A new species of genus <i>Eriborus</i> Förster (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) parasitizing <i>Holcocerus insularis</i> Staudinger (Lepidoptera: Cossidae)

Abstract

A new important parasitoid of Holcocerus insularis Staudinger, viz. Eriborus applicitus sp. n., collected from Shenyang, China, is described. The adults of E. applicitus emerge during the daytime, mostly at 8–11 AM, and start calling and mating one hour after the emergence. The ratio ofmales : females is approx. 2:3. Within 3–4 hours after their emergence, the newly-emerged virgin females strongly attract males; they are still attracting males at day 2, although their calling behavior seemsmuch less intensive than at day 1. No calling or mating behavior occurs during night time. Females can mate at least twice before laying eggs, while males can only mate once. Mated females search their hosts by walking on the bark surface of H. insularis-infested Malus baccata (L.) Borkh. trees for oviposition.

Sensilla on antenna, ovipositor and leg of Eriborus applicitus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), a parasitoid wasp of Holcocerus insularis staudinger (Lepidoptera: Cossidae)

“…In addition, female wasps were attracted by odours released by host larvae during the search for a host. The female wasps struck the surface of bored trees with the tips of their antennae and, upon finding a larval gallery, inserted their antennae and sometimes their whole heads into the hole (Sheng and Sun ). These observations suggest that the type 2 sensilla trichodea could be gustatory sensors that may have a vital role in host location.…”

“…However, efficient control methods have not yet been developed against H. insularis, and the removal of infested trees remains the most practical control measure (Xu and Yang ; Li ). In 2006, a wasp species, Eriborus applicitus Sheng & Sun (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), was discovered to be a specialist parasitoid of the small carpenter moth (Sheng and Sun ) and thus has potential for use as a biocontrol measure for H. insularis .…”