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LIFE HISTORY CHARACTERISTICS OF ELACHERTUS CACOECIAE (HYMENOPTERA: EULOPHIDAE), AN ECTOPARASITOID OF SPRUCE BUDWOR LARVAE, CHORISTONEURA FUMIFERANA (LEPIDOPTERA: TORTRICIDAE)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

Jeffrey G. Fidgen  and
Eldon S. Eveleigh
Jeffrey G. Fidgen
Affiliation:
Population Ecology Group, Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management, University of New Brunswick, Bag Service 44555, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada E3B 6C2
Eldon S. Eveleigh*
Affiliation:
Canadian Forest Service, Atlantic Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada, P.O. Box 4000, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada E3B 5P7
*
1 Corresponding author. Also affiliated with the Population Ecology Group, Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, E3B 6C2.
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Abstract

We carried out a 2-year study to elucidate the biology of the gregarious, idiobiont ectoparasitoid Elachertus cacoeciae (Howard) by placing (implanting) laboratory-reared spruce budworm larvae [Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens)] on current-year balsam fir (Abies balsamea L.) shoots in the field, simulating low (endemic) densities of the budworm. Spring female E. cacoeciae attacked fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-instar budworm larvae, beginning near the predicted peak of the fourth instar and ending about 10–12 days after the predicted peak of the pupal stage of the wild budworm population. The mean (±SE) brood size of spring females was 2.9 ± 0.3 E. cacoeciae pupae per host. The proportion of females increased during the season, with many broods consisting of 100% females late in the season. In 1994 and 1995, the mean proportion of females was 0.74 ± 0.05 and 0.79 ± 0.05, respectively. In the laboratory, development time from eggs to adults was approximately 20 days at 20.6 °C. Adult males provided with honey water lived 43.6 ± 3.2 days, whereas females provided with hosts and honey water lived 90.1 ± 6.6 days. Spring females had a pre-oviposition period of 11.5 ± 1.3 days, resulting in a generation time (egg to egg) of ~31 days. The oviposition period lasted 76.3 ± 7.7 days during which time spring females parasitized 19.2 ± 1.9 hosts, and produced a clutch size of 4.9 ± 0.4 eggs per host, for a lifetime fecundity of 96.8 ± 14.7 eggs. The post-oviposition period was 18.5 ± 3.7 days. Throughout their lifetime, spring females host fed only (host feeding without oviposition) on an additional 9.3 ± 1.9 hosts. Approximately 2% of pupae developing from spring females overwintered, whereas approximately 95% of pupae developing from summer females overwintered. Laboratory results for summer females suggest that they may be adapted to parasitizing alternate host(s) rather than spruce budworm.

Résumé

Pendant 2 ans, nous avons étudié la biologie de l’ectoparasitoïde grégaire idiobionte Elachertus cacoeciae (Howard). Des larves de la Tordeuse des bourgeons de l’épinette [Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens)] élevées en laboratoire ont été implantées, au milieu naturel, sur des pousses de l’année courante du Sapin baumier (Abies balsamea L.) à des densités faibles, simulant les densités endémiques. Les femelles de printemps d’E. cacoeciae ont attaqué les larves de quatrième, cinquième et sixième stades de la tordeuse, à partir de l’époque de densité maximale prédite pour les larves de quatrième stade jusqu’à 10–12 jours après la période de densité maximale prédite pour les chrysalides au sein de la population indigène de la tordeuse. La progéniture moyenne par femelle de printemps (± écart type) a été évalué à 2,9 ± 0,3 nymphes d’E. cacoeciae par hôte. La proportion des femelles a augmenté au cours de la saison et la progéniture issue de plusieurs pontes comportât 100% de femelles tard dans la saison. La proportion de femelles a été de 0,74 + 0,05 en 1994 et de 0,79 ± 0,05 en 1995. En laboratoire, le développement du stade oeuf au stade adulte a duré environ 20 jours à 20,6 °C. Les mâles adultes nourris de miel coupé d’eau ont vécu 43,6 ± 3,2 jours, alors que les femelles mises en présence d’hôtes et de miel coupé d’eau ont vécu 90,1 ± 6,6 jours. Les femelles de printemps subissaient une période de pré-ponte de 11,5 ± 1,3 jours, avec le résultat qu’une génération (oeuf à oeuf) durait environ 31 jours. La période de ponte a été évaluée à 76,3 ± 7,7 jours au cours desquels les femelles de printemps ont parasité 19,2 ± 1,9 hôtes et produit des masses de 4,9 ± 0,4 oeufs/hôte, pour une fécondité totale de 96,8 ± 14,7 oeufs au cours de la vie d’une femelle. La période d’après-ponte était de 18,5 ± 3,7 jours. Au cours de leur vie, les femelles de printemps ont aussi attaqué (alimentation sans ponte) 9,3 ± 1,9 hôtes supplémentaires. Environ 2% des nymphes issues des femelles de printemps ont entrepris une diapause, alors qu’environ 95% des nymphes issues des femelles d’été ont entrepris une diapause. Les résultats obtenus en laboratoire semblent indiquer que les femelles d’été sont peut-être adaptées à parasiter d’autres hôtes que la tordeuse.

[Traduit par la Rédaction]

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 130 , Issue 2 , April 1998 , pp. 215 - 229
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1998

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