Food deprivation alters reproductive performance of biocontrol agent Hadronotus pennsylvanicus

Abstract

Diet can influence parasitoid reproductive performance, and therefore, the efficacy of biocontrol programs. We evaluated the influence of food deprivation on the reproductive fitness and behavior of the egg parasitoid Hadronotus pennsylvanicus (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), a prospective biocontrol agent for Leptoglossus zonatus (Heteroptera: Coreidae). Newly emerged female parasitoids were mated and provided host eggs every other day while being provisioned with various honey diet regimes or a consistent supply of water. When given frequent access to a honey diet, female parasitoids lived significantly longer and parasitized more host eggs compared to the water-fed controls. Once depleted of mature eggs, females with frequent access to honey also contributed to greater non-reproductive host mortality. Furthermore, behavioral assays demonstrated that water-fed females spent less time interacting with host eggs and tended to more frequently divert from oviposition behavior. While there was no difference in the average duration until first oviposition between individuals assigned to different diet treatments, increased frequency of honey feeding was associated with more frequent and longer duration of oviposition. The positive effect of honey feeding on the reproductive performance of biocontrol agent H. pennsylvanicus suggests that performance of this parasitoid under field conditions could be enhanced through the provision of similar carbohydrate resources, such as flowering summer cover crops.

Impact of Nutritional Supplements on the Fitness of the Parasitoid Binodoxys communis (Gahan)

“…Behavioral tests with parasitoids fed on glucose, sucrose, or fructose showed that sugar-fed parasitoids spent more time in drumming and oviposition behaviors, while starved parasitoids provided with only water spent more time walking and resting, which is similar with Straser et al's findings for another egg parasitoid, Hadronotus pennsylvanicus (Ashmead) [6]. Some studies, however, have shown that starvation can enhance parasitoid egg-laying behavior, causing wasps to lay their eggs more rapidly, improving their fitness.…”

“…In agricultural Insects 2024, 15, 245 2 of 11 ecosystems, the quality and availability of resources for adult parasitoids vary greatly over time and space. Food deprivation or feeding on poor quality foods can affect the longevity, parasitism rate, and parasitic behavior of female parasitoids, reducing their potential impact as biological control agents [5,6].…”