Fabricio Fagundes Pereira

New record ofTrichospilus diatraeae as a parasitoid of the eucalypt defoliatorThyrinteina arnobia in Brazil

This is the first report ofTrichospilus diatraeae Cherian & Margabandhu, 1942 (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) parasitizing pupae of the eucalypt defoliatorThyrinteina arnobia (Stoll, 1782) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae). Parasitized pupae of this insect were collected in the field in Brazil. In view of this finding, the potential of this parasitoid for biological control ofT. arnobia in eucalypt plantations in Brazil should be investigated.

Predation rate of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae with and without defense by Podisus nigrispinus (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)

Objetivou-se determinar o efeito da defesa da presa Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) na taxa de predacao por femeas de Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). Podisus nigrispinus, predou 1,0; 1,4; 1,2; 3,8; 3,0 lagartas de terceiro estadio de S. frugiperda com defesa, respectivamente, nas densidades de uma, duas, quatro, seis e oito lagartas, enquanto esses valores foram de 0,4; 0,8; 1,6; 2,8; 3,2 lagartas sem defesa, respectivamente, nessas densidades. A taxa de ataque (a) e o tempo de manipulacao (Th) foram, respectivamente, de 0,67 ± 0,39-h e 6,72 ± 2,88 horas para femeas de P. nigrispinus alimentadas com lagartas com defesa e de 2,51 ± 0,16-h e 0,51 ± 0,77 horas para aquelas sem defesa. A resposta funcional do predador P. nigrispinus varia com a defesa e a densidade da presa S. frugiperda, com maior consumo de presas sem defesa em altas densidades.

Species of Lepidoptera defoliators of Eucalyptus as new host for the parasitoid Palmistichus elaeisis (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

Pupae of Thyrinteina arnobia (Stoll) and Thyrinteina leucoceraea Rindge (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) were obtained from Eucalyptus cloeziana F. Muell and Eucalyptus urophylla S.T. Blake plants, respectively. Specimens of a parasitoid emerged from T. arnobia pupae and also found parasitising T. leucoceraea pupae in the field were identified as Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare and LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). This is the first report on P. elaeisis parasitizing T. arnobia and T. leucoceraea pupae in natural conditions in Brazil. P. elaeisis also parasitized these hosts and Bombyx mori Linnaeus (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae), Anticarsia gemmatalis Hubner, Pseudaletia sequax Franclemont, Alabama argillacea Huebner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Dirphia moderata Bouvier (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) and Halysidota pearsoni Watson (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) in the laboratory. The production and release of P. elaeisis could be an efficient alternative for controlling Lepidoptera defoliators in eucalyptus plantations.

Reproductive performance of Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare and LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) with previously refrigerated pupae of Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae)

The mass rearing of parasitoids represents a fundamental stage for programmes of biological control. The progeny of the parasitoid Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare and LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) were evaluated on previously refrigerated pupae of Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae). Forty-eight to 72 hours-old pupae of B. mori were stored at 10 degrees C for five, 10, 15 or 20 days and then exposed to parasitism by P. elaeisis females. This parasitoid showed shorter duration of the life cycle when reared on pupae of B. mori which were previously stored at 10 degrees C during 15 days. P. elaeisis parasitized 100% of the pupae of B. mori after storage at 10 degrees C during all periods with emergence of this parasitoid from 78 to 100% of these pupae. P. elaeisis had a higher number of progeny per pupa of B. mori stored for 15 days at 10 degrees C. Pupae of B. mori can be stored for 15 days at 10 degrees C before being used to rear P. elaeisis.

Biologia e exigências térmicas de Trichogramma pretiosum Riley e T. exiguum Pinto & Platner (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) criados em ovos de Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)

This biology of Trichogramma pretiosum Riley and T. exiguum Pinto & Platner in Plutella xylostella (L.) eggs was studied at seven constant temperatures, and the thermal requirements and number of generations of both parasitoids was determined for some crucifers producers of the states of Espirito Santo and Pernambuco. Eggs of P. xylostella were submitted to parasitism by T. pretiosum and T. exiguum for 5h, and transferred to climatic chambers regulated to 18, 20, 22, 25, 28, 30 and 32oC. The developmental time was influenced by the temperature varying from 6.8 to 23.1 days for T. pretiosum and 6.9 to 22.0 days for T. exiguum at 32 and 18°C, respectively. The percentage of emergence was higher at 28oC, reaching 86% for both species. The sex ratio was always 1 for T. pretiosum and varied from 0.6 to 0.9 for T. exiguum. The thermal constant (K) and base temperature (Tb) were higher for T. exiguum (129.99 days degrees and 13.13oC) when compared with T. pretiosum (123.03 days degrees and 12.52oC). The estimated number of annual generations of T. pretiosum and T. exiguum for Gravata district was 36.9 and 36.7 generations respectively. The same number, however for Muniz Freire, ES, was 24.1 and 24.5, and for Alegre, ES, 26.7 and 27.0 generations for T. pretiosum and T. exiguum respectively.

Mortality of the defoliator Euselasia eucerus (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae) by biotic factors in an Eucalyptus urophylla plantation in Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Euselasia eucerus (Hewitson, 1872) (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae) is a Brazilian native species commonly found in Eucalyptus plantations. Biotic mortality factors of this defoliator were studied in a Eucalyptus urophylla plantation in Minas Gerais State, Brazil aiming to identify natural enemies and their impact on this insect. Euselasia eucerus had biotic mortality factors during all development stages. The most important were Trichogramma maxacalii Voegelé and Pointel, 1980 (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) during egg stage (48.9%), a tachinid fly (Diptera: Tachinidae) during larval stages (10%) and Itoplectis sp. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) during pupal stage (52.2%). The parasitism rate was higher in the basal part of the plant canopy (37.8%).

Desempenho de Trichogramma pretiosum Riley e T. exiguum Pinto & Platner (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) submetidos a diferentes densidades de ovos de Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)

The objective of this research was to evaluate the performance of Trichogramma pretiosum Riley and Trichogramma exiguum Pinto & Planter on different densities of Plutella xylostella eggs (L.). For both species, groups were made with one, two and four females of Trichogramma, and each group was confined in glass tubes with 15, 30, 45 and 60 eggs of P. xylostella for 24 hours. Cycle duration (adult egg) of T. pretiosum and T. exiguum was around nine days. The highest parasitism rate of T. pretiosum and T. exiguum were reached when it used 15 eggs four females-1 and 15 eggs two females-1, respectively. The viability of parasitism for T. pretiosum and T. exiguum was not affected by the combinations of parasitoids and eggs for both species. The sex ratio was one for T. pretiosum and it varied from 0.6 to 0.8 to T. exiguum. The number of emerged individuals per egg was one. The greatest deformation rate of descendants for both species were observed in tubes containing four female 15 eggs-1 with 33.9 for T. pretiosum and 17.5 for T. exiguum, respectively. The most indicated combination for T. pretiosum and T. exiguum, was one female for 15 eggs-1 and two famales 15 eggs-1, respectively.

Desenvolvimento e reprodução de Dirphia moderata (Lepidoptera: Satutniidae) em Eucalyptus cloeziana e Psidium guajava em laboratório

Neste trabalho, estudaram-se o desenvolvimento e a reproducao de Dirphia moderata Bouvier, 1919 (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) alimentada com Eucalyptus cloeziana F. Muell ou Psidium guajava L. Os periodos de pre-oviposicao, oviposicao e incubacao e a viabilidade e numero de ovos por femea foram de 6,71 ± 0,18 dia; 4,00 ± 0,66 dia; 18,14 ± 0,18 dia; 17,54 ± 3,78%; 121,71 ± 18,96% para esse inseto com E. cloeziana e de 3,86 ± 0,26 dia; 5,86 ± 0,40 dia; 17,71 ± 0,21 dia; 23,12 ± 10,81%; 112,00 ± 8,79% com P. guajava, respectivamente. A duracao e viabilidade larval (%) foram de 53,00 ± 0,09 e 80,00 ± 0,99 e de 55,83 ± 0,29 e de 77,5 ± 6,60 para lagartas de D. moderata criadas nos primeiro e segundo hospedeiros, respectivamente. A duracao e viabilidade das fases de pre-pupa e pupa foram de 4,84 ± 0,07 dia e 96,88 ± 3,13% e de 37,64 ± 1,20 dia e 84,37 ± 6,53% com E. cloeziana e de 3,82 ± 0,06 dia e 100% e de 49,93 ± 2,04 dias e 75,00 ± 7,79% com P. guajava, respectivamente. A razao sexual de D. moderata foi de 0,48 e 0,46 e a longevidade, de 6,78 e 8,84 dias para machos e de 10,23 e 10,07 dias para femeas desse inseto com E. cloeziana e P. guajava, respectivamente. D. moderata apresentou melhor desenvolvimento e reproducao em E. cloeziana, mas P. guajava pode, tambem, ser utilizado para a criacao desse inseto em laboratorio.

Primeiro registro de Oligonychus yothersi (McGregor) (Acari: Tetranychidae) em Eucalyptus grandis Hill ex Maiden no Brasil

An infestation of the red spider mite was reported in clone seedlings of Eucalyptus grandis Hill ex Maiden under greenhouse conditions, in the municipality of Martinho Campos, Minas Gerais State. The spider mite was found on the leaf upper faces with signs of sap suction and bronzing. Such injuries caused abnormal development and plant death. The spider mite was identified as Oligonychus yothersi (McGregor) (Acari: Tetranychidae). This is the first record of O. yothersi on E. grandis seedlings in Brazil.

Biological aspects of Dirphia moderata (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) on Eucalyptus cloeziana and Psidium guajava

Postura de Dirphia moderata Bouvier, 1919 (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) foi coletada ao redor de um ramo de Eucalyptus cloeziana na area experimental do Laboratorio de Entomologia Florestal da Universidade Federal de Vicosa, em Vicosa, Minas Gerais. O objetivo foi registrar a ocorrencia e estudar aspectos biologicos de D. moderata alimentada com folhas de E. cloeziana ou Psidium guajava na temperatura de 25 ± 2o C, umidade relativa de 60 ± 10% e fotofase de 12 horas. A duracao e a viabilidade larval foram de 56,01 dias e 80,00% e de 55,79 dias e 72,50% para lagartas de D. moderata alimentadas com E. cloeziana ou Psidium guajava, respectivamente. A duracao (dias) e a viabilidade (%) do estagio de pupa foram de 37,64 e 87,00 para este inseto com E. cloeziana e de 49,93 e 87,75 com P. guajava, respectivamente. A longevidade media (dias) foi de 6,79 e 8,85 para machos e de 10,48 e 10,09 para femeas desse inseto com E. cloeziana e P. guajava, respectivamente. Cada femea de D. moderata depositou 121,71 e 112,00 ovos com periodo de incubacao (dias) de 18,14 e 17,79 e viabilidade (%) de 75,0 e 70,0 com essas plantas hospedeiras, respectivamente.