Biology of Pediobius sp. near facialis (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), an Imported Pupal Parasitoid of Pseudoplusia includens and Trichoplusia ni (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) 1

Abstract

The biology and host suitability of the gregarious pupal parasitoid Pediobius sp. near facialis (Giraud) was studied in the laboratory, using the soybean looper, Pseudoplusia includens (Walker), as host. A Pediobius female, after a preoviposition period of 84 h, parasitized an average of 8.0 prepupae during a mean life span of 17 days. Females were most fecund their first 3 days postemergence. A host pupa produced an average of 54.3 adult progeny; number of progeny developing in a host significantly affected development time of these progeny. Mean developmental time from oviposition to adult emergence was 22.3 days at 26.7°C. Females and males lived 12.6 and 12.5 days, respectively, at 26.7°C. Pediobius sp. successfully developed in pupae of three noctuids, Trichoplusia ni (Hübner), Heliothis zea (Boddie), and Plathypena scabra (F.), a tortricid, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens), and an ichneumonid, Microharops bimaculata (Ashmead).