Development of Cleruchoides noackae, an egg-parasitoid of Thaumastocoris peregrinus, in eggs laid on different substrates, with different ages and post-cold storage

Abstract

Cleruchoides noackae Lin and Huber (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) is an egg parasitoid of Thaumastocoris peregrinus Carpintero and Dellapé (Hemiptera: Thaumastocoridae). The parasitism and development of C. noackae was studied in T. peregrinus eggs of different ages, laid on eucalyptus leaves or paper towel and stored at 5°C. The emergence, sex ratio and development of C. noackae and hatched nymphs of T. peregrinus were evaluated. This parasitoid had an emergence rate higher than 60% from zero to one, one to two, and two to three-day old eggs and lower than 10% for those 3-4 and 4-5 days old. The female proportion was 78% and the egg-adult period for C. noackae was 19.5 days. The use of T. peregrinus eggs up to three days old, laid on paper towel and stored at 5°C for 14 days did not affect the biological parameters of C. nockae and should be used for mass rearing of this parasitoid.

Oviposition behaviour of mated or unmated Cleruchoides noackae (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae)

“…Cleruchoides noackae can reproduce by arrhenotokous parthenogenesis, with fertilized eggs yielding females and unfertilized eggs yielding males [23]. In the laboratory and field, the sex ratio (female: male) of this parasitoid, when emerging from T. peregrinus eggs, was 0.76 and 0.65 respectively [6,22]. Cleruchoides noackae reared in the laboratory has a short longevity, 1.1 to 3.6 days without and with food, respectively [23,24].…”

“…Australian exotic pest insects have damaged forest plantations in several countries around the world, especially those of the genus Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) [1][2][3]. The bronze bug, Thaumastocoris peregrinus Carpintero & Dellapé, 2006 (Hemiptera: Thaumastocoridae), detected in Brazil in 2008 in the states of São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul, has spread rapidly throughout the country [4][5][6]. This invasive insect pest has a gregarious and sucking habit, lays eggs in clusters and it has caused intense defoliation in eucalyptus trees [3,7,8].…”

“…Native predators such as Chrysoperla externa Hagen (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) [17], Supputius cincticeps Stal (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) [18] and Atopozelus opsimus Elkins (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) [19] prey on nymphs and adults of T. peregrinus in Brazil. The egg parasitoid Cleruchoides noackae Lin & Huber, 2007 (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae), the main biological control agent of the bronze bug [13,20,21], was introduced to Brazil in 2012 to promote classical biological control of this pest [6].…”

“…Cleruchoides noackae is a solitary egg parasitoid, approximately 0.5 mm long [21], and it has an emergence rate higher than 60% from T. peregrinus eggs up to three days old and lower than 10% for those three to five days old [6]. The parasitism of T. peregrinus by C. noackae in the laboratory and the field is 50%-60% [22] and its release in eucalyptus plantations in Brazil has reduced infestation by this pest [3].…”

Selectivity of mycoinsecticides and a pyrethroid to the egg parasitoid Cleruchoides noackae (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae)

“…Biological control is the most widely-used method for managing T. peregrinus 8 . This method includes the egg parasitoid Cleruchoides noackae Lin & Huber (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae), imported from Australia 8 , 9 , the predators Atopozelus opsimus Elkins (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) 10 and Supputius cincticeps Stäl (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) 11 , 12 and entomopathogenic fungi 13 , 14 . Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae , registered commercially 15 and considered to offer reduced risks, are the most studied entomopathogenic fungi 16 , 17 .…”