Predators, Parasitoids and Hyperparasitoids Associated With the Cotton Mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley) Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) Infesting Different Host Plants at Giza Region.

Abstract

Predators, parasitoids and hyperparasitoids associated with nymphal and adult stages of the cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis infesting five ornamental host plants and six weeds were surveyed at Giza region, Egypt in 2015. Such study was not previously handled in Egypt. The survey revealed the presence of six predaceous species, two endoparasitoids and four hyperparasitoids. Most of the predators were recorded on the two host plants Lantana camara and Hibiscus rosasinensis. However, no predators were surveyed on the two infested host plants Corchorus olitorius and Amaranthus ascendens. Among the predators; the two species Hyperaspis vinciguerrae and Scymus syriacus were the most abundant. Two endoparasitoids; Acerophagus gutierreziae and Chartocerus dactylopii were served. The parasitoid, A. gutierreziae developed solitarily on the nymphs of its host and gregariously (2-5 individuals) on its adult stage; probably due to the host size while, C. dactylopii developed solitarily inside nymphs of its host.

Impact of Some Weather Factors on the Population Density of Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley and its Natural Enemies

“…While, in the second one the parasitism percentage peaks occurred on the second week of August ,the fourth week of August , last week of September and the second week of October by 33.63, 23.59, 57.60 and34.48%, constructively. Attia and Awadallah(2016),recorded that, Prochiloneurus aegyptiacus (Encyrtidae) and Pachyneuron sp. (Pteromalidae) as hyperparasitoids associated with the primary parasitoids.…”

First Record of Aenasius arizonensis (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) as A solitary, Endoparasitoid of Cotton Mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) Infesting Different Host Plants at Giza Region in Egypt

“…This parasitoid is distributed in USA, India, Pakistan, China and Iran (Girault, 1915;Hayat, 2009;Bodlah et al, 2010;Chen Hua-Yan, et al, 2010 andFallahzadeh et al, 2014). In Egypt, until the end of 2015, the common encyrtid parasitoid of P. solanspis was Acerophagus gutierreziae Timberlake (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) (Attia and Awadallah, 2016). The aim of this work is to shed light on the new parasitoid and its hyperparasitoids associated with P. solenopsis infested different host plant at Giza region in Egypt.…”