A Three-Year Study of Parasites of the Bollworm and the Tobacco Budworm in Mississippi12

Transmission of Ascovirus fromHeliothis virescens(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) by Three Parasitoids and Effects of Virus on Survival of ParasitoidCardiochiles nigriceps(Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

“…C. nigriceps is a solitary endoparasitoid that can contribute substantially to the biological control of H. virescens on tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) (Johnson and Manley 1983, Bidlack et al 1991, Jackson et al 1996 and cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L. (Lewis et al 1972, Manley et al 1991. The ichneumonid C. sonorensis is an early season parasitoid of H. virescens in tobacco (Lingren et al 1970), and the braconid M. croceipes has been reported to parasitize H. virescens in cotton (Lewis and Brazzel 1968). In 1998, in an experimental trap crop for H. virescens in cotton (Tillman 1999), 47.5% of the larvae trapped in tobacco developed an ascovirus infection, whereas a C. nigriceps third instar emerged from 43.6% of the larvae (P.G.T., unpublished data).…”

THE EFFECT OF PLANTS ON THE HOST RELATIONS OF A SPECIALIST PARASITOID OF HELIOTHIS LARVAE

“…The preferential parasitism of hosts on certain plants suggests that M. croceipes might be a more effective control agent for Heliothis on cotton or bean than on tomato. A Mississippi survey identified M. croceipes as a common parasitoid of Heliothis on cotton and numerous other early, mid and late season plants (Lewis & Brazzel, 1968). But M. croceipes was not listed as a parasitoid of Heliothis on tomato even though 76% of the Heliothis larvae collected from tomato were parasitized.…”

“…Microplitis croceipes is one of the most important parasitoids attacking Heliothis spp. on a variety of both wild and cultivated plants (Bottrell et al, 1968, Lewis & Brazzel, 1968. Under field conditions it successfully parasitizes only 3 species, Heliothis zea, H. virescens and H. subflexa (Danks et al, 1979).…”

Intraspecific host discrimination and larval competition inMicroplitis croceipes, Microplitis demolitor, Cotesia kazak (Hym.: Braconidae) andHyposoter didymator (Hym.: Ichneumonidae), parasitoids ofHeliothis virescens (Lep.: Noctuidae)

“…The braconid M. croceipes was one of the most predominant native parasitoids of Heliothis virescens (F.) and Heliothis zea (Boddie) in the United States (Lewis & Brazzel, 1968;Mueller & Phillips, 1983;King et al, 1985). The braconid M. croceipes was one of the most predominant native parasitoids of Heliothis virescens (F.) and Heliothis zea (Boddie) in the United States (Lewis & Brazzel, 1968;Mueller & Phillips, 1983;King et al, 1985).…”