Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The effects of temperature and host size on the development of Brachymeria lasus parasitising Hyphantria cunea

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Forestry Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Brachymeria lasus Walker is a solitary endoparasitoid that attacks the pupae of a wide range of lepidopteran hosts, including an important invasive species, the fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea Drury). We studied the relationship between temperature and development of B. lasus from egg to adult hatching. The results show a decrease in parasitoid development time from 34.4 days at 18 °C to 10.6 days at 32 °C. The minimum threshold temperature of B. lasus was 13.2 °C ± 1.7 °C, and the effective accumulated temperature was 210.3 ± 28.7 degree days. These results provide a basis for optimizing the production of this parasitoid. In addition, the effects of host size on offspring performance of B. lasus were investigated under laboratory conditions. Offspring longevity, size, and percentage of females were positively correlated with host size. Female offspring are larger and live longer than males. Furthermore, this research showed that parasitoid adults successfully emerged from approximately 27.9% of pupae. However, eclosion or hatching of H. cunea decreased dramatically, which may be due to damage caused by female B. lasus when testing hosts with their ovipositors or by feeding on them. The results suggest that B. lasus has the potential to become an efficient natural enemy for controlling H. cunea.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Atkinson D (1994) Temperature and organism size: a biological law for ectotherms. Adv Ecol Res 25(6):1–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Cao LJ, Yang F, Tang SY, Chen M (2014) Development of an artificial diet for three lepidopteran insects. Chin J Appl Entomol 51(5):1376–1386

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Charnov EL, Skinner SW (1984) Evolution of host selection and clutch size in parasitoid wasps. Fla Entomol 67(1):5–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deng Y, Li F, Rieske LK, Sun LL, Sun SH (2018) Transcriptome sequencing for identification of diapause-associated genes in fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea Drury. Gene 668:229–236

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ding YQ (1994) Mathematical ecology of insects. Beijing Science Press, Beijing, pp 319–331

    Google Scholar 

  • Golizadeh A, Kamali K, Fathipour Y, Abbasipour H (2009) Effect of temperature on life table parameters of Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) on two brassicaceous host plants. J Asia Pac Entomol 12(4):207–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goubault M, Fourrier J, Krespi L, Poinsot D, Cortesero AM (2004) Selection strategies of parasitized hosts in a generalist parasitoid depend on patch quality but also on host size. J Insect Behav 17(1):99–113

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hagstrum DW, Milliken GA (1988) Quantitative analysis of temperature, moisture, and diet factors affecting insect development. Ann Entomol Soc Am 81(4):539–546

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heimpel GE, Lundgren JG (2000) Sex ratios of commercially reared biological control agents. Biol Control 19(1):77–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henter HJ (2004) Constrained sex allocation in a parasitoid due to variation in male quality. J Evol Biol 17(4):886–896

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Holdaway FG, Smith HF (1935) A relation between size of host puparia and sex ratio of Alysia manducator Pantzer. Aust J Exp Biol Med Sci 10(4):247–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Itô Y, Miyashita K (1968) Biology of Hyphantria cunea Drury (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) in Japan. V. Preliminary life tables and mortality data in urban areas. Res Popul Ecol 10(2):177–209

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ji R, Xie BY, Li XH, Gao ZX, Li DM (2003) Research progress on the invasive species, Hyphantria cunea. Chin Bull Entomol 1:13–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Keena MA, Moore PM (2010) Effects of temperature on Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) larvae and pupae. Environ Entomol 39(4):1323–1335

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • King BH, Hurlbutt B (1987) Offspring sex ratios in parasitoid wasps. Q Rev Biol 62(4):367–396

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li SJ, Wang X, Zhou ZS, Zhu J, Hu J, Zhao YP, Huang GH (2013) A comparison of growth and development of three major agricultural insect pests infected with Heliothis virescens ascovirus 3h (HvAV-3h). PLoS ONE 8(12):e85704

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu YH, Li BP (2006) Host stage selection for Spodoptera exigua larvae and the effect on developmental parameters of solitary endoparasitoid in Meteorus pulchricornis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). J Nanjing Agric Univ 29:66–70

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu ZD, Xu BB, Li L, Sun JH (2011) Host-size mediated trade-off in a parasitoid Scleroderma sharmandi. PLoS ONE 6(8):e23260

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Liu PC, Men J, Zhao B, Wei JR (2017) Fitness-related offspring sex allocation of Anastatus disparis, a gypsy moth egg parasitoid, on different-sized host species. Entomol Exp Appl 163(3):281–286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luo LP, Wang XY, Yang ZQ, Cao LM (2018) Research progress in the management of fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea (Drury) (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae). J Environ Entomol 40(4):721–735

    Google Scholar 

  • Mao HX, Kunimi Y (1991) Pupal mortality of the oriental tea tortrix, Homona magnanima Diakonoff (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), caused by parasitoids and pathogens. Jpn J Appl Entomol Zool 35(3):241–245

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mao HX, Kunimi Y (1994) Effects of temperature on the development and parasitism of Brachymeria lasus, a pupal parasitoid of Homona magnanima. Entomol Exp Appl 71(1):87–90

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Napoleon ME, King BH (1999) Offspring sex ratio response to host size in the parasitoid wasp Spalangia endius. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 46(5):325–332

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pilkington LJ, Hoddle MS (2006) Use of life table statistics and degree-day values to predict the invasion success of Gonatocerus ashmeadi (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae), an egg parasitoid of Homalodisca coagulata (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), in California. Biol Control 37(3):276–283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pilkington LJ, Lewis M, Jeske D, Hoddle MS (2014) Calculation and thematic mapping of demographic parameters for Homalodisca vitripennis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in California. Ann Entomol Soc Am 107(2):424–434

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qiu B, Zhou ZS, Luo SP, Xu ZF (2012) Effect of temperature on development, survival, and fecundity of Microplitis manilae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Environ Entomol 41(3):657–664

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Quicke DLJ (1997) Parasitic wasps. Chapman Hall, London, p 470

    Google Scholar 

  • Simser DH, Coppel HC (1980) Courtship and mating behavior of Brachymeria lasus (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae), an imported gypsy moth parasitoid. Entomophaga 25(4):349–355

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Torqueti RMA, Fagundes PF, Oliveira KS, Luiz PP, Fabiana GD, De OHN (2013) Thermal requirements and generation estimates of Trichospilus diatraeae (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in sugarcane producing regions of Brazil. Fla Entomol 96(1):154–159

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Traynor RE, Mayhew PJ (2005) A comparative study of body size and clutch size across the parasitoid Hymenoptera. Oikos 109:305–316

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ueno T (1998) Adaptiveness of sex ratio control by the pupal parasitoid Itoplectis naranyae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) in response to host size. Evol Ecol 12(6):643–654

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ueno T (1999) Host-size-dependent sex ratio in a parasitoid wasp. Res Popul Ecol 41:47–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ueno T (2015) Effects of host size and laboratory rearing on offspring development and sex ratio in the solitary parasitoid Agrothereutes lanceolatus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). Eur J Entomol 112(2):281–287

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vinson SB (1985) The behavior of parasitoids. In: Kerkut FA (ed) Comprehensive insect physiology, biochemistry and pharmacology. Pergamon Press, New York, pp 417–469

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang XG, Messing RH (2004) Fitness consequences of body-size-dependent host species selection in a generalist ectoparasitoid. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 56(6):513–522

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang XG, Liu SS, Guo SJ, Lin W (1999) Effects of host stages and temperatures on population parameters of Oomyzus sokolowskii, a larval-pupal parasitoid of Plutella xylostyella. Biocontrol 44:391–403

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weseloh RM, Anderson JF (1982) Releases of Brachymeria lasus and Coccygomimus disparis, two exotic gypsy moth parasitoids, in Connecticut: habitat preference and overwintering potential. Ann Entomol Soc Am 75(1):46–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • West SA, Sheldon BC (2002) Constraints in the evolution of sex ratio adjustment. Science 295(5560):1685–1688

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wu HW, Kang Z, Xin SL, Qin XB, Zhang QM, Liu HX (2012) Effects of different food plants on the growth, development and reproduction of fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea, larvae. Chin J Appl Entomol 49(4):963–968

    Google Scholar 

  • Xu M, Xu FY, Wu XQ (2017) Differentially expressed proteins from the peritrophic membrane related to the lethal, synergistic mechanisms observed in Hyphantria cunea larvae treated with a mixture of Bt and chlorbenzuron. J Insect Sci 17(2):1–8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yan JJ, Xu CH, Li GW, Zhang PY, Gao WC, Yao DF, Li YM (1989) Natural enemy insect of forest insect. Forestry Publishing Press, Beijing, pp 113–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang XQ, Wei JR, Yang ZQ (2001) A survey on insect natural enemies of Hyphantria cunea in Dalian district, Liaoning Province. Chin J Biol Control 17(1):40–42

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang ZQ, Wei J, Wang XY (2006) Mass rearing and augmentative releases of the native parasitoid Chouioia cunea for biological control of the introduced fall webworm Hyphantria cunea in China. BioControl J Int Organ Biol Control 51(4):401–418

    Google Scholar 

  • Yu QQ, Liu ZK, Chen C, Wen J (2013) Antennal sensilla of Eucryptorrhynchus chinensis (Olivier) and Eucryptorrhynchus brandti, (Harold) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Microsc Res Tech 76(9):968–978

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao TZ, Gao L, Ke SF, Wen YL (2007) Establishment on the loss evaluation index system of Hyphantria cunea Drury's invading China. J Beijing For Univ 2:156–160

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Thanks go to Professor Liangjian Qu of the Chinese Academy of Forestry and Tongbin Guo of the Xuzhou Forest Protection Station for their valuable help.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Co-Innovation Center for the Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, People’s Republic of China

    Shuo Tian, Tianzi Gu, Cong Chen, Xudong Zhao, Pengcheng Liu & Dejun Hao

  2. College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, People’s Republic of China

    Shuo Tian, Tianzi Gu, Cong Chen, Xudong Zhao, Pengcheng Liu & Dejun Hao

Authors
  1. Shuo Tian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tianzi Gu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Cong Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xudong Zhao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Pengcheng Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Dejun Hao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dejun Hao.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Project Funding: The work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (2018YFC1200400) and the research and innovation project for College Graduates of Jiangsu Province (KYLX18_0957).

The online version is available at https://www.springerlink.com

Corresponding editor: Tao Xu

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (DOCX 13 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tian, S., Gu, T., Chen, C. et al. The effects of temperature and host size on the development of Brachymeria lasus parasitising Hyphantria cunea. J. For. Res. 32, 401–407 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-020-01099-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-020-01099-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation