Pesticide selectivity for the insect egg parasitoid Telenomus remus

We evaluated the side-effects of insecticides, herbicides and fungicides on adults of the egg parasitoid Telenomus remus (Nixon) under laboratory conditions. The protocol was adapted from that proposed by the Pesticides and Beneficial Organisms Working Group of the International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC) for Trichogramma cacoeciae (Marchal). Chlorpyrifos, acephate, beta-cyfluthrin + imidacloprid, spinosad, and pyrethroids were harmful to the parasitoid, whereas methoxyfenozide, diflubenzuron, and flufenoxuron had no effect. Of the herbicides examined, only glyphosate + imazethapyr and 2,4-D amine were classified as harmless on the first and second days of parasitism; paraquat was the most harmful. Other herbicides were harmless on the first day of parasitism, but caused various levels of reduction of T. remus parasitism on the second day. The fungicides were harmless or only slightly harmful.