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OVIPOSITION AND SURVIVAL OF THE EUROPEAN PARASITE MICROCTONUS BICOLOR (HYMENOPTERA: BRACONIDAE) IN CRUCIFER-INFESTING FLEA BEETLES (COLEOPTERA: CHRYSOMELIDAE) IN MANITOBA1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

H. G. Wylie
Affiliation:
Agriculture Canada, Research Station, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2M9

Abstract

Females of a European parasite, Microctonus bicolor Wesm. tested with adults of crucifer-infesting flea beetles from Manitoba, oviposited readily in Phyllotreta striolata (F.) and occasionally in Phyllotreta cruciferae (Goeze), but not in Psylliodes punctulata Melsh. Immature parasites developed and emerged from both P. striolata and P. cruciferae. M. bicolor is unlikely to provide economic control of P. cruciferae, which is the most important of the rapeseed-infesting flea beetles in the southern part of the prairie provinces. Further releases of M. bicolor should be in more northerly rapeseed-growing areas where there are higher population densities of P. striolata than at the original release site in southern Manitoba.

Résumé

Des femelles d'un parasite européen Microctonus bicolor Wesm. mises en contact et testées avec des adultes d'altises des crucifères en provenance du Manitoba ont pondu d'emblée dans Phyllotreta striolata (F.) et occasionnellement dans Phyllotreta cruciferae (Goeze), mais pas dans Psylliodes punctulata Melsh. Des parasites immatures se sont développés et sont sortis de P. striolata et P. cruciferae. Il est peu probable que M. bicolor parvienne à contrôler économiquement les populations de P. cruciferae, la plus dévastatrice des altises des crucifères rencontrée dans le sud des Prairies. D'autres lâchers du parasite devraient être pratiqués dans les régions de culture situées plus au nord où les densités de population de P. striolata sont plus fortes qu'à l'emplacement du lâcher original dans le sud du Manitoba.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1983

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