Specimens of Chrysodeixis chalcites (Esper) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) have been found in different municipalities in southwestern Ontario, Canada since 2008. This nonnative species occurs in tomato and green bean crops where it has the potential of becoming an important insect pest.Résumé-Des spécimens de Chrysodeixis chalcites (Esper) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) ont été trouvés dans différentes municipalités du sud-ouest de l'Ontario, au Canada, depuis 2008. Cette espèce nonindigène se développe dans la tomate et les haricots verts où elle a le potentiel de devenir un insecte ravageur important.

Abstract-We report for the first time the occurrence of the well-known Eurasian and north African parasitoid Cotesia vanessae (Reinhard) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in North America. Specimens were reared from Chrysodeixis chalcites (Esper) and Trichoplusia ni (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) recovered from several locations in southwestern Ontario, Canada, and detected by DNA sequencing from one Autographa californica (Speyer) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in southern Alberta, Canada.Résumé-Nous rapportons pour la première fois la présence du parasitoïde Cotesia vanessae (Reinhard) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) en Amérique du Nord. Des spécimens ont été élevés à partir de Chrysodeixis chalcites (Esper) et Trichoplusia ni (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) collectés à plusieurs localités au sud-est de l'Ontario, Canada, et détecté par une séquence d'ADN provenant d'un Autographa californica (Speyer) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) collecté à une localité au sud de l'Alberta, Canada. Ce parasitoïde n'a été reporté auparavant qu'en Europe, Asie et Afrique.

In a previous study, we observed no spatial genetic structure in Mexican populations of the parasitoids Chelonus insularis Cresson (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Campoletis sonorensis Cameron (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) by using microsatellite markers. In the current study, we investigated whether for these important parasitoids of the fall armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) there is any genetic structure at a larger scale. Insects of both species were collected across the American continent and their phylogeography was investigated using both nuclear and mitochondrial markers. Our results suggest an ancient northÐsouth migration of C. insularis, whereas no clear pattern could be determined for C. sonorensis. Nonetheless, the resulting topology indicated the existence of a cryptic taxon within this later species: a few Canadian specimens determined as C. sonorensis branch outside a clade composed of the Argentinean Chelonus grioti Blanchard, the Brazilian Chelonus flavicincta Ashmead, and the rest of the C. sonorensis individuals. The individuals revealing the cryptic taxon were collected from Trichoplusia ni (Hü bner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on tomato (Lycopersicon spp.) and may represent a biotype that has adapted to the early season phenology of its host. Overall, the loosely deÞned spatial genetic structure previously shown at a local Þne scale also was found at the larger scale, for both species. Dispersal of these insects may be partly driven by wind as suggested by genetic similarities between individuals coming from very distant locations.

Releases of Peristenus digoneutis against Lygus spp. in North America have been conducted for many years; however, no published procedures for mass production of the biological control agent were available. A laboratory rearing method was developed using Lygus lineolaris as the host to enhance establishment efforts and provide large numbers of wasps for inundative releases into high value fruit crops. Experiments were conducted to determine optimum host:parasitoid density and rearing temperature. The effects of nymph:wasp ratios and temperature on parasitism and wasp survival showed a 20:1 ratio at 208C provided high parasitism (256 parasitized nymphs/wasp over lifetime) and excellent wasp survival of 27 days. Experiments on diapause-inducing conditions for P. digoneutis demonstrated that fluctuating temperatures of 238C (day) and 168C (night) and corresponding photo phases of B16 h light, for rearing parasitized nymphs, produced 100% diapausing parasitoids whereas non-diapausing parasitoids were only produced at more than 16 h light. Furthermore, parasitized Lygus nymphs need to be transferred to short day conditions no later than 10 days after parasitism to produce diapausing parasitoids. Critical life stages for exposure to conditions inducing diapause, the egg, first and second instar parasitoid larva, occurred from 0 to 10 days at 248C constant temperature. Increased time in cold storage reduced the number of days to first emergence of parasitoids from diapausing cocoons when transferred to warm temperatures. The optimum storage time for diapausing P. digoneutis is between 25 and 44 weeks, depending upon the length of time that cocoons remain at warm conditions prior to chilling.

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