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Inter-relationships of the Parasites of the Frit-fly, Oscinella frit (L.), in eastern North America

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

F. J. Simmonds
F. J. Simmonds
Affiliation:
Commonwealth Institute of Biological Control.
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Extract

Studies are reported on the extent and importance of competition amongst larval and pupal parasites of Oscinella frit.

In Ontario, 30–40 per cent. of frit larvae are parasitised by Hexacola in July–August and superparasitism is thus likely. Subsequent attack by Polyscelis may occur, but probably unsuccessfully.

Competition between the larval parasites and the pupal ecto-parasites Callitula and Spalangia is generally slight, because the former species is not abundant and the latter tends to select only healthy hosts.

Experiments are described to test the inter-relations of the three pupal parasites by exposing puparia of Drosophila melanogaster to two species simultaneously and in sequence.

When Callitula and Spalangia are allowed to oviposit simultaneously, the former is more successful when hosts are relatively few, but otherwise the two species are equally successful. When Callitula parasitises puparia recently exposed to Spalangia, equal numbers of the two parasites emerge, but in the reverse experiment Callitula is superior. Callitula is able to parasitise successfully a proportion of puparia already containing Spalangia whatever the age of the latter; mature Spalangia thus attacked are mostly killed.

Similar comparisons of Callitula and Spalangia with the endoparasitic Loxotropa show that Loxotropa is inferior to both the others, but that all three show marked avoidance of multiple parasitism.

In general, there is little interference between the various species in the parasite complex associated with the frit-fly.

The parasite complex associated with the frit-fly appears to be one that is very well balanced, there being little interference between the various species involved. Moreover, when, for any reason, one species does not attain its accustomed degree of parasitism, this is offset by an increase in the numbers of one or more of the other species.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 44 , Issue 2 , July 1953 , pp. 387 - 393
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1953

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