Oviposition and Reproductive Performance ofHabrobracon hebetor(Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on Six Different Pyralid Host Species

Abstract

Habrobracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a gregarious ecto-parasitoid that attacks larvae of several species of Lepidoptera, mainly pyralid moths infesting stored products. Host quality strongly influences the reproductive success of the parasitoid. In this study, we assessed the reproductive performance of the parasitoid, H. hebetor in a series of laboratory experiments using six different pyralid host species: Indianmeal moth, Ploclia interpunctella (Hiibner), Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller), almond moth, Ephestia cautella (Walker), rice moth, Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton), navel orangeworm, Amyelois transitella (Walker), and greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella L. Experiments were conducted using petri dishes (100 by 15 mm) as experimental arenas at 29 ± 1°C, 65 ± 5% relative humidity, and a photoperiod of 14:10 (L:D) h. Two-day-old H. hebetor females were introduced singly into experimental arenas and given a single host larva every day throughout their lifetime. The numbers of hosts paralyzed and parasitized, numbers of eggs laid each day on each host, egg-to-adult survivorship, and progeny sex ratio were used as parameters for assessing host suitability. Paralysis of hosts by II. hebetor females was significantly affected by host species. H. hebetor paralyzed >95% of the preferred host larvae that were offered and also used =90% of those for oviposition. Daily fecundity was highest on G. mellonella (22.1 ± 0.4) and C. cephalonica (21.6 ± 0.3), and lowest on E. cautella (13.4 ± 0.2). The egg-to-adult survivorship and progeny sex ratio were also significantly affected by the host species. The highest percentage of parasitoid survival was on A. transitella (75.7 ± 2.0) and C. cephalonica (75.4 ± 2.5), and lowest on G. mellonella (49.7 ± 4.8). Our studies clearly showed that H. hebetor females can paralyze and lay eggs on several pyralid species, but it cannot necessarily develop and reproduce optimally on all host species that it can paralyze and parasitize.

Braconinae parasitoids (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) emerged from larvae of Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller) (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) feeding on Daphne gnidium L.

“…The behavior of Habrobracon hebetor is well known and, like the other species of the same genus, it acts as a gregarious larval ectoparasitoid. Habrobracon hebetor has been the object of great interest regarding its mass rearing and is used as a biocontrol agent against many pests (Ghimire and Phillips 2014). …”

Passive vectoring of entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana among the wax moth Galleria mellonella larvae by the ectoparasitoid Habrobracon hebetor females

“…Habrobracon hebetor (Say) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a widespread gregarious ectoparasitoid, which has a broad host range including lepidopterans from families Pyralidae, Gelechiidae, Crambidae, Noctuidae, Tortricidae, Tineidae (Ghimire & Phillips, , ; Źikić et al ., ; Borzoui et al ., ). H. hebetor is used to control a stored product pests such as Ephestia kuehniella Zeller, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) and Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier) and may also be important in the control of cotton boll worm Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Eliopoulos & Stathas, ; Ghimire & Phillips, ; Borzoui et al ., ).…”

“…S1). Because H. hebetor females envenomate a large number of larvae (Taylor, ; Ghimire & Phillips, ; Saadat et al ., ) and increase the susceptibility of hosts to fungi, we hypothesized that parasitoids could propagate entomopathogenic ascomycetes.…”

Efficacy of augmentative release of the parasitoid wasp Bracon hebetor against the pearl millet headminer

“…The augmentative release of B. hebetor significantly increased the mortality level of MHM in farmer fields. This concurred with its potential biocontrol of field and stored lepidopterous insect pests mentioned in many studies (Kabore etal., 2017;Ba et al, 2014;Ghimire and Phillips, 2014;Saadat et al, 2014;Saxena et al, 2012;Adarkwah et al, 2010;Phillips, 2010a, 2010b;Amir-Maafi and Chi, 2006;Bhatnagar, 1989). Overall, the parasitism level by B. hebetor was low with an average of 31% compared to the high larval mortality ranging between 50% to 78% obtained in previous studies in Senegal (Bhatnagar, 1989) and a parasitism rate as high as 97% recorded in Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali (Ba et al, 2014;Ba et al, 2013).…”