Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Development and reproduction of a potential biological control agent, Aphelinus varipes (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), at different temperatures

  • Original Research Paper
  • Published:
Applied Entomology and Zoology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The development and reproductive potential of an indigenous parasitoid, Aphelinus varipes (Förster), was studied at 15, 17, 20, 25, and 30 °C. Developmental durations decreased with increasing temperatures. The emergence rate was higher than 90 % at 15, 17, and 20 °C. Offspring sex ratios were 0.69, 0.54, and 0.70 at 17, 20, and 25 °C, respectively, but were 0.14 at 15 °C and 0.38 at 30 °C. Developmental zeros of females and males were calculated as 9.9 and 9.6 °C, respectively. The effective accumulative temperature (K) was 204.1 degree-days in both sexes. Fecundity peaked in early age after emergence, then gradually decreased in a fluctuating manner at 20 and 25 °C. Host feeding continued constantly during the life of female adults at two temperatures. Single female parasitoids produced 218.5 and 203.1 mummies at 20 and 25 °C, respectively, during their lifespans. Aphids killed by parasitoid host feeding numbered 79.1 at 20 °C and 63.8 at 25 °C. Longevities were 27.0 days at 20 °C and 20.6 days at 25 °C. Moreover, intrinsic rates of natural increase (r m) were estimated as 0.151 at 20 °C and 0.227 at 25 °C. We discuss the potential of A. varipes as biological control agents by comparing them with Aphidius colemani Viereck, which has been introduced to horticultural crops in greenhouses in Japan.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bernal JS, Waggoner M, Gonzalez D (1997) Reproduction of Aphelinus albipodus (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) on Russian wheat aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) hosts. Eur J Entomol 94:83–96

    Google Scholar 

  • Birch LC (1948) The intrinsic rate of natural increase of an insect population. J Anim Ecol 17:15–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell A, Frazer BD, Gilbert N, Gutierrez AP, Mackauer M (1974) Temperature requirements of some aphids and their parasites. J Appl Ecol 11:431–438

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dent DR (1997) Quantifying insect populations: estimates and parameters. In: Dent DR, Walton MP (eds) Methods in ecological and agricultural entomology. CAB International, Wallingford, pp 57–110

    Google Scholar 

  • Hågvar EB, Hofsvang T (1991) Aphid parasitoids (Hymenoptera, Aphididae): biology, host selection and use in biological control. Biocontrol News Inf 12:13–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Hopper KR, de Farias AMI, Woolley JB, Heraty JM, Britch SC (2005) Genetics: relation of local populations to the whole “species”—implications for host range tests. In: Second international symposium on biological control of arthropods, pp 665–671

  • Kim D-H, Lee G-H, Park J-W, Hwang C-Y (1991) Occurrence aspects and ecological characteristics of foxglove aphid Aulacorthum solani Kaltenbach Homoptera Aphididae in soybean. Res Rept RDA (Crop Prot) 33:28–32 (in Korean)

    Google Scholar 

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

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lajeunesse SE, Johnson GD (1992) Developmetal time and host selection by the aphid parasitoid Aphelinus sp. nr. varipes (Foerster) (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). Can Entomol 124(4):565–575

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee SG, Kim HH, Kim TH, Park G-J, Kim KH, Kim JS (2008) Longevity and life table of the foxglove aphid (Aulacorthum solani K.) adults on lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). Korean J Appl Entomol 47:365–368

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murai T, Tsumuki H (1996) Population increases of the green peach aphid, Myzuz persicae (Sulzer) and cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover. Bull Res Inst Bioresour Okayama Univ 4(1):59–65 (in Japanese with English summary)

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakasuji F, Naito C, Ishii M, Fujisaki K, Kai H, Sasaki M (2000) The ecology of population and community. In: Nakasuji F, Naito C, Ishii M, Fujisaki K, Kai H, Sasaki M (eds) The foundation of applied entomology. Asakura Publishing Co, Ltd., Tokyo, pp 77–108 (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohta I, Ohtaishi M (2002) Life history parameters of Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Homoptera: Aphididae) reared on qing-geng-cai at four constant temperatures. Jpn J Appl Entomol Zool 46:259–261 (in Japanese with English summary)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ohta I, Miura K, Kobayashi M (2001) Life history parameters during immature stage of Aphidius gifuensis Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Homoptera: Aphididae). Appl Entomol Zool 36(1):103–109

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perng JJ, Liu YC (2002) Age-specific survival and fecundity and their effects on the intrinsic rate of increase of Aphelinus gossypii (Hym., Aphelinidae), a parasitoid of Aphis gossypii (Hom., Aphididae). J Appl Entomol 126:484–489

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prinsloo GJ (2000) Host and host instar preference of Aphelinus sp. nr. varipes (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), a parasitoid of cereal aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae) in South Africa. Afr Entomol 8(1):57–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Prinsloo GJ, du Plessis U (2000) Temperature requirements of Aphelinus sp nr varipes (Foerster) (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) a parasitoid of the Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Kurdjumov) (Homoptera: Aphididae). Afr Entomol 8(1):75–79

    Google Scholar 

  • Röhne O (2002) Effect of temperature and host stage on performance of Aphelinus varipes Förster (Hym., Aphelinidae) parasitizing the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hom., Aphididae). J Appl Entomol 126:572–576

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute Inc (2010) JMP, version 9.0.2. SAS Institute Inc, Cary

  • Schirmer S, Sengonca C, Blaeser P (2008) Influence of abiotic factors on some biological and ecological characteristics of the aphid parasitoid Aphelinus asychis (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) parasitizing Aphis gossypii (Sternorrhyncha: Aphididae). Eur J Entomol 105:121–129

    Google Scholar 

  • Takada H (1998) A review of Aphidius colemani (Hymenoptera: Braconidae; Aphidiinae) and closely related species indigenous to Japan. Appl Entomol Zool 33:59–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Takada H (2002) Parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Aphidiinae; Aphelinidae) of four principal pest aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae) on greenhouse vegetable crops in Japan. Appl Entomol Zool 37(2):237–249

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Takada H, Tatsumi E (2002) Primary and secondary parasitoids of the aphid. Plant Prot 56(10):415–420 (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Tang YQ, Yokomi RK (1996) Biology of Aphelinus spiraecolae (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), a parasitoid of the spirea aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae). Environ Entomol 25(2):519–523

    Google Scholar 

  • Tatsumi E, Takada H (2005) Evaluation of Aphelinus asychis and A. albipodus (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) as biological control agents against three pest aphids. Appl Entomol Zool 40(2):379–385

    Google Scholar 

  • van Lenteren JC, Manzaroli G (2002) Evaluation and use of predators and parasitoids for biological control of pests in greenhouses. In: Albajes R, Gullino ML, Lenteren JC, Elad Y (eds) Integrated pest and disease management in greenhouse crops. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp 183–201

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • van Lenteren JC, Drost YC, van Roermund HJW, Posthuma-Doodeman CJAM (1997) Aphelinid parasitoids as sustainable biological control agents in greenhouses. J Appl Entomol 121:473–485

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Schelt J (1994) The selection and utilization of parasitoids for aphid control in glasshouses. Proc Exp Appl Entomol NEV Amsterdam 5:151–157

    Google Scholar 

  • van Steenis MJ (1993) Intrinsic rate of increase of Aphidius colemani Vier. (Hym., Braconidae), a parasitoid of Aphis gossypii Glov. (Hom., Aphididae), at different temperatures. J Appl Entomol 116:192–198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yano E (2003) The fundamental knowledge of applied natural enemy in horticulture, Chap 2. Development of applied natural enemy technology on augmentation, Chap 4. In: Yano E (ed) Natural enemy—ecology and applied technology. Yokendo Ltd, Tokyo, pp 19–107, 126–179 (in Japanese)

  • Yano E (2004) Recent development of biological control and IPM in greenhouses in Japan. J Asia Pac Entomol 7(1):5–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu DS (1992) Effects of photoperiod and temperature on diapause of two Aphlinus spp. (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) parasitizing the Russian wheat aphid. Can Entomol 124(5):853–860

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zamani AA, Talebi AA, Fathipour Y, Baniameri V (2006) Temperature-dependent functional response of two aphid parasitoids, Aphidius colemani and Aphidius matricariae (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae), on the cotton aphid. J Pest Sci 79:183–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We greatly appreciate H. Takada for identifying Aphelinus varipes and T. Kuribara for her technical assistance. The research was supported by a grant from a bilateral program for scientific cooperation between the USA and Japan, promoted by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwai Fuchu, Tokyo, 183-8509, Japan

    Keisuke Yashima & Tamotsu Murai

  2. Faculty of Agriculture, Utsunomiya University, 350 Mine, Utsunomiya, 321-8505, Japan

    Tamotsu Murai

Authors
  1. Keisuke Yashima
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tamotsu Murai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tamotsu Murai.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Yashima, K., Murai, T. Development and reproduction of a potential biological control agent, Aphelinus varipes (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), at different temperatures. Appl Entomol Zool 48, 21–26 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13355-012-0147-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13355-012-0147-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation