Comparative demography, population projection, functional response and host age preference behavior of the parasitoid Goniozus legneri on two lepidopterous insect hosts

• Published in: Egyptian journal of biological pest control Vol. 33; no. 1; pp. 2 - 14
• Main Authors: Ehteshami, Fatemeh, Aleosfoor, Maryam, Allahyari, Hossein, Kavousi, Aurang, Fekrat, Lida
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-12-2023; Springer Nature B.V; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: Biological control; Biological parameters; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Butterflies & moths; Carob; Demography; Ectomyelois ceratoniae; Fecundity; Functional response; Goniozus legneri; Host-parasite interactions; Insects; Larvae; Life history; Life Sciences; Oviposition; Parasitism; Parasitoids; Population; Population density; Preferences; Production costs; Pyralidae; Tables (data); Zoology; Functional response; Biological parameters; Parasitism
• ISSN: 2536-9342; 1110-1768; 2536-9342
• DOI: 10.1186/s41938-022-00645-0

Background
This study was conducted to investigate life table characteristics of the parasitoid species,
Goniozus legneri
Gordh (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae), a major gregarious larval ecto-parasitoids of the carob moth,
Ectomyelois ceratoniae
Zeller (Lep.: Pyralidae). Demographic parameters of
G. legneri
reared on two hosts, the carob moth and the flour moth,
Ephestia kuehniella
(Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), were studied under laboratory conditions using age-stage, two-sex life table. Host stage preference and the functional response of this parasitoid were also determined.
Results
The duration of the immature period, adult pre-ovipositional period and total pre-ovipositional period of
G. legneri
reared on
E. kuehniella
was significantly longer than that of those reared on
E. ceratoniae
, while fecundity and ovipositional days of the wasp were greater/longer in females reared on
E. ceratoniae
. There were also significant differences in intrinsic and finite rates of increase and mean generation time between wasp parasitoid reared on two hosts. Moreover, population projection indicated that the
G. legneri
population can grow swifter when reared on
E. ceratoniae
than on
E. kuehniella
. Based on the experiments conducted to determine the larval stage preferences of
G. legneri
, for both hosts, larger larvae were more preferred stages compared to smaller ones, thereby fulfilling the optimal oviposition theory. The functional responses of
G. legneri
to different population densities of
E. kuehniella
two last instar larvae were determined as type III at 25 °C and 60% RH.
Conclusion
The results offer valuable information on some life history attributes of
G. legneri
. Although
G. legneri
performed better on
E. ceratoniae
larvae than on
E. kuehniella,
as the use of
E. ceratoniae
larvae as the main host in rearing of
G. legneri
might be a laborious process and can increase the production costs,
E. kuehniella
can be used as an alternative host. Further studies are required under greenhouse and field conditions for effective use of this biocontrol agent against the carob moth.