10.1007/BF02382510

Whitefly parasitoids: distribution, life history, bionomics, and utilization

Whiteflies are small hemipterans numbering more than 1,550 described species, of which about 50 are agricultural pests. Adults are free-living, whereas late first to fourth instars are sessile on the plant. All known species of whitefly parasitoids belong to Hymenoptera; two genera, Encarsia and Eretmocerus, occur worldwide, and others are mostly specific to different continents. All parasitoid eggs are laid in-or in Eretmocerus, under-the host. They develop within whitefly nymphs and emerge from the fourth instar, and in Cales, from either the third or fourth instar. Parasitized hosts are recognized by conspecifics, but super- and hyperparasitism occur. Dispersal flights are influenced by gender and mating status, but no long-range attraction to whitefly presence on leaves is known. Studies on En. formosa have laid the foundation for behavioral studies and biological control in general. We review past and ongoing studies of whitefly parasitoids worldwide, updating available information on species diversity, biology, behavior, tritrophic interactions, and utilization in pest management.

Functional and numerical responses of Eretmocerus mundus Mercet (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) parasitizing cotton whitefly, Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae)

Laboratory experiments were conducted to measure the functional and numerical responses of Eretmocerus mundus Mercet parasitizing cotton whitefly, Bemisia tabaci Gennadius. Parasitoids were isolated singly for 24 h in 5 cm petri dishes with either 5, 10, 20, 40, 60 or 100 second nymphal stages of B. tabaci. Results showed a typical type II functional response, with up to 43.2 hosts attacked when 100 hosts were provided. The rate of attack and handling time were 0.0465 and 0.3341 days, respectively. At above mentioned densities, the parasitoids lived an average of approximately 4 days. At host densities of < or =20 host/day, the total number of eggs laid was limited by the number of hosts available. Total fecundity was highest with an average of 196 eggs/female at density 100.

Terrestrial insects along elevation gradients: species and community responses to altitude

The literature on the response of insect species to the changing environments experienced along altitudinal gradients is diverse and widely dispersed. There is a growing awareness that such responses may serve as analogues for climate warming effects occurring at a particular fixed altitude or latitude over time. This review seeks, therefore, to synthesise information on the responses of insects and allied groups to increasing altitude and provide a platform for future research. It focuses on those functional aspects of insect biology that show positive or negative reaction to altitudinal changes but avoids emphasising adaptation to high altitude per se. Reactions can be direct, with insect characteristics or performance responding to changing environmental parameters, or they can be indirect and mediated through the insect's interaction with other organisms. These organisms include the host plant in the case of herbivorous insects, and also competitor species, specific parasitoids, predators and pathogens. The manner in which these various factors individually and collectively influence the morphology, behaviour, ecophysiology, growth and development, survival, reproduction, and spatial distribution of insect species is considered in detail. Resultant patterns in the abundance of individual species populations and of community species richness are examined. Attempts are made throughout to provide mechanistic explanations of trends and to place each topic, where appropriate, into the broader theoretical context by appropriate reference to key literature. The paper concludes by considering how montane insect species will respond to climate warming.

Biology and use of the whitefly parasitoid Encarsia formosa

Encarsia formosa is a parasitoid used worldwide for the biological control of whiteflies on vegetables and ornamental plants grown in greenhouses. Because of outstanding success in controlling Trialeurodes vaporariorum on tomatoes, the biology and behavior of this wasp have been intensively studied to identify attributes that contribute to successful biological control and how best to manipulate augmentative releases into greenhouses to suppress whitefly population growth. In this article, we review the biology of adult and immature E. formosa, population dynamics of whitefly-parasitoid interactions, and commercial use in greenhouses. Deficits in knowledge of aspects of E. formosa's biology and use are noted.