity of parasitoids by facilitating mating. In this review we summarize the infochemicals that regulate parasitoid behaviors and discuss the prospects and challenges of applying these infochemicals to control insect pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The interactions between parasitoids and their host have always attracted much attention, and parasitoids manipulate the host physiology to benefit the survival and development of their offspring. It is critical to analyze these physiological regulatory mechanisms. In this study, using RNA-sequencing analysis, we clarified the effects of parasitization on host gene expression of Microplitis manilae, a dominant larval parasitoid of Spodoptera frugiperda. Several differentially expressed genes were identified in S. frugiperda larvae at 2 h, 24 h, and 48 h post-parasitization. Among these, many genes were implicated in host metabolism and immunity. Further qPCR results involving 20 differentially expressed metabolism, and immune-related genes were consistent with the expression profiles of the RNA-seq data, which confirmed the physiological manipulation of M. manilae on host S. frugiperda. These results contribute to defining the molecular basis of wasps' successful parasitization and facilitate their application. It has been extensively found that parasitoids manipulate host physiology to benefit the survival and development of their offspring. However, the underlying regulatory mechanisms have not received much attention. To reveal the effects of parasitization of the larval solitary endoparasitoid Microplitis manilae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on host Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), one of the most destructive agricultural pests in China, deep-sequencing-based transcriptome analysis was conducted to compare the host gene expression levels after 2 h, 24 h, and 48 h parasitization. A total of 1861, 962, and 108 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained from the S. frugiperda larvae at 2 h, 24 h, and 48 h post-parasitization, respectively, compared with unparasitized controls. The changes in host gene expressions were most likely caused by the injection of wasp parasitic factors, including PDVs, that were injected along with the eggs during oviposition. Based on the functional annotations in GO and KEGG databases, we revealed that most DEGs were implicated in host metabolism and immunity. Further analysis of the common DEGs in three comparisons between the unparasitized and parasitized groups identified four genes, including one unknown and three prophenoloxidase (PPO) genes. Moreover, 46 and 7 common DEGs involved in host metabolism and immunity were identified at two or three time points after parasitization, respectively. Among these, most DEGs showed increased expressions at 2 h post-wasp parasitization while exhibiting significantly decreased expression levels at 24 h post-parasitization, demonstrating the expression regulations of M. manilae parasitization on host metabolism and immune-related genes. Further qPCR verification in 20 randomly selected DEGs confirmed the accuracy and reproducibility of the gene expression profiles generated from RNA-seq. This study reveals the molecular regulatory network about how host insects respond to wasp parasitism, laying a solid foundation for revealing the physiological manipulation of wasp parasitization on host insects, which facilitates the development of biological control practices for parasitoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resource use by consumers across patches is often proportional to the quantity or quality of the resource within these patches. In folivores, such proportional use of resources is likely to be more efficient when plants are spatially proximate, such as trees forming a forest canopy. However, resources provided by forest-trees are often not used proportionally. We hypothesised that proportional use of resources is reduced when host trees are isolated among phylogenetically distant neighbours that mask olfactory and visual search cues, and reduce folivore movement between trees. Such phylogenetically distant neighbourhoods might sort out species that are specialists, poor dispersers, or have poor access to information about leaf quality. We studied individual oaks, their leaf size and quality, their folivory and abundance of folivores (mostly Lepidopteran ectophages, gallers and miners), and parasitism of folivores. We found that leaf consumption by ectophages hardly increased with increasing leaf size when host trees were phylogenetically isolated. We found a similar effect on host use by parasitoids in 1 year. In contrast, we found no consistent effects in other folivore guilds. Relative abundances of specialists and species with wingless females declined with phylogenetic isolation. However, resource use within each of these groups was inconsistently affected by phylogenetic isolation. We suggest that phylogenetic isolation prevents ectophages from effectively choosing trees with abundant resources, and also sorts out species likely to recruit in situ on their host tree. Trees in phylogenetically distant neighbourhoods may be selected for larger leaves and greater reliance on induced defences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On a global scale, biological invasions are seriously destroying the stability of ecosystem, sharply decreasing biodiversity and even endangering human health and causing huge economic losses. However, there exist few effective measures controlling biological invasions. To more accurately examine the prevention and control effects of biological control on biological invasions in real environments of random fluctuations, we construct a stochastic host–generalist parasitoid model. We first establish, respectively, the sufficient conditions for the persistence and extinction of invasive hosts and generalist parasitoids, including (1) only the intrusive hosts go extinct; (2) only the generalist parasitoids are extinct, and (3) the intrusive hosts and generalist parasitoids are both extinct or persistent. Then, we perform a series of numerical simulations to verify the validity of the theoretical results obtained, based on which we further discuss the impacts of stochastic environmental fluctuations on the control of intrusive hosts, especially the possible changes of qualitative behavior caused by environmental noises in the bistable scenario. Our theoretical and numerical results indicate that compared with the invasive hosts, the generalist parasitoids are more vulnerable to environmental noises, and the prevention and control effects of biological control on invasive hosts are closely dependent to the initial population sizes. Thus, improving the ability of early detection of ecosystems, including the initial densities of biological populations and their dynamic characteristics, will provide effective predictive guidance for the prevention and control of alien host invasions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Parasite (1252607X) is the property of EDP Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Co‐evolved natural enemies provide sustainable and long‐term control of numerous invasive insect pests, but the introduction of such enemies has declined sharply due to increasing regulations. In the absence of co‐evolved natural enemies, native species may attack exotic invasive pests; however, they usually lack adaptations to control novel hosts effectively. We investigated the potential of two native pupal parasitoids, Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae and Trichopria drosophilae, to increase their developmental success on the invasive Drosophila suzukii. Replicated populations of the two parasitoids were subjected to 10 generations of laboratory selection on D. suzukii with Drosophila melanogaster serving as the co‐evolved host. We assessed developmental success of selected and control lines in generations 0, 3, and 10. Changes in host preference, sex ratio, development time, and body size were measured to evaluate correlated responses with adaptation. Both parasitoid species responded rapidly to selection by significantly increasing their developmental success on the novel host within three generations, which remained constant for seven additional generations without further improvement. The generalist parasitoid species P. vindemmiae was able to reach similar developmental success as the control populations, while the performance of the more specialized parasitoid T. drosophilae remained lower on the novel than on the co‐evolved host. There was no increase in preference towards the novel host over 10 generations of selection nor were there changes in development time or body size associated with adaptation in either parasitoid species. The sex ratio became less female‐biased for both parasitoids after three generations of selection but rebounded in P. vindemmiae by generation 10. These results suggest that a few generations of selection may be sufficient to improve the performance of native parasitoids on invasive hosts, but with limits to the degree of improvement for managing invasive pests when exotic co‐evolved natural enemies are not available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facultative symbionts are common in insects and can provide their hosts with significant adaptations. Yet we still have a limited understanding of what shapes their distributions, such as why particular symbiont strains are common in some host species yet absent in others. To address this question, we genotyped the defensive symbiont Hamiltonella defensa in 26 aphid species that commonly carry this microbe. We found that Hamiltonella strains were strongly associated with specific aphid species and that strains found in one host species rarely occurred in others. To explain these associations, we reciprocally transferred the Hamiltonella strains of three aphid species, Acyrthosiphon pisum, Macrosiphoniella artemisiae and Macrosiphum euphorbiae, and assessed the impact of Hamiltonella strain on: the stability of the symbiosis, aphid fecundity and parasitoid resistance. We demonstrate that the Hamiltonella strains found in nature are locally adapted to specific aphid hosts, and their ecology: aphids tend to carry Hamiltonella strains that are efficiently transmitted to their offspring, non-lethal, and that provide strong protection against their dominant parasitoid species. Our results suggest that facultative symbiont distributions are shaped by selection from natural enemies, and the host itself, resulting in locally adapted symbioses that provide significant benefits against prevailing natural enemies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal limits are often used as proxies to assess the vulnerability of ectotherms to environmental change. While meta-analyses point out a relatively low plasticity of heat limits and a large interspecific variability, only few studies have compared the heat tolerance of interacting species. The present study focuses on the thermal limits, and their plasticity (heat hardening), of three species co-occurring in Western Africa: two ectoparasitoid species, Dinarmus basalis (Rondani) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) and Eupelmus vuilleti (Crawford) (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae), and their common host, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae). The investigation delves into the Critical Thermal Maximum (CTmax), representing the upper tolerance limit, to understand how these species may cope with extreme thermal events. The CTmax of all three species appeared similarly high, hovering around 46.5 °C, exceeding the global mean CTmax observed in insects by 3.5 °C. Short-term exposure to moderate heat stress showed no impact on CTmax, suggesting a potential lack of heat hardening in these species. Therefore, we emphasized the similarity of heat tolerance in these interacting species, potentially stemming from both evolutionary adaptations to high temperatures during development and the stable and similar microclimate experienced by the three species over the years. While the high thermal tolerance should allow these species to endure extreme temperature events, the apparent lack of plasticity raises concerns about their ability to adapt to future climate change scenarios. Overall, this research provides valuable insights into the thermal physiology of these interacting species, providing a basis for understanding their responses to climate change and potential implications for the host-parasitoid system. • Thermal limits of directly interacting species are rarely compared. • Two parasitoids and their host showed similarly high CTmax (46.5 °C). • CTmax is not plastic: no heat-hardening or mass/sex/age effect are observed. • This tropical host-parasitoid system shall be tolerant to extreme heat events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to reveal the diversity of parasitoids and ascertain tritrophic parasitoid-host aphid-host plant interactions in a lagoon habitat very close to orchards, vegetable gardens, and cereal fields in the Çanakkale Province of northwest Turkey between April and September from 2020 to 2021. In total, 23 tritrophic parasitoid-host aphid-host plant interactions, including new association records for Europe and Turkey, were revealed on 12 parasitoid species belonging to six genera from the subfamily Aphidiinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) reared from 15 aphid species (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on 17 host plants from different plant families. Also, we present three tritrophic parasitoid-host aphid-host plant interactions new for Europe and five tritrophic interactions new for Turkey. Of the identified parasitoid species, Aphidius (Aphidius) artemisicola Tizado et Nunez-Perez, 1994 is recorded for the first time for the parasitoid fauna of Turkey. A morphological diagnosis of the newly recorded parasitoid is provided. The results of this study of the tritrophic interactions between parasitoids and their aphid hosts on host plants in a lagoon habitat enable us to more meaningfully interpret these interactions and provide data of potential significance for the biological control of pest aphids in the region. These results showed that research on the interactions of parasitoids and their host aphids on non-crop host plants in non-crop areas close to crop fields can yield data of potential significance for the biological control of aphids in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fourth species of the genus Doddifoenus Bouček (Pteromalidae: Leptofoeninae), is described and illustrated from Karnataka in southern India. Doddifoenus burksi sp. n. is the first species of the genus Doddifoenus to be reported from India and also the first species of the genus with biological information - Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) as the host record. The species shares the morphological adaptations seen in hymenopteran parasitoids of endoxylous hosts. The new species is compared with all the other existing species and an updated key to the world species is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The response of communities to environmental change is expected to vary among feeding guilds. To evaluate the response of guilds to environmental factors without considering the taxonomic specificities, it is useful to examine Aculeata bees and wasps, which consist of closely related taxa including different guilds, pollinators, predators, and parasitoids. In this study, we evaluated changes in species diversity (SD) and functional traits of each feeding guild along an elevational gradient in a boreal forest in northern Japan. We used yellow pan traps to collect Aculeata bees and wasps at 200–1600 m above sea level. We investigated six functional traits (trophic level, seasonal duration, body size, elevational range, nesting position, and soil dependency) and the horizontal distribution of the species. The SD of all Aculeata, predators, and parasitoids decreased with an increase in elevation; however, the SD of pollinators did not show any specific trend. Although the functional trait composition of all Aculeata species did not show any trend, that of each feeding guild responded to elevation in different ways. Pollinators increased in body size and showed a decrease in seasonal duration with increasing elevation, suggesting that tolerance and seasonal escape from physical stress at high elevations are important for shaping pollinator communities. Predators increased their elevational range and the proportion of above‐ground nesting species increased with increasing elevation, suggesting that the ability to live in a wider range of environments and avoid unsuitable soil environments at high elevations might be important. Parasitoids changed their hosts and displayed variable traits with increasing elevation, suggesting that brood parasitoids have difficulty in surviving at high elevation. The traits for each guild responded in different ways, even if they were dominated by the same environmental factors. Our findings imply that differences in the responses of functional traits would produce different community assembly patterns in different guilds during further climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When female host feeding parasitoids encounter a potential host, they face a complicated trade-off between either laying an egg for investing in current reproduction or feeding on or killing the host for future reproduction. Few studies have measured these behavioral shift patterns in a given host-parasitoid association thus far. We systematically assessed the behavioral shifts and life history traits of a host feeding parasitoid, Necremnus tutae, on different instars of its host Tuta absoluta. N. tutae females, as idiobiont host feeding parasitoids, can act on the 1st–4th instar larvae of T. absoluta by either host feeding, parasitizing or host killing. Moreover, a significant behavioral shift was observed on different instar hosts. N. tutae preferred to feed on the young hosts (1st and 2nd instars), lay eggs on middle-aged hosts (3rd instars) and kill old hosts (4th instars) by ovipositor-mediated stinging. The offspring of N. tutae showed a significant female-biased sex ratio, with the number of instars of T. absoluta larvae that were parasitized increasing. Specifically, nonreproductive host mortality induced by host feeding and host killing accounted for high percentages of the total mortality (ranging from 70% on 3rd instar hosts to 88% on 1st instar and 4th instar hosts). We hypothesize that N. tutae could be not merely a parasitoid but also a predator. Our results shed light on the nonreproductive abilities of a host feeding parasitoid that should be given further attention, especially when evaluating the efficacy of parasitoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Egg parasitoids forage for hosts in a dynamic ecosystem. The short longevity of the adult stage forces them to access a host in a short time. The current study examined optimal reproductive attributes of three egg parasitoids: Trissolcus agriope (Kozlov and Le), Trissolcus delucchii Kozlov and Trissolcus niceppe (Kozlov and Le) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae). The characteristics used were fecundity, immature survival rate, daily reproduction, and sex ratio that emerged from host eggs, Acrosternum arabicum Wagner (Hemipteran: Pentatomidae). Experiments were conducted separately in the first day of emergence, 20, 40, 60 and 80% of the mean longevity of naive foundresses, influenced by mating status and under host deprivation conditions. The results revealed that the immature survival rate of foundresses of T. agriope on the first day of emergence, and at 20 and 40% of longevity were higher than other progeny produced by the three parasitoids, whether mated or unmated. All foundresses produced maximum progeny in the first oviposition experience, although the oviposition period was continuous. Regardless of mating status, the progeny production of T. agriope and T. niceppe declined in the last two stages (60 and 80% of female longevity). The proportion of male progeny increased with foundress age from 40% of their longevity. The species-specific performance of female parasitoids is discussed with regards to oogenesis, oosorption and survival of male gametes in female spermatheca. The results provided information about suitable female age for mass rearing and mass release programs, whether in inundation method or for determination of inoculation rhythms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is altering the relative timing of species interactions by shifting when species first appear in communities and modifying the duration organisms spend in each developmental stage. However, community contexts, such as intraspecific competition and alternative resource species, can prolong shortened windows of availability and may mitigate the effects of phenological shifts on species interactions. Using a combination of laboratory experiments and dynamic simulations, we quantified how the effects of phenological shifts in Drosophila–parasitoid interactions differed with concurrent changes in temperature, intraspecific competition, and the presence of alternative host species. Our study confirmed that warming shortens the window of host susceptibility. However, the presence of alternative host species sustained interaction persistence across a broader range of phenological shifts than pairwise interactions by increasing the degree of temporal overlap with suitable development stages between hosts and parasitoids. Irrespective of phenological shifts, parasitism rates declined under warming due to reduced parasitoid performance, which limited the ability of community context to manage temporally mismatched interactions. These results demonstrate that the ongoing decline in insect diversity may exacerbate the effects of phenological shifts in ecological communities under future global warming temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]